PHP doesn't output error from mysql query for non-existent rows for autocomplete

[kkmoslehpour]

I have a form that currently is able to auto complete base on user input, it queries the MySQL database and successfully lists all possible matches in the table and give suggestions. Now I want to handle rows that do not exist (when user enters a name that does not exist in the table). I am having trouble to get my PHP file to echo the error.  

 

Does anyone know why? Is it cause i am using GET?

 

 

Here is what I have so far:

 

search.php

    <?php

    //database configuration

    $host = 'user';

    $username = 'user';

    $password = 'pwd';

    $name = 'name';

    

     //connect with the database

    $dbConnection = new mysqli($host,$username,$password,$name);

    



    if(isset($_GET['term'])){

                //get search term

        $searchTerm = '%'.$_GET['term'].'%';



        //get matched data from skills table

        if($query = $dbConnection->prepare("SELECT * FROM nametbl WHERE name LIKE ? ORDER BY name ASC")) {



            $query->bind_param("s", $searchTerm);

            $query->execute();

            $result = $query->get_result();



            //$row_cnt = $result->num_rows;

            //echo $row_cnt;

            if($result -> num_rows){

                while ($row = $result->fetch_assoc()) {

                    $data[] = $row['name'];

                }



                //return json data

                echo json_encode($data);

                mysqli_close($dbConnection);

            }

            else { echo '<pre>' . "there are no rows." . '</pre>'; }

        }

        else {

            echo '<pre>' . "something went wrong when trying to connect to the database." . '</pre>';

        }

       

          

    }

    ?>

main.php

 

  

  <div id="gatewayInput">

    <form method="post">

          <input type="text" id="name" name="name" placeholder="Name..."><br><br>

          <?php 

            include("search.php"); 

          ?>    

    </div>



    ...

    ...

    ...



    <script src ="../../../jqueryDir/jquery-3.2.1.min.js"></script>

    <script src ="../../../jqueryDir/jquery-ui.min.js"></script>

    <script type="text/javascript">



    //auto search function

    $(function() {

          $( "#name" ).autocomplete({

              source: 'search.php'

          });

    });

[Sepodati]

First of all, you don't need to include('search.php') in your file. autocomplete makes an HTTP request to 'search.php?term=xxx' and expects a JSON object back.

 

Source: When a string is used, the Autocomplete plugin expects that string to point to a URL resource that will return JSON data.

If you're finding no rows, you're not returning a JSON object. So autocomplete doesn't know what to do with the data.

 

You could return a json object like echo json_encode(array('No data'));, but that's going to make it an option the user can select.

 

You may want to work out some different logic here. If nothing is returned, unhide a "no matches" span next to the box or something.