search results error

[fife]

ok i have a query that searches the database for members by forename, surname, school name.  It works fine at the level below

 

$result = $_POST['searchfield'];

mysql_select_db($dbcon, $db);
$query_rs_officers = sprintf("SELECT members.*, schools.* FROM members INNER JOIN schools ON schools.idschools = members.school WHERE ((members.mfirstname LIKE '$result') OR (members.mlastname LIKE '$result') OR (schools.schoolname LIKE '$result'))");
$rs_officers = mysql_query($query_rs_officers, $dbcon) or die(mysql_error());
$row_rs_officers = mysql_fetch_assoc($rs_officers);

thats great but only if you search by actual name.  Lets say the user was david.  If you search david you get a result if you search da then you get nothing.  I then read about opperators and changed my query to below

 

$result = $_POST['searchfield'];

mysql_select_db($dbcon, $db);
$query_rs_officers = sprintf("SELECT members.*, schools.* FROM members INNER JOIN schools ON schools.idschools = members.school WHERE ((members.mfirstname LIKE '%$result%') OR (members.mlastname LIKE '%$result%') OR (schools.schoolname LIKE '%$result%'))");
$rs_officers = mysql_query($query_rs_officers, $dbcon) or die(mysql_error());

How ever this is saying my query is empty. can anyone help?  thanks

 

[Pikachu2000]

Enable error reporting and see what errors are generated.

[fife]

ok i get this error

 

Warning: sprintf(): Too few arguments in /home/sites/results-members.php on line 113 Query was empty

 

which is the query above on that line

[Barand]

You are using sprintf, so you need to escape the %s . Use "LIKE '%%$result%%'

[fife]

Solved barand and pikachu2000 thank you both