Can I cache searches in Simple XML using the method available in an HTML/JavaScript dashboard?

[kierencrossland]

I have a dashboard that I have created using simple XML, there are several graphs that have search in like this:

<search>
  <query>search ...</query>
  <earliest>-15m</earliest>
  <latest>now</latest>
</search>

I would like to be able to cache these searches in the same way that I can if I convert the simple XML dashboard to HTML/JavaScript by setting the cache option (see '"cache": 900' in the example below). Does anyone know if this is possible without having to convert to HTML?

        var search1 = new SearchManager({
            "id": "search1",
            "latest_time": "now",
            "earliest_time": "-15m",
            "search": "search...",
            "status_buckets": 0,
            "cancelOnUnload": true,
            "app": utils.getCurrentApp(),
            "auto_cancel": 90,
            "preview": true,
            "runWhenTimeIsUndefined": false,
            "cache": 900
        }, {tokens: true, tokenNamespace: "submitted"});

[piUek · Accepted solution]

You can change the cache parameter of the search from the simplexml.
To do this attach the js to your root dashboard / form element in the simplexml file:

<dashboard script="test.js">

Also add the id to Your search:

<search id="mysearch">

Then create the script file named test.js in your appdirectory/appserver/static/test.js

require([
    "splunkjs/mvc",
    "splunkjs/mvc/simplexml/ready!"
], function(mvc, ignore) {
    // grab the mysearch handler:
    var mysearch = mvc.Components.getInstance('mysearch')

    // set cache to 900
    mysearch.set('cache', 900);

    // print cache value to console
    console.log(mysearch.get('cache'));
});

This works for splunk 6.3 - with the added scrpit id attribute. Without this You'd have to get search id (maybe with method mvc.Components.getInstanceNames().

More reliable would be building your dashboard using JavaScript. There is a guide for doing this: http://dev.splunk.com/view/SP-CAAAE4A, examples page: http://dev.splunk.com/view/SP-CAAAEU7#xmlextensions and basic example for starters: http://dev.splunk.com/view/SP-CAAAE4M.

Using JavaScript extensions You'll get full control of the page.

[kierencrossland]

Thanks piUek, I didnt realise I could extend simple xml like that.

Usually in this situation I would convert the dashboard to html/js, or use web frameworrk, but in doing this you lose some simplicity in maintaining the dashboard. I like the idea of keeping the dashboard in simple xml where possible, so using a javascript extension seems like the perfect solution.