Confused about constructing this simple query

[Jeffro]

$find is the search my user types in a form. 

 

In searching mysql I want to search inventory.title and inventory.description ... and I want to return all results that have $find in either the title or description. 

 

I tried this: 

select * from inventory WHERE title LIKE '%$find%' or description LIKE '%$find%'";

 

That works for single words but if the user types in 2 words, I need it to look in title and description for any combination. 

 

Example:  My user might type:  miami truck 

 

I need to then perform a search where miami might only be in the title and truck might only be in the description. 

[Jeffro]

Looking some more, I guess maybe I should post in the php forum?  I'm guessing I need to somehow break $find into an array and then search each individual word?

[awjudd]

Split the word on the space then add the LIKE for each one.

 

~awjudd

[Jeffro]

Split the word on the space then add the LIKE for each one.

 

~awjudd

 

Since I don't know how many words they will use in the search, I would create an array, I guess?  If so.. How do I then use that to search?

[awjudd]

You build the query dynamically.

 

$words=explode(' ', 'foo bar');

$query='SELECT * FROM inventory ';
$combine=' WHERE ';

foreach($words as $word)
{
    $query .= $combine . " ( title LIKE '%" . $word . "%' or description LIKE '%" . $word . "%' )";
    $combine=' AND ';
}

echo $query;

 

~awjudd

[Jeffro]

You build the query dynamically.

 

$words=explode(' ', 'foo bar');

$query='SELECT * FROM inventory ';
$combine=' WHERE ';

foreach($words as $word)
{
    $query .= $combine . " ( title LIKE '%" . $word . "%' or description LIKE '%" . $word . "%' )";
    $combine=' AND ';
}

echo $query;

 

~awjudd

 

Glad you hooked me up with that because I had to study it about 10 minutes to figure out what you were doing!  It finally made sense and I stuck it in my script.. and voila!  Works perfectly.  Thanks so much.  Really appreciate it.