--- loncom/interface/lonsearchcat.pm	2001/03/15 19:18:20	1.23
+++ loncom/interface/lonsearchcat.pm	2001/03/15 19:34:37	1.28
@@ -424,10 +424,20 @@ sub advancedsearch {
     my ($r,$envhash)=@_;
     my %ENV=%{$envhash};
 
-    return(<<END);
+    $r->print(<<END);
 Advanced searching is not yet implemented.
 END
+    return OK;
+}
 
+# ---------------------------------------------------- see if a field is filled
+sub filled {
+    if (/\S/) {
+	return 1;
+    }
+    else {
+	return 0;
+    }
 }
 
 # --------------------------------------------------- Performing a basic search
@@ -435,7 +445,10 @@ sub basicsearch {
     my ($r,$envhash)=@_;
     my %ENV=%{$envhash};
 
-    &output_blank_field_error($r) unless length($ENV{'form.basicexp'});
+    unless (&filled($ENV{'form.basicexp'})) {
+	&output_blank_field_error($r);
+	return OK;
+    }
 
     my $query=$ENV{'form.basicexp'};
     $query="select * from metadata where concat(title,\"    \",author) like '\%$ENV{'form.basicexp'}\%'";