Search within 3 categories.

[mabans]

I'm stuck.. I'm trying to have a search engine that is uses drop down menu selections.

$all_vars = array("artist","color","size","medium","category"); //sets arrays of what can be found
$x = 0;
for($i = 0; $i < count($all_vars); $i++) 
{ // Counts vasriables and makes adjustments - start
	if(strlen($_POST[$all_vars[$i]]) > 0) 
	{ // start - setting user variables
	$user_vars[$x][0] = $all_vars[$i];
	$user_vars[$x][1] = $_POST[$all_vars[$i]];
	$x++; 
	} //end - setting user variables
} // Counts vasriables and makes adjustments - End



// Defines the query
$poster_sql = "SELECT * FROM poster WHERE ";
for($i = 0; $i < count($user_vars); $i++)
{
	if($i != count($user_vars) - 1)
	{
	$poster_sql = $poster_sql . $user_vars[$i][0] . " = \"" . $user_vars[$i][1] . "\" AND ";
	}
	else
	{
	$poster_sql = $poster_sql . $user_vars[$i][0] . " = \"" . $user_vars[$i][1] . "\" ORDER BY code ASC LIMIT $from, $max_results;";
	}

}

Now this works wonderfully when searching within 1 category. What I need it to do is have it search in 3 categories. Now I do know it can check into those 3 columns using if else statements.

here is a sameple I used when did using a $_GET[] fuction..

if (isset($_GET['show_cat']))
	{
	$show_cat = $_GET['show_cat'];
    if (mysql_num_rows(mysql_query("Select * FROM $table WHERE category = $show_cat AND medium > 'Hand Colored Prints' AND medium > 'Antique Prints'")) > 0)
    	{
    	$total_sql = "Select * FROM $table WHERE category = $show_cat AND medium > 'Hand Colored Prints' AND medium > 'Antique Prints'";
		}

elseif (mysql_num_rows(mysql_query("Select * FROM $table WHERE category2 = $show_cat AND medium > 'Hand Colored Prints' AND medium > 'Antique Prints'")) > 0)
	{
    $total_sql = "Select * FROM $table WHERE category2 = $show_cat AND medium > 'Hand Colored Prints' AND medium > 'Antique Prints'";
	}

elseif (mysql_num_rows(mysql_query("Select * FROM $table WHERE category3 = $show_cat AND medium > 'Hand Colored Prints' AND medium > 'Antique Prints'")) > 0)
	{
	$total_sql = "Select * FROM $table WHERE category3 = $show_cat AND medium > 'Hand Colored Prints' AND medium > 'Antique Prints'";
	}
else
	{
	include ("../misc/error.php");
	exit;
	}
}
else 
	{
	$total_sql = "SELECT * FROM $table WHERE medium > 'Hand Colored Prints' AND medium > 'Antique Prints'";
	}

Now that works fine but I need that same kind of functionality, but I'm stuck becuase of the array feature being used. So this is as far as I got:

if(isset($_POST['big_search']))

{ // start of big search

if(isset($_POST['category'])) 
{ // Checks to see if category variable is set - start

$all_vars = array("artist","color","size","medium","category"); //sets arrays of what can be found
$x = 0;
	for($i = 0; $i < count($all_vars); $i++) 
	{ // Counts vasriables and makes adjustments - start
	if(strlen($_POST[$all_vars[$i]]) > 0) 
	{ // start - setting user variables
	$user_vars[$x][0] = $all_vars[$i];
	$user_vars[$x][1] = $_POST[$all_vars[$i]];
	$x++; 
	} //end - setting user variables

// Defines the query
$sql = "SELECT * FROM poster WHERE ";
	for($i = 0; $i < count($user_vars); $i++)
	{
		if($i != count($user_vars) - 1)
		{
		$sql = $sql . $user_vars[$i][0] . " = \"" . $user_vars[$i][1] . "\" AND ";
		}
		else
		{
		$sql = $sql . $user_vars[$i][0] . " = \"" . $user_vars[$i][1] . "\" ORDER BY code ASC LIMIT $from, $max_results;";
		}
	}

		if (mysql_num_rows(mysql_query($sql)) > 0)
			{ // If the query gives a result of this query this it sets the $poster variable
			$poster_sql = $sql;
			}
???		
	} // checks ot see if category is set - end

} // Counts vasriables and makes adjustments - End

any help would be awesome thanks.. And sorry for the extremely long post..

[mabans]

someone anyone?