how to create a search box

hey there
I want to put a search box so that I can change by homepage to be my own website. Do I have to register with Google or something like that? or this is this post in the wrong place?

You can customize Google to make it look like your site's search engine:
http://www.google.com/coop/cse/

Nothing to do with PHP, so I'll move it to Webforumz Cafe.

Yeah, or you could build your own search engine to search your website.

Just use the google one, you can get paid when someone searches too.

Up to you and your needs on which one fits you best!

I wanted one that can search my website only. This looks like takes me to google and google doesn't recognize my website. Is there any codes for that? like that one Jacob says but I dont know how to make one like that. how is this made?

If you are wanting it to search your website only, I find one of the best solutions to be this one. This one allows you to type in all of the links you want listed and keywords and so forth. I love it, very customizable, and FREE!!

Google can be customized to search your site only. As long as it's in Google's index.
But let's face it - if after a few weeks your site isn't in the Google index you may as well not have a site.

Yep true that!! The above one just allows you to have more control over what terms are used to find what pages...but Google is a good one.

Or, you can use this: Swicki.
It's a mix of search engine and wiki that lets you edit the search results.

It's a web search, but you can bias it to give priority to results within your website. You can make you own tag cloud and integrate it within your website.

I've got several and love the idea...

I have used the google one. the swicki is a long one and I cant see the codes. Thanks guys

Anyway, Google has a search program that anyone can use to search with site-wide keywords.

I've used CJ Website Search myself and thought it was a great tool, especially if you have a site that doesn't need a database but still needs to be searchable. It's great for clients who don't have much cash as well since it's so easy to implement.

The easiest thing to set up of course is Google and it's at least some way customisable and it's not that difficult to get listed