SearchBlox AEM Package

The SearchBlox AEM Package ensures that the AEM collection stays in real-time sync with ongoing site page updates, such as content changes, creation of new pages, or deletion and unpublishing of existing pages, without re-indexing the entire collection. It also integrates SearchBlox search with AEM site pages. To enable this functionality, the SearchBlox AEM package needs to be deployed and the required SearchBlox properties must be configured.

Install SearchBlox AEM Package and Verify Installation

Download the SearchBlox AEM Package
Click Hammer Icon → Deployment → Packages

Click on Upload Package and select 'Force Upload' as shown in the reference below:

Select it and then install it once the SearchBlox AEM package upload is complete.

After installing the SearchBlox AEM custom package, check the Activity log to view the status of installed nodes as shown in the reference below:

Configure AEM Collection with SearchBlox AEM Package

Navigate to Config Manager → http://localhost:4502/system/console/configMgr
Search for SearchBlox Collection Configuration in the browser.

Click SearchBlox Collection Configuration

Configure the properties listed below,
- SearchBlox URL → SearchBlox Instance URL
- Collection Name → AEM Collection Name
- API Key → SearchBlox API key
- Private Key → SearchBlox User SB-PKey for secure communication
Once the Configuration is complete, click on the Save button to save the SearchBlox Configuration.

Configure AEM Package Package Crawler

The AEM Package crawler triggers indexing for the configured AEM collection. First, create a System User authorized to perform crawl activity.
- To create the System User, go to AEM URL: http://localhost:4502/crx/explorer/index.jsp
- Click on User Administration and select Create System Useras shown below:

Set the UserID with a unique username (e.g., sbadmin) and set the Intermediate Path as /home/users/system.
Click the Done icon to save.

Configure privileges for the System User:

Go to http://localhost:4502/useradmin
Search for the System User username
Double-click the username to open settings
Go to the Permissions tab
Enable Read, Modify, Create, Delete, Read ACL, and Edit ACL for the Content node
Click Save to add the privileges as per the reference image below:

Configure the Service Mapper to connect the Package Crawler with the System User Go to http://localhost:4502/system/console/configMgr in your browser
- Search for Apache Sling Service User Mapper Service Amendment and expand it
- Configure `com.searchblox.aem.core:getResourceResolver=sbadmin' (Here sbadmin is considered as System User. Actual Syntax format is: 'Symbolicname of the project:servicetype=System User')
- Once configured the Amendment, click on Save. Service Amendment will get added to its list.

After configuring the System User, ensure the SearchBlox Collection component is properly set up.

Use the package crawler endpoint to start indexing the SearchBlox AEM Collection.
http://localhost:4502/bin/searchblox/aem/index

You can use the below package crawler endpoint to stop SearchBlox AEM Collection Indexing:
http://localhost:4502/bin/searchblox/aem/index/stop

Configure AEM Search with SearchBlox AEM Package

Choose either Author or Publisher domain for Search Component configuration (example below uses Author Domain).

Go to Config Manager: http://localhost:4502/system/console/configMgr
Search for SearchBlox Search Configuration.
Edit the configuration to set your Search URL.

Enter your domain search URL without a trailing slash.

After completing the configuration, click Save to save the SearchBlox settings.
Access the SearchBlox AEM search page at: http://<Author or Publisher Domain>/content/searchblox/search.html.
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Note:

Please ensure your search page domain is configured with the allowed CORS configuration.

Please make sure to configure 'PluginDomain' in your Custom search UI Folder > facet.js file.

Please ensure to access the below URLs in your browser if you see an API Failed error with Search Page access.

https://DNS:8443/rest/v2/api/secured/enabled
https://DNS:8443/ui/v1/search/settings

You can further customize the search and update the Search Integration code with AEM site pages using Visual Editor or Developer Mode.
Customize Search Template using SearchBlox Embed Search Code:
1. Go to AEM home page: http://localhost:4502/aem/start.html
2. Click Sites → Select SearchBlox AEM → Search → Click Edit.

Visual Editor Update:

Developer Mode Update:
Use Developer Mode Edit Option or Navigate to http://localhost:4502/crx/de/index.jsp

You can update the existing HTML search integration code. Click on Save All to save the changes.

Note: In the HTML code body section, below script tags should be there:

<script data-sly-use.info="com.searchblox.aem.core.SearchBloxSearchConfiguration" src="${info.getPluginUrl}/facet.js"></script>
<script data-sly-use.info="com.searchblox.aem.core.SearchBloxSearchConfiguration" src="${info.getPluginUrl}/build.js"></script>

Save your Embed Search Code and republish the Search Page.

Uninstall SearchBlox AEM Package

Uninstallation is needed if the package was installed incorrectly or if you want to update the existing SearchBlox AEM Package.

Navigate to Packages → Click Hammer Icon → Deployment → Packages.

Select searchblox-aem.ui apps package → More → Uninstall

Once the SearchBlox AEM Package uninstallation is complete, click on More and select Delete Option.

Once the SearchBlox AEM Package is installed and collection is set up, a new document is added to the collection whenever a site page is published.

When a site page is unpublished or deleted, the document is removed from the SearchBlox AEM Collection.

The package also updates meta content or page content in the SearchBlox AEM Collection.