35-search-module-api.Rmd

# Search module API

The search module API allows for processing of a search term on audioblast.org, and handles the display of relevant search results. Modules are typically related to a particular data type (i.e. a table in the audioblast database), although there are more abstract modules that solely process search terms in order to allow them to be processed by other modules.

## Search API class

### init()

### displayPrototype()

Create a region on the results page for displaying search results.

### parse()

Parses the search term for relevant terms, and may modify terms.

### display()

Handles the display of search results to the user.


### searchSuggests()

Provides a short list of indicative search terms that may be handled by the module. This is used to suggest search terms on the audioblast.org homepage.

## Current audioblast.org search modules

### Pythia

Pythia uses an audioBlast API to match words in the search term to tokens using direct access to the audioBlast database.

### Linnaeus: taxonomic name information and processing

The parse() function in Linnaeus takes a taxon name token identified by Pythia and converts it to a taxon name with rank token.

Linnaeus also handles the taxon info box, that provides search navigation through parent taxa.

### King Solomon's Ring

King Solomon's Ring converts everyday terms relating to animal behavior into named trait with value tokens (e.g. silent to sound production method being equal to None.)

### Rosetta

Rosetta handles the conversion of emoji in search terms to taxonomic names using the Phymoji package.