Update docs & improve plugin support

docs/plugins/development/search.md

@@ -1,31 +1,29 @@
 # Search
 
-If you want your plugin models to appear in search results, you will need to create a search index for the models.  Search indexes must be in defined in a search_indexes.py file.
-
-As an example, lets define a search_index for the MyModel object defined before:
+Plugins can define and register their own models to extend NetBox's core search functionality. Typically, a plugin will include a file named `search.py`, which holds all search indexes for its models (see the example below).
 
 ```python
-# search_indexes.py
-from .filters import MyFilterSet
+# search.py
+from netbox.search import SearchMixin
+from .filters import MyModelFilterSet
 from .tables import MyModelTable
 from .models import MyModel
-from search.models import SearchMixin
-
 
 class MyModelIndex(SearchMixin):
     model = MyModel
     queryset = MyModel.objects.all()
     filterset = MyModelFilterSet
     table = MyModelTable
-    url = 'plugins:netbox_mymodel:mymodel_list'
-    choice_header = 'MyModel'
+    url = 'plugins:myplugin:mymodel_list'
 ```
 
-All the fields must be defined as follows:
+To register one or more indexes with NetBox, define a list named `indexes` at the end of this file:
 
-* `model` - The model that will be searched (see: [Models](./models.md)).
-* `queryset` - The queryset on the model that will be passed to the filterset.
-* `filterset` - The filterset for the model that contains the search method (see: [Filters & Filter Sets](./filtersets.md)).
-* `table` - Table that is used in the list view (see:  (see: [Tables](./tables.md)).
-* `url` - URL to the list view to show search results.
-* `choice_header` - The header that will appear in the search drop-down to group menu items together.
+```python
+indexes = [MyModelIndex]
+```
+
+!!! tip
+    The path to the list of search indexes can be modified by setting `search_indexes` in the PluginConfig instance.
+
+::: netbox.search.SearchIndex

netbox/extras/plugins/__init__.py

@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ class PluginConfig(AppConfig):
 
     # Default integration paths. Plugin authors can override these to customize the paths to
     # integrated components.
-    search = 'search.indexes'
+    search_indexes = 'search.indexes'
     graphql_schema = 'graphql.schema'
     menu = 'navigation.menu'
     menu_items = 'navigation.menu_items'
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ class PluginConfig(AppConfig):
         plugin_name = self.name.rsplit('.', 1)[-1]
 
         # Search extensions
-        search_indexes = import_object(f"{self.__module__}.{self.search}") or []
+        search_indexes = import_object(f"{self.__module__}.{self.search_indexes}") or []
         for idx in search_indexes:
             register_search()(idx)
 

netbox/netbox/search/__init__.py

@@ -4,11 +4,17 @@ from extras.registry import registry
 class SearchIndex:
     """
     Base class for building search indexes.
+
+    Attrs:
+        model: The model class for which this index is used.
     """
-    search_index = True
+    model = None
 
     @classmethod
     def get_category(cls):
+        """
+        Return the title of the search category under which this model is registered.
+        """
         if hasattr(cls, 'category'):
             return cls.category
         return cls.model._meta.app_config.verbose_name

netbox/netbox/search/backends.py

@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ class SearchBackend(object):
         raise NotImplementedError
 
 
-class PostgresIcontainsSearchBackend(SearchBackend):
+class FilterSetSearchBackend(SearchBackend):
 
     def search(self, request, search_text):
         results = []
@@ -79,11 +79,23 @@ class PostgresIcontainsSearchBackend(SearchBackend):
         search_registry = self.get_registry()
         for obj_type in search_registry.keys():
 
-            queryset = search_registry[obj_type].queryset.restrict(request.user, 'view')
-            filterset = search_registry[obj_type].filterset
-            table = search_registry[obj_type].table
+            queryset = search_registry[obj_type].queryset
             url = search_registry[obj_type].url
 
+            # Restrict the queryset for the current user
+            if hasattr(queryset, 'restrict'):
+                queryset = queryset.restrict(request.user, 'view')
+
+            filterset = getattr(search_registry[obj_type], 'filterset', None)
+            if not filterset:
+                # This backend requires a FilterSet class for the model
+                continue
+
+            table = getattr(search_registry[obj_type], 'table', None)
+            if not table:
+                # This backend requires a Table class for the model
+                continue
+
             # Construct the results table for this object type
             filtered_queryset = filterset({'q': search_text}, queryset=queryset).qs
             table = table(filtered_queryset, orderable=False)
@@ -103,7 +115,7 @@ def get_backend(backend_name=None):
     """Initializes and returns the search backend."""
     global _backends_cache
     if not backend_name:
-        backend_name = getattr(settings, "SEARCH_BACKEND", "netbox.search.backends.PostgresIcontainsSearchBackend")
+        backend_name = getattr(settings, "SEARCH_BACKEND", "netbox.search.backends.FilterSetSearchBackend")
 
     # Try to use the cached backend.
     if backend_name in _backends_cache: