help with array and post variables

[bodanon]

I have a search form with two objects for search-

1. dropbox to select how to search:
   -by name
   -by department
   -by title
2. text to type text for search

dropbox is POSTvariable1
textbox is POSTvariable2

How do I put the information from a mysql table into an array, and then:

A. Search collumn headings and data based on the two POST variables?
(select from array where collumn=POSTvariable1 AND data=_POSTvariable2)

B. Show resuls in html table
C. With paging?

There is no way of knowing what collumn heading to search for until _POSTvariable1 is read.
The array would be availble for requerying for new searches, paging.

HERE IS WHAT I HAVE SO FAR:

if(isset($go)) {
$stxt=?POST['txtbox'];
$ssel=?POST['dropbox'];

mysql_connect('connection stuff'); mysql_select_db('x') or die(mysql_select_db_error());

// I need to get all collumn headings for search based upon selection from combobox, and because data will be searched later I need that also
$result = mysql_query('SELECT * FROM table') or die(mysql_error());

//put into an array
$strarr = mysql_fetch_array($result); {

// next, i need to be able to search collumns as well as data and return them in a table.

HERE IS THE GENERAL IDEA:
http://www.phpbuilder.com/board/showthread.php?threadid=10273828&highlight=select+from+array

How would I do this?
Thanks In Advance

[leatherback]

Hi Bodanon,

unles I understand you completely wrong, you are going at it completely the wrong way ;-)

Here goes:

You have two values from your form.

if(isset($go)) {
$stxt=?POST['txtbox'];
$ssel=?POST['dropbox'];

Nothing wrong here. Although you might want to consider using variables which are a bit more explanatary. Just good coding practice, and will help you in larger projects.

But then..

You can just select like this:

$query = "select * from YOUR_TABLE_NAME where $dropbox like %$stxt%";

$result = mysql_query($query);

while($row = mysql_fetch_array($result))
{
echo $row[0];
}

(this last bit is just an extraction example)

J.

[bodanon]

The thing that is confusing me is the fact that the value from the select box is the collumn that is being searched.

A normal query goes:
"SELECT *(collumns) FROM table WHERE field=txtbox"

This query would be:
"SELECT FROM table WHERE collumn/field=dropbox AND data=txtbox"

So I thought that it would be more effecient to pull everything into an array, and access collumns and data from the array.

ASP has a very effecient way to do this called getrows().
ASP:
strSQL = "SELECT * FROM someTable"

recordset.Open strSQL, obj_Conn, adOpenForwardOnly,

adLockReadOnly, adCmdText
//' Did our query return any data?
If Not obj_RS.EOF Then
//' Stick the Recordset Data into an Array to increase performance
arr_RS = obj_RS.GetRows
//' Release Resources
obj_Conn.Close
Set obj_Conn = Nothing
//' Get the number of records in the array by querying
//' the Upper Boundary of the 2nd dimension are collumn headings.
Dim int_Results
int_Results = UBound(arr_RS, 2) + 1

All collumn headings and data accessible from the array.

I figured if ASP has it, PHP would definately have it.

[tekky]

PHP does not have a way of returning ALL rows in 1 array... you can accomplish the samething by doing something like

$result = mysql_querY('SELECT * FROM table');
while($rows[] = mysql_fetch_assoc($result))

what this does...
say you have a table with columns, ID and name
this would return all ID's and names and combine them into $rows like so...

$rows[0]['id'] =1 $rows[0]['name']='Bob'
$rows[1]['id'] =2 $rows[1]['name']='Charlie'
$rows[2]['id'] =3 $rows[2]['name']='Doug'

etc etc
I believe this also will produce a blank $rows arrayvalue at the end due to the while loop.... but any seach stuff would filter that out... or you could simply array_pop($rows) to remove that

Although if you are using SQL, then you should take advantage of its search power, so that you only ever have to deal with the propper search results...

[bodanon]

Thanks Tekky,

You really cleared up alot of confusion.

I am still stuck on how to query a collumn name-not to find the data for a collumn, But to query the collumn itself based upon a post variable.

"SELECT * FROM table WHERE $Postvar1='$Postvar2"

Any Help is appreciated.

[tekky]

table looks like...

name=varchar[15]
age=int

$col = 'name';
$name = 'Bob';
$result = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM table WHERE $col=$name");

there's no reason something like this wouldnt work.... atleast not that im aware of

[bodanon]

I have tried just that in several different orders, only to get an error each time:
"SELECT * FROM table WHERE $col=$name")

"SELECT * FROM table WHERE $col='$name'")
- returns no results

"SELECT * FROM table WHERE '$col'='$name'")
- returns error

So now I am back to trying to search the array for the needed values.
Any idea on how to do that?