After a more recent redesign the second since I started working on it we converted their training videos brochures manuals and product videos into a searchable format. How and why we did that I will explain later in this article. Integrated parts search Find parts was another important feature to implement. This came with a unique set of challenges and to be honest it took a few tries to get this one right. One problem is that a part number must be associated with a PDF diagram. There were hundreds of PDF files that had to be uploaded to the hosting account and then made searchable. A static page with all files just wouldn t work here.
The idea of someone sifting through a list of hundreds of files was just impractical. My first thought was to use a plugin. I ve tried several but each had its own noteworthy mobile number list shortcomings. As often happens in web development when a solution doesn t exist yet it s up to you to create one. So instead of using and configuring a plugin I had to roll up my sleeves do some research and start scripting. On a side note I don t think most web developers just know how to write a particular script from memory to solve a problem unless it s hello world or something like that. I think the main strength of a good web developer is not necessarily that you know everything right away.
Now maybe a programmer can quickly create a script because that s most of what they do. Web developers on the other hand are kind of a jack of all trades. We do design coding scripting databases and more. Few people just know all these things. The point is this don t let not knowing anything hold you back. Our job as web developers is simply to discover and implement the right solution. We may not always get it right on the first try but persistence is how we evolve to become great at what we do in every aspect of life. What I ended up with in this case was a custom search that focused on searching PDF files hosted on the server.