[Resolved] Built a custom search with filters

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[angelapiqui]

Dear support,

I’ve just bought Toolset plugin, read the guides on your website, FAQ pages, watched some of your videos on youtube, but it’s still confusing to me. I’ve designed my website with Elementor (and I’m very familiar with it), but have zero programming skills. I have a programmer guy that helps me sometimes but I was wondering if I could set up Toolset with minimal help possible.

That’s why I would like to know if you could send me the "step by step" on how to set up a custom search with filters inside a page, which will be very simple (file attached). I would need a very simple and easy language on how to do it.

To build a custom search with filters, what I understand is that I have to set up:

Custom Content
Custom Post Type
Custom Fields
Taxonomy
Create a View

I've attached a sketch of how is the custom search I want, so it’s easier for you to know what I need.

One of the things I'm trying to understand is what I'll consider as Custom Post Type, Custom fields and Taxonomy.

I haven't purchased the domain and hosting for the site that I want to have the custom search yet. For the moment I'm using another site I have, just to learn how to use Toolset. I use Elementor Pro + OceanWP free.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Best,

Sintia

[Waqar]

Hi Sintia,

Thank you for contacting us and welcome to Toolset support.

The Toolset plugins are designed to eliminate or reduce the need of advanced custom programming, while building websites with advanced filters and structures.

In our experience, the best way to learn and get familiar with the plugin features and designing the structure of the website is to work on demo or training websites.

We offer a free demo library of reference websites at:
https://discover-wp.com/

You can create free demo websites there and explore how different features are used in pre-built referenced sites:
https://discover-wp.com/site-templates/

For example, the "Real estate site" makes use of search filters to show results with AJAX loading, similar to what you're planning to achieve (as shown in your screenshot):
hidden link

I'll recommend deploying a demo website with this reference site, which will give you a working example to explore how its views and search filters are configured. This will also clarify the role of custom post types, custom fields, custom taxonomies and views.

If you have any specific questions or concerns related to how that reference website is setup or any step mentioned in our documentation, you're welcome to write to us anytime. Please do share the link to a website where you tried to use a particular feature, along with the followed steps.

I hope this helps and please let me know if you need any further assistance around this.

regards,
Waqar

[angelapiqui]

Hi Waqar,

Thanks for replying.

I tried to install a reference site but most of them need Toolset Forms and/or Toolset Maps, which I don't have. I talked to Agnes before and she suggested me to b'uy Toolset Presentation that doesn't include those features. The only template that is a bit similar to what I want is "beyond the basics" but still doesn't have all I need.

Will I have to upgrade to build this kind of custom search?

This is the site I'm using to test the plugin: hidden link. I have nothing designed there though.

Best,

Sintia

[Waqar]

Hi Sintia,

Thanks for writing back.

The Toolset Forms plugin will be only needed if you'd need visitors to add/submit content from the front-end of the website.

Likewise, the Toolset Maps plugin will only be needed, if you'll need to show your listings/results on a map.

If both the above features are not a requirement of your project, you don't have to upgrade and you can still create a website with a custom search.

From the screenshot that you've shared, I understand that you'll be building a custom search for a company listings/directory website. Here are the steps involved:

1. You'll need 3 custom post types:
( ref: https://toolset.com/documentation/getting-started-with-toolset/structure-your-data-with-custom-post-types-fields-and-taxonomies/#create-custom-post-types-from-the-toolset-dashboard )

a). Company Listings - This will hold each post for an individual company
b). Business Categories - This will hold each post for an individual business category
c). Business Subcategories - This will hold each post for an individual business subcategory

Note: we're using separate custom post types for "Business Categories" and "Business Subcategories" so that in the search form the option to choose subcategory can be automatically updated based on the selection of the category.
( similar to how "State" and "City" filters work on the demo website's search form at hidden link )

2. For linking the "City" information with each company's listing, you can register a new custom taxonomy "Cities".
( ref: https://toolset.com/documentation/user-guides/create-custom-taxonomies/ )

3. Post relationships:

To link the new custom post types with each other, you'll need two post relationships:
( ref: https://toolset.com/documentation/post-relationships/ )

a). A one-to-many relationship between "Business Categories" and "Business Subcategories"
(so that each business category can be linked with multiple subcategories)

b). A one-to-many relationship between "Business Subcategories" and "Company Listings"
(so that each business category can be linked with multiple companies)

4. Once this structure is ready and you have added some example data, you can move to the final step of creating a view with search filters, as explained in this guide:
https://toolset.com/documentation/user-guides/front-page-filters/

To make things simple and avoid confusion, I'll suggest following the steps in the order they're shared. If you have any questions related to any of these steps, please share them each in a new separate ticket, to avoid clutter.

regards,
Waqar