[RESOLVED] Search Improvements...

Mr_Jezz

Hey,

i'm posting a value from a form, ($_POST[CR]), which may, or may not have 'CR' or 'cr' at the start, the rest of the value is numeric like, '23464'. In another script I check this value to see if it matches one in the database, however I don't want the inclusion of 'CR' or 'cr' to be required, as people don't always attach them, it's only the numeric portion which matters. So, basically when the value is passed to the search script I want to be able to check whether 'CR' or 'cr' have been included, if not I will add them in so that the search works correctly.

Any ideas on how to achieve this?

NogDog

$numbersOnly = preg_replace('/\D/', '', $string);

Mr_Jezz

hmm, not entirely sure I follow that.

Just to clarify : In order for the search to work, the value must have 'CR' at the start. If the posted value does not, I need to add it. It is reasonable that someone might use lower case i.e. 'cr', don't know if this will matter or not.

I was assuming I could just check the value of $_POST[CR] to see if the 'CR' was present, but I can't seem to locate a wildcard expression for this, I want to do something like :

if (($_POST[CR] != '') && ($_POST[CR] != 'CR'\*))
 {
    $_POST[CR] = 'CR$_POST[CR]';
 }

else
 {
    $_POST[CR] = $_POST[CR];
}

Obviously the 'CR'* bit doesn't work!

atmorell

Don't add cr in the form! Just let the user input the number, and add cr when you do the query..

$sql='SELECT * FROM table WHERE field = cr'.$_POST['cr'].'';

Mr_Jezz

trouble is, I can't stop some people from adding the 'CR', which they will, some do, some don't!

Weedpacket

So see if it is there, and take it off if it is. [man]substr[/man].

In fact [man]trim[/man] would work in this situation.

Mr_Jezz

I don't really want to take it off, only to then put it back on, ultimately I need it in order for the search to work. All stored values start with 'CR', it's just that people don't always input the 'CR' when performing a search, if they don't, then I must add it in. The rest of the search string, the numeric portion could be anything, hense I was trying to use a wildcard. All of the examples for things like trim, are based on the rest of the value being a known quantity, whereas I can't specify them because I don't know what they'll be, again hense the wildcard.

if (($_POST[CR] != '') && ($_POST[CR] != 'CR'*))
				{
					$_POST[CR] = 'CR$_POST[CR]';
				}

The idea of the above is to check the posted value to see if it starts with a CR, if it doesn't, the CR is added. Does anyone know what I need to do to make that work, obviously the wildcard bit doesn't, seems like a reasonable thing to want to do though??

atmorell

then check if $_POST['cr'] is a positiv number! If it is you add CR else do nothing.

if (!ctype_digit($POST['CR']) {
$search='CR'.$POST['CR'].'';
} else {
$search=$_POST['CR'];
}

Mr_Jezz

After a bit of altering that seems to work well. In your example, there's a bracket missing, more importantly, it actually works the opposisite to the way I wanted. In your example, searching for CR12345 creates a $Search value of 'CRCR12345', whereas it should just be 'CR12345'. If I just enter '12345' the value of $Search is still '12345', it doesn't add the 'CR'.

if (!ctype_digit($_POST[CR]))
{
$search = $_POST[CR];
} 

else 
{
$search = 'CR'.$_POST[CR].'';
}

This code has the extra bracket and has been modified to work the way round I need. Now entering CR12345 produces a $Search value of CR12345, only entering 12345 creates a $Search value of CR12345.

Thank you for you help.

atmorell

sorry for the mistype.. I was in a hurry and had no time to test it. Just remove the ! in the if statement. 😉

Best regards.
Asbjørn Morell.

NogDog

$crValue = sprintf("CR%s", preg_replace('/\D/', '', $_POST['CR']));

Weedpacket

Mr. Jezz wrote:
I don't really want to take it off, only to then put it back on, ultimately I need it in order for the search to work.

So in that case, see if it's not there, and put it on if it isn't. [man]substr[/man].

Mr_Jezz

NogDog wrote:

$crValue = sprintf("CR%s", preg_replace('/\D/', '', $_POST['CR']));

I like that cheers! Now it doesn't matter what characters they enter, it just sorts it all out, good work.