Custom Search on Custom Page while preserving the main search function

Question

Wordpress - Custom Search on Custom Page while preserving the standard search function.

Hi all,

I would like to create a custom search on a custom page on top of main search function. The additional one is supposed to be focused only on products.

search-product.php

$product_type = $_GET['post_type'];

$args = array(
    'post_type' => $product_type,
    'posts_per_page' => -1
);

$the_query = new WP_Query($args);

/* Start the Loop */
while ($the_query -> have_posts() ) : $the_query -> the_post(); ?>


<h5><?php the_title(); ?></h5>

<?php endwhile; wp_reset_query(); ?>

The form:

<form role="search" method="get" class="search-form" action="<?php echo esc_url(home_url('/search-products/')); ?>">
        <div class="row align-items-center">
        <input type="hidden" name="post_type" value="product">
        <input type="text" name="productname" value="" autocomplete="off" placeholder="Product Name..." class="searchForm form-control"> 


            <button type="submit" class="btn btn-primary">Szukaj</button>

        </div>
    </form>

When I define the post type within the php file, it displays the query as expected. But I want to be able to modify the query on this page with URL instructions, however if I do something like this: http://localhost/wordpress/search-product/?post_type=product

WP returns the "page not found" page, with a different template. I believe it's the default "search" template.

Now... I know that I can/should modify the search.php file to make the whole thing work, BUT, I don't want to modify the main search.php (main query ? ).

I want to preseve the main search functionality, and have another custom one on top of it.

I have also utilized the template_include function as filter - however this returns a page, that visually is aligned with what I expect, however the head title is still "page not found".

I also tried to use the "pre_get_posts" hook, but also with no success.

I have spend lots of hours on this page to find the solutions, but all the answers include modifing the standard search.php file, but as mentioned, I do not want to modify the main search template.

Thanks!

Answer 1

It turned out, that the following solved my issue:

function search_rewrite_rules()
{
    global $wp_rewrite;
    $wp_rewrite->search_base        = 'Search Product';
}
add_action('init', 'search_rewrite_rules');

This hook moves the search_base to the given page, which enables everything I wanted to achieve.

Credit goes to the guy in this query: Custom slug in front of search URL