AEM 6.4- Embedding an external widget in a web page

[AEM_Forum]

Hi all, I need to Embed an external Search widget in an AEM web page. It must be searchable and results displayed within the widget. Another tab shall open when the user selects a result from the widget results. I see that AEM has an out of box External iFrame, that allows a web author to reference an external URL and create a window to display the website in an iFrame. Is this the right option? Are there any pros/cons of using this? For example, is it secure? Appreciate your support. Thanks, Rama.

[smacdonald2008]

To address this use case - you need to write a custom AEM component that searches for content.  For your component - are you planning on making it search the AEM JCR or you using another solution - like having the component search SOLR and displaying the results?.

If you are going to take the SOLR route for your search component - may i recommend that you watch this webinar:

Scott's Digital Community: [Webinar |November] AtACE Session: Enterprise Search Solution for AEM usi...

SOLR offers an efficient way to search content as discussed in this webinar.

And with respect to your question on secure - are you asking if you use an IFRAME in a custom component - if that is secure?

[AEM_Forum]

Thanks Scott. But External iFrame component is exactly meant for this purpose correct? If an out of box meets my purpose, why should I write a custom component? Appreciate your support. Thanks, Rama.

[smacdonald2008]

Can you point to the AEM docs that describe what you mean by  "External iFrame". This will help in understanding exactly what you are thinking of using.

Also - from your description - you want to create a SEARCH component - correct?

[AEM_Forum]

Hi Scott, I need to Embed a totally external Search widget (Euro NCAP safety ratings widget to be precise) in an AEM web page. By entering some parameters, one could search safety ratings. I do not need to create this widget. My "External iFrame" reference is: https://med.stanford.edu/content/dam/sm/web/documents/aem-help/External-iFrame.pdf Thanks, Rama.

[smacdonald2008 · Accepted solution]

OK, now i see what you are trying to do. Here is the AEM docs on this External component --

Foundation Components

As per the docs, the external application is integrated into the paragraph system of the AEM page; for example, when using a Target application of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page.

[smacdonald2008]

Also - keep in mind that the External component is to embed content located at a given URL - like a Wikipedia article - for example --

Adobe Inc. - Wikipedia

Unless you have a search component at a given URL - i would look at building a custom search component  - like a custom HTL component.

[AEM_Forum]

Thanks Scott. Now we are on the same page. That widget is a specific search component only, but not on AEM. Now, my question is are there any pros/cons of using this? Thanks, Rama.

[smacdonald2008]

I cannot really comment on this (other then what is documented) as I have never used the External component to pull in an external component to search for other content. Lets see if other ppl have ever tried this.

I have built Search components for AEM JCR and SOLR - but they are AEM components located in the AEM repository.