OpenSearch for Second Life
(MI-Search Setup Instructions)
A special welcome to realXtend viewer users, who are now accessing OpenSearch natively.
Your viewer is already set up for OpenSearch.
Happy searches!
If you are using the official Linden Lab SL viewer, read on!
The Second Life viewer has a new web-based search function. However, by default it only provides access to the search facility provided by Linden Lab. You can change the default to use a more open search mechanism by configuring your Second Life viewer to use our OpenSearch, which will provide access to the following search engines:
- Metaverse Ink Search: "All" search provides access to products, designers, notecards, places and land for sale. It lists about 2 million products with images, descriptions, and a link directly to the store. There is also support for scripted vendors. This search engine uses a staff of 14 friendly robots to scan the entire grid twice a week, and has a sophisticated ranking system that is very difficult to fool.
- Linden Lab Search: "All" search provides access to a static view of information from the SL grid. Highlights include search of places, classifieds, profiles, and the SL wiki.
- Google Search: for the 'real' universe!
Set up OpenSearch for Second Life
All features of the standard Linden Lab search are preserved when you switch to OpenSearch
In all systems, including Windows, Mac, or Linux, here are the steps:
- Run Second Life.
- Open the Advanced menu in Second Life.
[Press Shift-Ctrl-Alt-D (PC), or Opt-Ctrl-D (Mac), if it is not already visible on the top menu-bar.] - Select 'Debug Settings'.
- In the list box, select 'SearchURLQuery'
- In the text box, change the text to:
http://www.MetaverseInk.com/OpenSearch?q=[QUERY]&s=[COLLECTION]&
- If you want, you can also change the "SearchURLDefault"
setting to:
http://www.MetaverseInk.com/OpenSearch?
Note that if you re-install Second Life, you will have to re-configure OpenSearch, but not if you update.
OpenSearch is an initiative of Metaverse Ink