People search box will not redirect to custom page.

Question

We are using SharePoint 2010. We are having a problem with the web part “People SearchBox”. We created a custom page from a page layout and added the web part. We edit the web part and change the "Target search results page URL" under miscellaneous to point to our custom page. Example: colleagueSearch.aspx. No matter what we try when we search it browses to “PeopleResults.aspx”. Does anyone know why this is happening and how to fix it?

---

David Humphreys

Answer 1

When this doesn't work, if you go an open the web part back up has it retained the value you entered ("colleagueSearch.aspx") or has it reverted?

Have you tried dropping the People Search Box on an OTB page (not a custom one) to see if it works as expected?

---

Paul Olenick SharePoint/FAST Architect , MCTS http://olenicksharepoint.wordpress.com/

Answer 2

Paul,

Thank you for responding. Yes we go back to edit the web part and the box retains the entry. We haven't tried an OTB page since we need this to work with a page layout. I can try to see if there is a difference but we would still need it to be place in a page layout.

 

---

David Humphreys

Answer 3

Paul,

I'm not sure exactly how you mean OTB Page. I created a new web part page. I inserted the people search box. I modified the  "Target search results page URL" box under miscellenanious to be colleagueSearch.aspx and it still redirects to PeopleResults.aspx.

 

---

David Humphreys

Answer 4

Oh, I misunderstood.  I thought you had created a custom page layout and page.

Does it work if you use a Search Box web part instead of the People Search Box?

---

Paul Olenick SharePoint/FAST Architect , MCTS http://olenicksharepoint.wordpress.com/

Answer 5

Paul,

Ok, that gave me a different result. I removed the people search box and replaced it with the Search Box. The search box redirects back to my ColleagueSearch.aspx page. It seems to work as expected. I will have to read up on it to see how it is different compared to the People Search Box. The main thing is that it should search only for people. I ran a few tests and it seems to work right. I’m concerned it will search for content and people.

I have a new problem now that I’m using the Search box. I enter something for the title and it's visable in edit mode. But when I check in the page the title disappears. We need the title. Can you help with that issue?

---

David Humphreys

Answer 6

Hi David,

Did you find a resolution to this issue?

I am seeing the same thing. I'm familiar with altering the target results page for the search web part and it always works fine. However now that I try it with the People Search web part my results are always directed to the search centre peopleresults page: search/Pages/peopleresults.aspx?k=Stephen&s=People.

As in your case when I reopen the web part settings the Target Search Results URL is still set to the custom page I previously specified.

Thanks.