BuddyPress.org

I think the error might be in your use of php_self

<form name=”search” method=”post” action=”<?=$PHP_SELF?>”>

What does the html look like when you view the page? I have a feeling it might be putting the wrong url into the form?

Also…

<input type=”text” value=”bob” name=”s” id=”s” />

Change that name and id, because “s”, is caught by wordpress and shows you a search result page:

http://ex-brief.com/?s=bob

That is a wordpress page not found result, basically.

That is why you search isn’t working.

You may find this helpful:

https://codex.wordpress.org/Creating_a_Search_Page

Hope that helps,

Brad