Applies To: SharePoint 2010

Editing the Filter Category Definition of a Refinement Panel web part can make your search result pages so much better. This is one of the first things we customize and every time we do, I get tripped up by a really annoying setting in the web part.

Problem Scenario

I replace the XML in the Filter Category Definition property in the Refinement properties section of the web part. I hit Apply and everything validates. I save the page and run the results – No custom refinements! In fact, when I open the web part back up for editing, my custom Filter Category Definition is totally wiped out! Why isn’t it saving!?!?!?! Why am I weeping ever so softly?!?!! Why would I confess that on the internets?!?!?!?!

Solution

There’s a checkbox at the bottom of the Refinement properties section labeled, Use Default Configuration. This is checked by default. Unless you uncheck this when you place your custom XML in the property, it is going to completely ignore you and replace it with the default XML.

I can see why things work this way, but it is extremely unintuitive. It would seem that the web part should recognize there is custom XML in the Filter Category Definition and understand that’s what it should use. Then a button (NOT a checkbox) that says something along the lines of “Revert to Default Configuration” would be used to reset that XML when needed.

Oh well, nobody is asking my opinion anyway. So do yourself a favor and remember to uncheck that box whenever customizing the Filter Category Definition.