advice on how to write a search page

[mrsrowe]

Hello

 

I'm not sure the best way to do this.  I have a small database of documents, I would like users to be able to search for a date, or to search on a word - the relevant column has been indexed in the db, or to search on a set of pre-defined keywords.

 

I have a form with a text box for the free text search, a drop down list for the keywords and a drop down list for the dates

 

on the page which recieves the input, how do I best write the querey.  Is it best to use a case statement, something like

 

Case selected date,

SELECT * FROM table WHERE chosenDate = $chosenDate

break

 

Case selected keyword

SELECT * FROM table WHERE MATCH (Abstract) AGAINST ('$word')

break

 

Case

SELECT * FROM table WHERE Keyword = $kWord

 

or is there a more elegant way of writing the code.

 

apologies if this is a bit wooly, it's sunday evening

 

T