The Listdom Advanced Portal Search (APS) Addon enhances the search and browsing experience on your directory. It provides more control over how filters match listings, how search query parameters appear in page URLs, and ensures your directory looks professional by displaying a fallback image for listings that don’t have their own featured image. It also adds AI-powered search modes so visitors can search with structured intent, semantic meaning, or a hybrid of both. Essentially, APS gives you fine-grained search logic (AND/OR) for taxonomy filters, URL parameter visibility control, AI search functionality, and a way to add AJAX search to the search forms.
This section adds a frontend AI search layer with three modes:
Structured AI Search: Focuses on structured interpretation of query intent.
Semantic (Meaning-Based) Search: Focuses on similarity/meaning-based matching.
Hybrid (Recommended): Combines structured and semantic approaches.
When AI Search Mode is enabled, configure:
Status: Turns AI search mode on or off.
Search Mode: Choose Structured, Semantic, or Hybrid.
Structured AI Profile: Select the AI profile used by the structured step. In Hybrid mode, this structured profile is also used for the structured part of the flow.
Structured AI Search example: A user types 2 bedroom apartment in Brooklyn under $3,500. Structured mode prioritizes concrete constraints (location, bedroom count, budget) and matches listings that satisfy those values.
Semantic Search example: A user types family-friendly hotel near downtown with easy parking. Semantic mode prioritizes intent and meaning, so related listings can rank even if wording differs.
Hybrid Search example: A user types pet-friendly cafe near central park with quiet atmosphere. Hybrid mode combines structured cues (pet-friendly, location) with semantic intent (quiet atmosphere) for balanced relevance.
Matching logic in APS works at the term level inside each taxonomy (for example, when multiple Locations are selected).
Between different taxonomies (for example, Category + Location), Listdom logic is still AND by default (listing must satisfy both taxonomy conditions). APS does not change this taxonomy-to-taxonomy combination behavior.
Within one taxonomy (for example, multiple selected Locations), APS lets you choose OR or AND for selected terms.
In the APS settings (Listdom Settings → Addons → Advanced Portal Search), you will find Matching Logic controls for each taxonomy.
This matching logic affects two areas in Listdom:
Search form fields behavior
Skin shortcode filters available in Listdom → Shortcodes → Selected Shortcode → Filter Options tab
Categories Logic: Choose OR (default) to show listings that belong to any of the selected categories, or AND to require listings to be in all selected categories simultaneously.
Locations Logic: Toggle between OR or AND if you allow selecting multiple locations in search.
Tags Logic: OR shows listings having any of the selected tags; AND would only show listings that have every selected tag.
Features Logic: Often multiple features can be selected (e.g., “Free WiFi” AND “Parking”). Using AND here means a listing must have all chosen features to appear in results. OR would list any with at least one of the features.
Labels Logic: If you use labels (like “Featured” or other flags), you can decide if multiple label filters narrow down (AND) or broaden (OR) the results.
By default, the Text Input field in Listdom Search & Filter forms searches listing titles and descriptions.
With the APS addon, when a text search field is assigned in a search form, it can behave as a full-text search for skin shortcodes and search across additional listing data, including:
Categories
Locations
Features
Labels
Address fields
Custom Fields
ACF fields
Authors
Tags
Titles
Descriptions
This helps users find listings with broader keyword matching, not only title/description matches.
In each search form, the Search Results section includes:
Results Page: Select the page where search/filter results appear. This page must include a Listdom skin shortcode.
If Results Page = Current Page, APS shows Connected Shortcodes.
In Connected Shortcodes, you can select up to 4 searchable skin shortcodes (for example: List, Grid, Masonry, Timeline, Half Map) on the same page as the search form.
After selecting connected shortcodes, the Ajax Search field appears with these modes:
On Submit: users click the search button; results update without full page reload.
On The Fly: results update immediately while users change filters; no search-button click needed.
If no connected shortcode is selected, all skin shortcodes on that page are filtered with no AJAX mode selection applied at form level.
APS also introduces a Fallback Image setting - a single image that you designate to show whenever a listing has no featured image of its own.
Setting the Image: In the APS settings, you’ll find an “Fallback Image” picker. Upload or choose an image from your media library that will serve as the default image. Common choices are a logo, a generic “no photo” graphic, or a placeholder relevant to your niche.
Where It Appears: Once set, if a listing has no featured image, Listdom will automatically use this fallback image in its place on the front-end. This applies to listing cards, grids, map infowindows, or anywhere a featured image would display. The addon hooks into the featured image retrieval and injects the fallback where needed.
Consistent Dimensions: The fallback image will be output in the same dimensions/cropping as normal listing thumbnails. It’s recommended to use an image with appropriate aspect ratio (e.g., a 16:9 landscape if your listings normally use that) to avoid any design inconsistencies. The addon ensures the proper CSS classes are applied so the image fits the layout.
By using a fallback, you avoid empty image frames or broken image icons on listings that contributors might have forgotten to add images to. It gives your directory a more polished look since every listing appears to have an image.
A job directory allows filtering by multiple skills (tags). With APS, the admin sets Tags logic to AND. Now if a user filters jobs by JavaScript AND React, they only see jobs that require both skills, not jobs that require either. This delivers more precise results to the user.
Cleaner Listing Grid with Fallbacks
An event directory has some older events added without images. The admin uploads a branded “Event Coming Soon” graphic as the Fallback Image. Now, on the homepage event grid, every event tile shows either its unique featured photo or the fallback image. The grid looks consistent and professional, with no empty image slots.
Combining Filters with AND Logic
On a real estate site, the admin enables AND logic for Features. A visitor can filter for homes that have PoolandGarageandFireplace simultaneously. Thanks to APS, only properties with all those features show up, saving the visitor time by not showing homes missing one of the amenities.
Hide Search Parameters from URLs
A directory owner prefers cleaner page addresses and does not want map/search query strings in shared links. They disable URL Parameters in APS. Visitors can still use search forms and map filters, but the browser address bar no longer keeps those dynamic search parameters.
