how to Break a variable apart?

Anon

Hi,
I have a variable:
$search="blabla AND dede OR frefre";
and I'd like to break this variable into as many variables as there is between the separators:
$search1="blabla"
$search2="dede"
$search3="frefre"

And I also waht to remember the operator before the string.

Same thing if:
$search="+blabla +dede -frefre +"this sentense"";

can you help me?
Thanks

Anon

look into arrays and explode()

Anon

This obviously requires some optimization depending on how extensive you make it - but what you need to do is look into the 'split' command.

eg :

<?
$pat = "+";
$string = "blaablaa+deedee+freefree";

$break_string = split($pat,$string);

while($c<count($break_string))
{
echo $break_string[$c] . "<br>";
$c++;
}
?>

Hope this helps a bit.

-m.

Anon

it sure does help, I'll dig into this tonight.
Thanks
Jcharles

Anon

it sure does help, I'll dig into this tonight.
Thanks
Jcharles

Anon

well, from looking at it, these functions are great but does not do exactly what I need to do.

Preaty much, I'd like to make a search engine for my tables usig bolean model.

so if someone search for:
+arg1 -arg3 +"arg4 arg2"

then I want to build a query:
SELECT * FROM database WHERE table LIKE '%$arg1%' AND NOT WHERE table LIKE '%$arg3%' AND WHERE table LIKE '%"arg4 arg2"%'

any help ?
Thanks
JCharles

Anon

JC,

just some suggestions.

You're obviously doing an extensive search engine - hence, you must have some protocols defined for your user to follow.

For example, you can use multiple text fields which serve various purposes.

Recommendation :

with all the words : show_Textfield
with any of the words : show_Textfield
with the exact phrase : show_Textfield
without the words : show_Textfield

For this point on, you can build a query by constructing from data entered.

If the 'Exclude words' field was left blank - simply exlude the function which will build the query's 'NOT' part.

I hope this helps a little. I looked at Google's advanced search area to get some general ideas here. (http://www.google.com/advanced_search)

-m.

Anon

the problem is that I want to have only 1 input field where users type what they want:
if only spaces, will search for any words,
if + an - will search for this but not that
if ..........