How to make MOSS 2007 search results open in new window

I wanted to be able to open PDF links only in new windows since I noticed a lot of users often times were searching for say PDF’s and then they would accidentally close the browser instead of hitting the back button. Big annoyance for them.

So I was snooping around the Search Core Results Web Part’s XSL Editor to see if I could edit the XSL to open links in new windows instead. It’s actually pretty easy, here are the steps:

1. Go to http://portal/searchcenter/pages/results.aspx

2. Modify Shared Web Part for the Search Core Results WebPart

3. Click on the XSL Editor Button on right under Miscellaneous > Data View Properties



4. I’d suggest copying the contents of the pop up into notepad/wordpad to do your editing.

5. Search for the following lines

<span class=”srch-Icon”>
<a href=”{$url}” id=”{concat(’CSR_IMG_’,$id)}” title=”{$url}”>

<span class=”srch-Title”>
<a href=”{$url}” id=”{concat(’CSR_’,$id)}” title=”{$url}”>

<xsl:choose>
<xsl:when test=”$IsThisListScope = ‘True’ and contentclass[. = ‘STS_ListItem_PictureLibrary’] and picturethumbnailurl[. != ”]“>
<div style=”padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px;”>
<a href=”{$url}” id=”{concat(’CSR_P’,$id)}” title=”{title}”>

<span class=”srch-URL”>
<a href=”{$url}” id=”{concat(’CSR_U_’,$id)}” title=”{$url}” dir=”ltr”>

6. At the ends of each of the <a;> tags, you’ll want to add on target=”_blank”

For example to make the link attached to the document icon open in a new window, the full tag would be like this:

<span class=”srch-Icon”>
<a href=”{$url}” id=”{concat(’CSR_IMG_’,$id)}” title=”{$url}” target=”_blank”>

7. Now to open new window only for PDFs documents add the code <xsl:choose> in for Icon, Title and URL section code in the XSL. Oviously, the code inside the <xsl:when> and <xsl:otherwise> tag will be different.

<xsl:choose>
   <xsl:when test="contains($url,'.pdf') or
contains($url,'.PDF')">
      <a href="{$url}" id="{concat('CSR_IMG_',$id)}"
title="{$url}" target="_blank">
        <img align="absmiddle"
src="{imageurl}" border="0" alt="{imageurl/@imageurldescription}" />
      </a>
   </xsl:when>
   <xsl:otherwise>
       <a href="{$url}"
id="{concat('CSR_IMG_',$id)}" title="{$url}">
         <img align="absmiddle"
src="{imageurl}" border="0" alt="{imageurl/@imageurldescription}" />
       </a>
    </xsl:otherwise>
</xsl:choose>

Using the same XSL Editor you can also manipulate how your search results are displayed and even include custom content types if you wanted to!

About Diganta Kumar

Diganta Kumar is an experienced Technical Program Manager with a passion for technology. He has architected and developed software for over a decade for a broad range of industries. Diganta is a founder of two online IT businesses. He likes to help, mentor, and manage software development teams to improve and produce great software. He currently works as a Principal Program Manager for Microsoft. Before joining Microsoft, he was with AWS for five years, where he managed large cross-functional programs on a global scale.