[SOLVED] Search form validation !!

[nita]

Hi.

I would like to do my search form (used to search through my movie collection) a bit more user friendly.

 

I don't know how to do to:

return info that input must be longer then 2 (then back to previous page after lets say 2-3 sec) when search input is no longer the 2 letters / numbers. (min 2)

 

and do do similar think once there is no results at all. (you will find "if" for this in the script).

 

<form method='post' action='$php_self'>
<input type='text' name='search' size=25 maxlength=25><br>
<input type='Submit' name='Submit' value='Submit'>
</form>

$search=$_POST["search"];

$result = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM movies WHERE name LIKE '%$search%' 
OR cast LIKE '%$search%' OR director LIKE '%$search%' 
OR year LIKE '%$search%' OR production LIKE '%$search%'
OR genere LIKE '%$search%' OR language LIKE '%$search%'");

$numrows=mysql_num_rows($result);

if ($numrows == 0)
  	{
  	echo "<h4>No results found !!!</h4>";
  	echo "<p>Sorry, your search returned 0 results</p>";
  	}
else 
{ 
while($row=mysql_fetch_array($result))
{	
   	include "display_rec.php";
}
}

 

Hoping for some solution. Maybe there is some other recommendations too. 

Thank you in advance !!

Nita

 

[sw0o0sh]

if(trim(strlen($_POST['search'])) < 2){

echo "Search must be longer than 2 characters.";

} else {

//execute search code.

}

[nita]

THx for suggestion sw0o0sh.

I'm afraid is not working. sure there is no bug there?

And then still i would like to do something redirecting automaticlly after 2 sec. back to previous page

 

i will look up on trim strlen !!

 

Thanks. Nita

 

[nita]

what about to make some change in mysql ?

i mean

ft min word len  4  4 

ft max word len  254  254 

ft max word len for sort  20  20 

 

are these on responsible for min / max number of characters??

 

is set on 4 which doesn't make much sense couse im able to get results with just 1 char.

i want this limit to be min 2.

 

 

any advice ... please

nita, thx

 

[nita]

i had change part of the code a bit but still not working?

 

 

$minchar = 1;
if (strlen($_POST['search']) <= $minchar)
{
echo "Search must be longer than 2 characters.";
} 
else 
{
while($row=mysql_fetch_array($result))
{	
   	include "display_rec.php";
}
}

 

what's wrong

 

can someone help, please

 

nita

[nita]

Hi

Entire code once again to make things clear !

 

<form method='post' action='$php_self'>
<input type='text' name='search' size=25 maxlength=25 minleneght=2><br>
<input type='Submit' name='Submit' value='Submit'>
</form>
</td>

<td>";
$search=$_POST["search"];

$result = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM movies WHERE name LIKE '%$search%' 
OR cast LIKE '%$search%' OR director LIKE '%$search%' 
OR year LIKE '%$search%' OR production LIKE '%$search%'
OR genere LIKE '%$search%' OR language LIKE '%$search%'");

$minchar = 2;
if (strlen($search) < $minchar)
{
echo "Search must be longer than 2 characters.";
} 
else 
{
while($row=mysql_fetch_array($result))
{	
   	include "display_rec.php";
}
}

$numrows=mysql_num_rows($result);
if ($numrows == 0)
  	{
  	echo "<h4></h4>";
  	echo "<p>Sorry, your search returned 0 results</p>";
  	}
else 
{ 
while($row=mysql_fetch_array($result))
{	
   	include "display_rec.php";
}
}

 

So there is a bug somewhere, when i do search with 1 char, it doesn't display warning communicate.

 

help, please

 

Nita

[Barand]

It seems silly to do the query before you check the search variable is the correct length ???

 

try

<?php 
if (isset($_POST['search'])) {
$search=$_POST["search"];

$minchar = 2;
if (strlen($search) < $minchar)
{
    echo "Search must be longer than 2 characters.";
} 
else 
{
    $result = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM movies WHERE name LIKE '%$search%' 
    OR cast LIKE '%$search%' OR director LIKE '%$search%' 
    OR year LIKE '%$search%' OR production LIKE '%$search%'
    OR genere LIKE '%$search%' OR language LIKE '%$search%'");

    $numrows=mysql_num_rows($result);
    if ($numrows == 0)
  	    {
  	        echo "<p>Sorry, your search returned 0 results</p>";
  	    }
    else 
    { 
        while($row=mysql_fetch_array($result))
        {	
       	        include "display_rec.php";
        }
    }
}
}
?>
<form method='post' action=''>
<input type='text' name='search' size=25 maxlength=25 ><br>
<input type='Submit' name='Submit' value='Submit'>
</form>

[nita]

Thanks a lot Barand.

 

Now is working perfectly.

 

I still have question left without solution. How to code automatic redirection after error messages back to previous page. I can manage to do link, but i rather like automatic think more.

 

<META HTTP-EQUIV='REFRESH' CONTENT='1; URL=$PHP_SELF'>  also maybe an option, but it's not to comfortable considering entire application.

 

Is any one can think on some other solution!?

 

Thanks.

Nita.

 

 

 

[Barand]

One way is with a location header, but you cannot use it if output has already been sent (eg error message)

if (strlen($search) < $minchar)
{
            header("location: prevPage.php?errmsg=Search must be longer than 2 characters");
            exit;
} 

 

Another way is the meta refresh as you have there, displaying the message briefly.

 

Another is redisplay the search form in the same page if there is an error, which would be similar to my code.

[bob_the _builder]

Hi,

 

Something like:

 

echo 'Ops, you will be redirected shortly.';
header('Refresh: 2; url='.$_SERVER["HTTP_REFERER"].'');

 

You may want to use meta refresh instead.

 

hth

[nita]

HI, i guess the solution are fine, but i have my header already sent, so i get an error back.

i think i would like to stick to meta too

 

i came up with code: (is working but still is not doing what it meant to do)

-search part of the code-

 

else if(isset($_POST['submit'])||isset($_POST['search'])) // when search button is pressed
{
echo "
<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC '-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN'
'http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/loose.dtd'>
<html>
<head>
<meta http-equiv='Content-Type' content='text/html; charset=iso-8859-1'>
<LINK REL='StyleSheet' href='movies.css' TYPE='text/css'>
<title>Nita Movies</title>
</head>
<body>
<table width='950'>
<tr>
<td bgcolor='#663300' width='180' border='0' cellspacing='0' cellpadding='0'  valign='top' class='font2' >";
$result = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM category ORDER BY cat") or die(mysql_error());
while($row = mysql_fetch_array( $result )) 
{

echo "<A href='index.php?cat=$row[cat]'>$row[cat]</a><br>";
}
echo "	
<br>
<form method='post' action='$php_self'>
<input type='text' name='search' size=25 maxlength=25 minleneght=2><br>
<input type='Submit' name='Submit' value='Submit'>
</form>
</td>

<td>";
$search=$_POST["search"];

$minchar = 2;
if (strlen($search) < $minchar)
{
    echo "<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC '-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN'
			'http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/loose.dtd'>
			<html>
			<head>
			<meta http-equiv='Content-Type' content='text/html; charset=iso-8859-1'>
			<META HTTP-EQUIV='REFRESH' CONTENT='2; URL=$PHP_SELF'>
			<LINK REL='StyleSheet' href='movies.css' TYPE='text/css'>
			<title>Nita Movies</title>
			</head>
			<body>";

	echo "Search must be longer than 2 characters.
	</body>
	</html>
";
} 
else 
{
    $result = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM movies WHERE name LIKE '%$search%' 
    OR cast LIKE '%$search%' OR director LIKE '%$search%' 
    OR year LIKE '%$search%' OR production LIKE '%$search%'
    OR genere LIKE '%$search%' OR language LIKE '%$search%'");

    $numrows=mysql_num_rows($result);
    if ($numrows == 0)
  	    {
  	          echo "<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC '-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN'
			'http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/loose.dtd'>
			<html>
			<head>
			<meta http-equiv='Content-Type' content='text/html; charset=iso-8859-1'>
			<META HTTP-EQUIV='REFRESH' CONTENT='2; URL=$PHP_SELF'>
			<LINK REL='StyleSheet' href='movies.css' TYPE='text/css'>
			<title>Nita Movies</title>
			</head>
			<body>";
		echo "<p>Sorry, your search returned 0 results</p>
		</body>
		</html>
";

  	    }
    else 
    { 
        while($row=mysql_fetch_array($result))
        {	
       	        include "display_rec.php";
        }
    }
}
	echo "
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</body>
</html>
";

}

 

im not sure if the meta info is all in the right place?

some help please.

 

Nita,

[nita]

OK, so the code above is redirecting automatically after 2 sec.

But is redirecting to index.php (mean root of the application)

i want it to redirect back to the page from which i started to search from.

 

any ideas what to do with this part of the code to achive what i want ??

<META HTTP-EQUIV='REFRESH' CONTENT='2; URL=$PHP_SELF'>

 

chech the script in action at

www.nita-on-line.com/movies/

 

nita thanks a lot in advance.

 

 

 

[Barand]

Where do you set the value in $PHP_SELF?

 

If register_globals are OFF, and they should be, then you'll need

 

$PHP_SELF = $_SERVER['PHP_SELF'];

[nita]

Thx Barand

 

will be honest, im not sure where should i check if register_globals are off or on.

Where can i check that.

 

i added line you suggested ... still same result. is redirecting back to the root.

is it a right place to add this line ??

 

<td class='font2'>";

$PHP_SELF = $_SERVER['PHP_SELF']; // additional line !!!!!!!!!!

$search=$_POST["search"];

$minchar = 2;
if (strlen($search) < $minchar)
{
    echo "<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC '-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN'
			'http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/loose.dtd'>
			<html>
			<head>
			<meta http-equiv='Content-Type' content='text/html; charset=iso-8859-1'>
			<META HTTP-EQUIV='REFRESH' CONTENT='2; URL=$PHP_SELF'>
			<LINK REL='StyleSheet' href='movies.css' TYPE='text/css'>
			<title>Nita Movies</title>
			</head>
			<body>";

	echo "Search must be longer than 2 characters.
	</body>
	</html>
";
} 

 

looking forward to further advice.

 

Thanks.

 

nita.

[nita]

Thx for your Help on this topic.

 

Since main issue of the topic has been solved and now the issue is different, i decided to put it up as a seperate topic.

 

Nita