Creating PHP Search Script...

[jj20051]

One of my clients asked me to build a simple search engine script for their site. The problem is now he wants to make it get better results. At the moment it searches just for those keywords entered. ( Example: If you type in free hosting, "Free web hosting" won't come up, only sites with "free hosting" joined together like that... Please forgive me for my somewhat messy code. Config.php connects to the database.

 

Example1: http://apenex.net/search.php?search=free%20hosting

Example2: http://apenex.net/search.php?search=free%20web%20hosting

 

As you see bravenet should come up on both queries, but it doesn't. It only comes up on an exact match. So any suggestions you may have, i'm willing to try.

 

MY CODE:

<?php
include ('config.php');

$search = $_GET['search'];

if ($search == NULL){

echo '<center><strong>You Didn\'t Type Anything In!</center></strong>';

} else { 

$query = "SELECT * FROM sites WHERE keywords LIKE '%".$search."%' ORDER BY totalrating DESC";
$result = mysql_query($query);
while($row = mysql_fetch_array($result, MYSQL_ASSOC))
{

$yourtext = $row['description'];
$title = $row['title'];
$url = $row['url'];
if ( strlen( $yourtext ) > 45 ) {
   $yourtext = explode( ' ',$yourtext );
   $yourtext = array_slice( $yourtext, 0, 45 );
   $yourtext = implode( ' ', $yourtext) . ' ...';
} 
else {
}

if ( strlen( $title ) > 11 ) {
   $title = explode( ' ',$title );
   $title = array_slice( $title, 0, 11 );
   $title = implode( ' ', $title) . ' ...';
}
else {
}
echo '<table border="0" class="sample">';
echo '<tr><td><strong><a href='.$url.'><font size="2">';
echo $title;
echo '</font></a></strong></td></tr>';
echo '</table>';
echo '<table width="580" border="0" class="sample">';
echo '<tr><td><font size="2">';
echo $yourtext;
echo '</font></td></tr><tr><td><font color="green" size="2">';
echo $url;
echo '</font></td></tr></table></font><br>';
}
}
?>

[jj20051]

Still looking for help PLZ

[Stephen68]

hmm.. try this query maybe?

 

$query = "SELECT * FROM sites WHERE keywords LIKE  \"%$search%\"   ORDER BY totalrating DESC";

[jj20051]

Well that did nothing. Thanks for the try though...  :'(

[premiso]

The way you had it originally is correct.

 

What you want to do is explode the search criteria at the space, then create a query based off of that.

 

$search = $search . " "; // add a space so in case of 1 word this should work.
$searchArr = explode(" ", $search); // split variables into separate words.
$search = array();
foreach ($searchArr as $keyword) {
    if (!empty($keyword)) {
         $search[] = "`keywords` LIKE '%{$keyword}%'";
   }
}
if (count($search) > 1)
    $search = "(" . implode(" AND ", $search) . ")";
else
    $search = $search[0]; // no need for the implode.
$query = "SELECT * FROM sites WHERE {$search} ORDER BY totalrating DESC";

 

Give that a try and see what comes of it.

[jj20051]

Praise You! Thanks!! That's what i've been trying to do all morning. Do you work freelance? If so I'd love to hire you...

[premiso]

Praise You! Thanks!! That's what i've been trying to do all morning. Do you work freelance? If so I'd love to hire you...

 

On occasion. Feel free to PM for contact info.