Query string question

Timm

I want to create a FAQS page query that will search for listings matching all of a user's specified search words in any order.

I know that I need to split the user-specified search string into an array and check each word using a like clause, but I am not sure how to do this.

If $SearchString = "How do this";
the field to search is "Question", and
$SearchWords = explode (" ", $SearchString );

where do I go from here to get each of the words in the search string into the query?

Where Question like %??????% ?

Thanks!

Timm

nemonoman

The obvious sledgehammer solution is

$querystring.="WHERE "
foreach ($SearchWords as $value) {
$querystring.="question LIKE '%$value%' OR ";
}
$querystring.="1";

But I'll bet there's something elegant also.

Timm

Okay, I think this has potential, but I am getting a parsing error. I know where, but I am not sure what the solution is. Here is an excerpt from my code that includes a modified version of the the information you gave me, nemonoman.

If ($SearchString <> ""){
$SearchWords = explode (" ", $SearchString );
for each ($SearchWords as $value) {
$querystring.="concat(Question,Answer) LIKE '%$value%' And ";
}
$querystring.="1";

If ($Where <> "") {
$Where = "$Where And $querystring'";
} Else { $Where = "WHERE $querystring";

The problem occurs on the line:
$querystring.="concat(Question,Answer) LIKE '%$value%' And ";
I think it occurs because the last loop still includes an "And" at the end.

Any thoughts on how to get rid of it? Or is this not the problem?

Again, THANKS!

Timm

nemonoman

The trailing AND is a likely problem. That's why you need to add a final condition. THat's why I added

$querystring.="1"

at the end of my example.

AND 1

will test as true in all cases. Or you could just get a substring of of $querystring
-- str_length-3 for for the parameter.

BTW, I think you want OR clauses, not AND clauses.

ANDs will find only those answers that contain each and all of the target words.

ORs will find answers that contain one or more of the words.