Help with form to MySQL query

RichHead

I have the following problem, can anyone help.

I have a search form that captures:

$track=$POST['track'];
$category=$POST['category'];
$type=$POST['type'];
$artist=$POST['artist'];
$label=$POST['label'];
$issue=$POST['issue'];

I need to be able to check the contents of the form and build the query accordingly, however this is further complicated by the fact that "track" searches 5 database fields (track1, track2, .. to track5), so I need that to be a bracketed (series of OR statements).

According to the inputs I may need to have:

SELECT * FROM datatable WHERE (track1 = '$track' OR track2 = '$track' OR track2 = '$track' OR track4 = '$track' OR track5 = '$track') AND catergory = $category AND issue = $issue

SELECT * FROM datatable WHERE (track1 = '$track' OR track2 = '$track' OR track2 = '$track' OR track4 = '$track' OR track5 = '$track')

SELECT * FROM datatable WHERE catergory = $category

SELECT * FROM datatable

Etc... for all permutations

Short of working out all of the permutations and writing code to cater for each (very bloated code); I cannot work out how to do this....

Has anyone any great ideas?

Bilbozilla

Have all of your tracks sit in their own database with a reference to the album on which they exist.

track_tbl
ID, album_refID, track_num, track_name

album_tbl
ID, album_refID, artist_refID, label_refID, album_name

artist_tbl
ID, artist_name, artist_refID

label_tbl
ID, label_name, label_refID

This will keep your table from bloating.

After re-reading your question, it doesn't look like this is quite what your looking for, but it might trigger something to help you in your search. If nothing else, it will each the complexity of your search statement for searching a track. You can do it with just one search, not a string of 5 OR conditions. (If I read your question correctly).

RichHead

The question was how do I concatenate the SQL (but was poorly asked). I have had an answer (offline) and am happy with that bit now.

I do need to amend the structure of the database to make things easier, that's next on the list.

Thanks for input.

Rich