use different search_index.json dependent on the selection on the page

[sn0wcat]

Is there an easy way to configure the mkdocs_material search to use different search_index.json dependent on the toggle in the UI? we have implemented a "global switch" in our documentation site, where the user can decide to restrict a view to a certain role and i would like to serve different search_index.json files dependent on that selection.

we are using the insiders version of the theme.

[squidfunk]

Not right now, but this is already planned as a feature for the new search. No ETA right now, but it will be released after we finish our current efforts on the foundational work we're currently doing. Thanks for your patience!

[kamilkrzyskow]

Hello @sn0wcat,
as squidfunk mentioned there is no "easy" way at the moment. However, the path to the search index is static.

mkdocs-material/src/templates/assets/javascripts/bundle.ts

Lines 101 to 116 in 4c0004e

	function fetchSearchIndex(): Observable<SearchIndex> {
	if (location.protocol === "file:") {
	return watchScript(
	`${new URL("search/search_index.js", config.base)}`
	)
	.pipe(
	// @ts-ignore - @todo fix typings
	map(() => __index),
	shareReplay(1)
	)
	} else {
	return requestJSON<SearchIndex>(
	new URL("search/search_index.json", config.base)
	)
	}
	}

Therefore, you can replace the search/search_index.json string in the final bundle.js file with a global function which would return a different string based on the state of the UI. The bundle.js loads before all of the mkdocs.yml extra javascripts, so the function and the UI state would have to be at the root level of the HTML DOM, just like the private scope functions in the javascripts/base.html template.

As for including multiple search indexes, you'd have to post-process the search_index.json file via some hook and create other instances of the file in the on_post_build event.

References:

• https://github.com/squidfunk/mkdocs-material/blob/master/src/templates/partials/javascripts/base.html
• https://www.mkdocs.org/user-guide/configuration/#hooks
• https://www.mkdocs.org/dev-guide/plugins/#events