SharePoint 2013: Search Results Web Part, 2 Questions

Question

I've added a SRWP to a page. Two Things:

1. The webpart displays results before a search is even executed. I need this to go away. I can get this to go away by turning off ranked results, but this also breaks the webpart. If I turn off ranked results, it stops returning results altogether, even though it will report a number of items found. Is there a way to make it so that the webpart is blank until a search is executed while simultaneously not breaking it?

2. I've followed this guide: http://stevemannspath.blogspot.com/2012/10/sharepoint-2013-pdf-preview-in-search.html

To enable PDF hover preview in search. It works, but it does not work for the webpart. Is there a way to get PDF hover preview to work for the webpart?

I'd greatly appreciate your help, but please be specific -- I'm a total SharePoint newbie. Thanks.

Answer 1

For #1 - you are seeing results because the query property specified for the web part returns results without a parameter. Ensure the query has in input parameter.

(I would also suggest that a post here on SE has only one question...)

Answer 2

For questions #2 are you overriding the Result Display Template? If not, did you set up the display template for the correct Site Collection?

Also, you know that OWA with the March PU will render PDFs without a plugin? Just override the PDF Result Type and send it to the Word Display Template.