Pnp-modern-search: Can we limit the scope of search results to Hub site and its connected sites ?

[AmitTyagi1]

Can we limit the scope of search results to Hub site and its connected sites only ?

Please suggest if it is possible by any configuration already.

[Georg-Trixl]

Hi @AmitTyagi1
By using provided buttons in the search configuration panels or further development this is not possible.
But you can specify search parameters on your own, this will deliver exactly the search result that you are looking for and of course this has also a problem attached.

Basically
Search does not know anything about hierarchy and hubs sites and what ever is connected to it.

How to achieve a "Hub-Site search" and connected results?
If you configure search parameters as for example in search verticals, you narrow down search results to specific paths. Specify there the path to your hub site and to each connected site.
In my company we narrowing search results down to the relevant stuff like that:
{searchTerms}
(
(
Path:"https://tenant.sharepoint.com/sites/WS_" OR
Path:"https://tenant.sharepoint.com/sites/HS_" OR
Path:"https://tenant.sharepoint.com/sites/CS_"
)
-Path:"https://tenant-my.sharepoint.com"
-Path:"https://tenant.sharepoint.com/sites/mtest/"
-Path:"https://tenant.sharepoint.com/sites/migtest/"
-Path:"https://tenant.sharepoint.com/sites/migtestv2/"
-Path:"https://tenant.sharepoint.com/sites/migtestv3/"
-Path:"https://tenant.sharepoint.com/sites/archive/"
)

Whats the attached problem on that solution?
When somebody associates a site to the hub site, you need to be informed by that guy, in order that you can update the search parameter configuration.

[wobba]

Don't listen to @AmitTyagi1 :)

Use this in the query template field:
{searchTerms} DepartmentId:{PageContext.hubSiteId}

See https://microsoft-search.github.io/pnp-modern-search/search-parts/search-results/#custom-query-variables and https://www.techmikael.com/2018/04/working-with-hub-sites-and-search-api.html for reference.

[AmitTyagi1]

Don't listen to @AmitTyagi1.

Use this in the query template field:
{searchTerms} DepartmentId:{PageContext.hubSiteId}

See https://microsoft-search.github.io/pnp-modern-search/search-parts/search-results/#custom-query-variables and https://www.techmikael.com/2018/04/working-with-hub-sites-and-search-api.html for reference.

Sure @wobba will try your suggestion.

[wobba]

More effective for the search system and works when more sites are added to the hub.

[AmitTyagi1]

Hi @wobba, I tried your suggestion. But it doesn't give me any results. I am not sure if i missed something, but below is how my Search Results configuration looks.

Do i need to make any related changes on the "Search Box" also ?

I tried pasting the actual Site Id also in the query template field but it didn't worked too. Like,
{searchTerms} DepartmentId:{11111111-1111-1111-1111-1111111111}

[wobba]

All items should have the SiteID of the hub in the DepartmentId managed property. If you remove the {} does it work in your manual test?

[AmitTyagi1]

I tried following as per your suggestion with no luck.
{searchTerms} DepartmentId:11111111-1111-1111-1111-1111111111

I am ready to test if you have any other suggestions.

[AmitTyagi1]

Is there a quick way to verify(may be using Powershell or any other means) that DepartmentId property is being populated with the SiteID of the hub in my tenant.

[FranckyC]

Hi @AmitTyagi1 , can you try to double curly braces like this: DepartmentId:{{PageContext.hubSiteId}}. If I remember correctly, the DepartmentId managed property includes {} already in its value.

[AmitTyagi1]

Great !!! @FranckyC double curly braces worked. Thanks a lot for your help.

[wobba]

I might add trimming of {} as well on those props. Very inconsistent usage with and without in SP 😕

[AmitTyagi1]

Do we have a way to exclude the contents of Site Assets and Form Templates libraries from the search results ?