Easiest way to make this MySQL search work...

[Mardoxx]

Say, I have a table full of names and some random data about them (for example)

 

Table: names

Names

Data

Adam Cell

2565465467

Bob Toffee

3455767

Charlie Smith

33248989896324

 

What would be the best way of writing an SQL query to search through this with multiple search criteria?

 

 

EG.

I want a search query of "da Smit" to yield the following results:

Search results

Names

Data

Adam Cell

2565465467

Charlie Smith

33248989896324

 

 

-----------------------

I though of doing it like this, have the search criteria separated by a comma.

So my search query would be "da,Smit"

 

Then using code like this:

 

<?php
include('connect.php');
$search_query = "da,Smit";
$search_array = split(",",$search_query);
$query = "SELECT Names, Data FROM names WHERE Name LIKE '%$search_array[0]%'";

foreach ($search_array as $search) {
     $query .= "'%$search%'"
}

$count = count($search_array) - 1;
for ($i = 1; $i <= $count; $i++) { 
     $query .= "OR WHERE Name LIKE '%$search[$i]%'" 
}  

//DO QUERY ON DATABASE HERE

?>

But that ^^^^ is ABSOLUTELY awful.... so is my method of searching/inputting the search....

 

 

would anyone be able to help me please?

 

thanks in advance!

[DaiLaughing]

Firstly the two names should be in separate fields but assuming you have reasons...

 

If there will only be two search terms then use an OR in the WHERE.