Search Posts Module
The Search Posts module builds the search and filter UI. Global behavior (which fields are searchable) is configured under Divi Engine → Machine Settings → Search Settings.
Overview
Visitors use this module to run searches against your selected post type. You add Search Items for each control (text, select, taxonomy, checkbox, range, swatch, and more), then send results to a Search Results template built with the Archive Loop module.
When to use it
- Site-wide or section search for a custom post type directory
- Filterable directories where URL parameters should stay in sync with the UI
- Replacing the default WordPress search experience with a Divi-designed results page
Setup workflow
- Add Search Posts to any layout that should expose the form.
- Configure Main Settings (post type, button text, inline button, new tab, archive redirect).
- Add one or more Search Items and pick what each item filters.
- Configure Divi Engine → Machine Settings → Search Settings so Machine knows which ACF groups and fields participate in search.
- Build a Search Results Theme Builder template with Archive Loop + your Custom Loop Layout.
- Optional: assign a No Results layout in the Archive Loop when nothing matches.
Main settings — main options
Search Post Type
Select the post type this form searches.
Search Button Text
Customize the submit button label.
Make Button Inline
Place the submit button inline with the filters instead of stacked.
Show Search Result In New Tab
Open the results page in a new browser tab.
Submit To Archive Page
Send visitors to the archive page that uses your Archive Loop layout instead of a separate search template.
Search item — main options
Admin Filter Name
Internal reference used to map this item to query parameters and Machine search logic.
Search/Filter
Choose what this row searches or filters (taxonomy, meta, text, and so on).
Delay To Filter
Debounce live filtering so AJAX does not fire on every keystroke.
Post Type
Restrict this item to a specific post type when you run multi-type setups.
Show Filter & Parameters
Show active filter chips or query summary text with the form.
Exclude Options
Remove specific URLs or values from the selectable list.
Display Filter Count
Show counts next to filter choices when data is available.
Display Empty Filter Options
Keep choices visible even when the count is zero.
Show Label
Toggle the visible label for this item.
Custom Label
Override the default label copy.
Search item — layout options
Filter Width
Control the width of the filter control in the layout.
Search item — text filter options
Placeholder Text
Placeholder string inside the text input.
Make Text A Number Input
Use a numeric keyboard-friendly input for numeric searches.
Search item — select filter options
Enable Select2
Use the Select2 dropdown experience for long lists.
First Option Text
Label for the empty “choose an option” row.
Search item — category filter options
Sub Category Identification
Choose how nested categories are detected in the markup.
Indent Spacing
Spacing for nested category rows.
Toggle Color
Color for expand/collapse toggles in hierarchical lists.
Search item — checkbox and radio options
Checkbox / Radio Button Functionality
Choose how multi-select and single-select behaviors work together.
Checkbox / Radio Style
Visual style for checkbox or radio lists.
Display Checkbox / Radio Button Inline
Lay choices out horizontally.
Gap Between Each Item
Spacing between inline items.
All Label Text
Label for the “select all” style option.
Hide All
Hide the “all” shortcut row.
Limit Height Of Checkbox / Radio Filter
Clamp tall lists with an internal scroll area.
Max Height Of The Filter Item
Maximum height before scrolling.
Show More Text
Label for expanding truncated lists.
Show Less Text
Label for collapsing lists.
Show More/Less Icon
Icon shown with more/less controls.
Show More/Less Icon Size
Icon dimensions.
Show More/Less Icon Position Top
Vertical alignment for the icon.
Show More/Less Icon Position Right
Horizontal alignment for the icon.
Only Show Available Options
Hide choices that would return zero results.
Search item — swatch filter options
Swatch Style
Shape and border treatment for color or image swatches.
Swatch Width
Width of each swatch.
Swatch Height
Height of each swatch.
Swatch Background Color
Default swatch fill color.
Swatch Border Color
Border color for idle swatches.
Active Swatch Background Color
Fill color when selected.
Active Swatch Border Color
Border color when selected.
Swatch Border Width
Border thickness.
Search item — conditional logic
Logic ID
Machine-safe identifier referenced by other rules.
Logic Title
Friendly admin title for this rule group.
Enable
Turn this conditional block on or off.
Relation
Match any or all nested rules.
Rule 1
Choose the field that drives the condition.
Rule 2
Choose the comparison operator.
Rule 3
Enter the comparison value.
More information
See Elegant Themes’ documentation on Divi form conditional logic for general concepts that also apply to these controls.
Search item — range filter options
Range Values Type
Use Machine defaults or supply a custom list of values.
Range From Number
Starting value for numeric ranges.
Range To Number
Ending value for numeric ranges.
Set Your Customer Values
Custom value list when using a custom range definition.
Number/Range Step
Increment between selectable stops.
Number/Range Appearance Style
Skin for the range UI control.
Range Primary Colour
Primary track color.
Range Secondary Colour
Secondary track color.
Range Hide Min And Max Values
Hide min/max labels.
Range Hide From And To Values
Hide from/to labels.
Number/Range Prettify
Format large numbers with separators.
Number/Range Prettify Separator
Separator character for prettified numbers.
Number/Range Before Text
Prefix text before the control.
Number/Range After Text
Suffix text after the control.
Search item — true and false filter options
True Text
Label shown for the true choice.
False Text
Label shown for the false choice.
What is next
- Archive Loop module — Render search results
- Search form feature — Global Machine search settings