key word search

thesingh

Hi there,

Not good with PHP at all... i was wondering if any one knew a good tutorial for making a keword search or a search function.... i want to be able to search my sql database. Or even a easier way were if the user was to do a keyword search so they can look for a certain field like title or first name etc...

I would apreiate (dont mind the spelling) any help!

Thanks

TobyRT

there are probably more efficient ways of doing this, but this is how mine works:

I have a form and an input called 'search'.

The form action calls "search.php"

When you click 'Search' it takes the value entered in the input (aka. $_POST['search']; .) and posts it to 'search.php'.

Search.php then has a SQL query built into it:

check if someone has posted a value:


if (!isset($_POST['search']) || $_POST['search'] == '')
{
echo 'no search entered'; 
}
else
{
$search = $_POST['search'];
$query = "SELECT my_fields FROM my_table WHERE fields_im_searching LIKE '%$search%'";
}

Then you just run the query, put the results in an array and print the array!

Hope that makes sense

thesingh

im lookin at the code.. jus trying to understand it .. do you mind if you could post some comments wid the code you send please, to make me understand abit more..

Thanks

notaloser

if (!isset($_POST['search']) || $_POST['search'] == '') 
{ 
echo 'no search entered'; 
}

if nothing is posted in set in the input area 'search' OR what is posted in search is equal to '', then echo 'no search entered'

$search = $_POST['search']; 
$query = "SELECT my_fields FROM my_table WHERE fields_im_searching LIKE '%$search%'"; 
}

if that is not true, then the variable $search is equal to the value in the input area 'search'. then, the variable $query is equal to the SQL statement selecting whatever fields you want (my_fields) from whatever table (my_table) where fields_im_searching (whatever fields you want to match the search input to) is like what was inputted..

however, nothing initiates the query, you can either add this

mysql_query($query);

or change it to

$query = mysql_query("SELECT my_fields FROM my_table WHERE fields_im_searching LIKE '%$search%'");

thesingh

i just want to make something clear for my self...

$search = $_POST['search'];
$query = "SELECT my_fields FROM my_table WHERE fields_im_searching LIKE '%$search%'";
}

On this SQL statement after "FROM my_table WHERE"on the where bit do i jus add the field names like for my example "Title, Author Price" etc... or do put what is in the database like "Harry Potter or JK Rowling", looking at some tutorials its saying i need to put the information that is in the database i have. Im getting a bit confused here!

I hope you understood my question, im going to play around with it anyways just wanted an experts input!

thank you all for the help!

TobyRT

Use the fields in both instances:

"SELECT title, author, price, availability FROM books WHERE title OR author LIKE '%$search%'";

What's your overall project incidentally? I work in publishing supporting a database 🙂 Small world innit!

Sxooter

You need to explicitly do the like for each field:

"SELECT title, author, price, availability FROM books WHERE title like '%$search%' OR author LIKE '%$search%'";

thesingh

TobyRT wrote:
Use the fields in both instances:
"SELECT title, author, price, availability FROM books WHERE title OR author LIKE '%$search%'";
What's your overall project incidentally? I work in publishing supporting a database 🙂 Small world innit!

you dont understand how small this world is!!!!!! Im doing this project on a online bookstore!!!

Thanks Sxooter Il have ago at that !

thesingh

is there anyting that needs to be on the results page????