jQuery Google Search Bookbar

Introduction

The Google Search Bookbar functionality can easily be added to a division. It displays a set of books links based on provided search terms. The default search term is 'jquery'.

Google places some restrictions on your use of this service, including obtaining a key specific to a target URL providing the service, making the Web site freely accessible, and showing included Google branding. See the link above for more details.

You can also remove the GSBookbar widget if it is no longer required.

Default bookbar: Remove

 

$('#defaultBookbar').gsbookbar();

$('#removeBookbar').toggle(
	function() {
		$(this).text('Re-attach');
		$('#defaultBookbar').gsbookbar('destroy');
	},
	function() {
		$(this).text('Remove');
		$('#defaultBookbar').gsbookbar();
	}
);

You can override the defaults globally as shown below:

$.gsbookbar.setDefaults({horizontal: true});

Processed fields are marked with a class of hasGSBookbar and are not re-processed if targetted a second time.

Formatting Options

You have some control over the appearance of the bookbar.

Formatting: Orientation Horizontal Vertical Thumbnails Small Medium

  Results Few Many

 

$('#formatBookbar').gsbookbar();

var thumbnails = [$.gsbookbar.thumbnailsSmall, $.gsbookbar.thumbnailsMedium];
		
$('#format select').change(function() {
	$('#formatBookbar').gsbookbar('change',
		{horizontal: $('#orientation').val() == 'true',
		thumbnailSize: thumbnails[$('#thumbnails').val()],
		manyResults: $('#results').val() == 'true'});
});

Cycling Searches

You can set the bookbar up to cycle automatically through a set of search terms, with control over the interval between cycles and the order. Just pass an array of search terms when attaching the bookbar.

Cycling: Time (secs) Very short (3) Short (10) Medium (15) Long (30) Mode Random Linear

 

$('#cycleBookbar').gsbookbar(
	{search: ['jquery', 'australia', 'cats', 'tennis']});
	
var times = [$.gsbookbar.cycleVShort, $.gsbookbar.cycleShort,
	$.gsbookbar.cycleMedium, $.gsbookbar.cycleLong];
var modes = [$.gsbookbar.cycleRandom, $.gsbookbar.cycleLinear];
		
$('#cycleTime,#cycleMode').change(function() {
	$('#cycleBookbar').gsbookbar('change',
		{cycleTime: times[$('#cycleTime').val()],
		cycleMode: modes[$('#cycleMode').val()]});
});

Custom Search

You can provide preset links or free text entry to generate new book searches by using the 'search' command.

Searchable bookbar: Preset jQuery Australia Cats Tennis OR

  Freeform Search

 

$('#searchBookbar').gsbookbar();
		
$('#presetTerm').change(function() {
	$('#searchBookbar').gsbookbar('search', $(this).val());
});
		
$('#doSearch').click(function() {
	$('#searchBookbar').gsbookbar('search', $('#searchTerm').val());
});

In the Wild

This tab highlights examples of this plugin in use "in the wild".

To add another example, please contact me (kbwood{at}iinet.com.au) and provide the plugin name, the URL of your site, its title, and a short description of its purpose and where/how the plugin is used.

Quick Reference

A full list of all possible settings is shown below. Note that not all would apply in all cases. For more detail see the documentation reference page.

$(selector).gsbookbar({
	horizontal: true, // True for horizontal display, false for vertical
	thumbnailSize: this.thumbnailsMedium, // The size of the book thumbnails
	search: 'jquery', // Single or list of search terms
	manyResults: false, // True for many results, false for only a few
	cycleTime: this.cycleMedium, // Time between cycles of the search terms
	cycleMode: this.cycleRandom // Mode of cycling through the search terms
});