HTML Form input for MySQL search

[Anon]

I am trying to write a search where a user would enter in a field in an html form in a php web page.

<form action="<?php echo $PHP_SELF?>" method="POST">
Last name: <input type=text name=lastname>
<input type=submit> </form>

and then a select statement would search for that inputed field (lastname)and display the results (fname, lname, phonenumber) on the same page.

<?php
$db = mysql_connect("host", "user", "password");
mysql_select_db("databasename",$db);

$sql ="select lname, fname, phonenum from people where lname = '$lastname'";

$result = mysql_query($sql);

while ($row = mysql_fetch_array($result)) {
$lname = $row["lname"];
$fname = $row["fname"];
$phonenum= $row["phonenum"];

echo "Name:&nbsp;$fname&nbsp;$lname";
echo "Phone Number-&nbsp;$phonenum";
}
?>

I'm not even sure if I am way off or not on this. Any help is greatly appreciated!

Thanks
Tywin

[Anon]

It looks correct after glancing over it. Have you tested it?

I would target a seperate page if I were you and put all of your PHP code on the targeted page.

Might want to think about adding this to your sql statements.

WHERE lname like '%$lastname%'

This will allow your user to look up something like 'Smith' and also get 'Smithstead', 'Smithson' or even 'Blacksmith'. That is, unless you want to use a drop down and control what last names you search on.

[Anon]

Thanks for the help. Finally got it working.

Any suggestions for this:

Basically a phone book search where there are 4 input fields (first name, last name, department, and system)

I am able to pass the fields but want it to select the data that matches the inputs

ex. if first name and last name only entered (system and department are emtpy) it would search for those records with that first name and last name. (and not search for fields with empty system and department also)

Another example:

only last name and department are entered- therefore only want those records where last name and department matches input.

I have to write numerous queries for this so it will ignore the empty inputs. Seems to take a while. Wasn't sure if there was an easier (faster) way. Been searching and haven't come up with much.

Thanks again