Using the search module to display entries based on custom fields

Question

I have a profile weblog that contains all our users details (fields seperate from the membership).

These users can submit application forms with the use of a SAEF (stand alone entry form), which will be stored in an applications weblog. Inside this applications weblog, I have a relationship field which assigns a profile to an application.

Inside this application, radio buttons are contained to allow an admin to change the status of that application (an example, a judge views an application for Joe Bloggs and sets this application to “winner”).

What I essentially need to do is filter out all the profiles that have not been set to a number of status’. So if I apply for an application and the judge is yet to view this application, my profile should not appear in the search results. My idea of this is that I would somehow have to intertwine search results with a reverse related entry tag, and as my knowledge of the search module is limited I am at a complete loss if this is even possible.

As you can see, not only do I need to search by custom field, but the profiles that will be displayed should be determined on custom fields contained in the application entry.

Answer 1

I would suggest using the "status" option instead of the radio custom field.

Why? Because you can accomplish the same thing you want to do with the radio field and you can set what entries you want to return in your search results.

For example, you have a status group called: "Application", which is assigned to the that weblog/channel

Within the status group, you will have three options: Pending (waiting to be looked at), Loser (judge sets it to this because it is not a winner, or just as pending), Winner (judge considers that application a winner).

Then in the search tag, you would set what statuses it will return in the search results

so if you want to only return applications/profiles that were marked winner, you would set the status="status_id" (this will be the id of "Winner" status)