PHP - New: Search Results

Hello,

I'm developing a website that asks the user to submit a keyword for a search. The results should display matches for this keyword, but also show matches for related keywords (in order of relevenace!).

I'm planning on building up a library of which search terms users use in the same sessions (e.g. if someone searches for "it jobs" and "php jobs", I'll know the terms are correlated), and I'll also measure the click-through rates of the items on the results list.

I've been spending all weekend trying to map out the design for this but it's proving incredibly complicated and I think the solution is likely to be on the internet somewhere already?!

Please could someone point me in the right direction if you've come accross this problem before?

Thanks a million,

Stu

I am trying to write a script that will allow me visitors to my site to search my database for items. I followed a tutorial that I had found and tweaked it to fit my needs. I am not getting any results it keeps telling that there was no search results found. Even though I have the items that I have been testing on in my database.

I have two files the main search.php file and the search_func.php file

Here is the search.php file
Code: [Select]
<form method='post' action='search.php'>
<fieldset>
<input type='text' name='search' id='search' value='type name here'/>
<input type='submit' name='search_submit' id='search_submit' value='search'/>
</fieldset>
</form>

<?php

include('includes/search_func.php');

if(isset($_POST['search'])) {
$keywords = mysql_real_escape_string(htmlentities(trim($_POST['search'])));

$errors = array ();

if (empty($keywords )){
$errors[] = 'Please enter a search term';
} else if (strlen($keywords ) < 3 ) {
$errors[] = 'Search term must be more then three characters long';
} else if (search_results($keywords  == false)) {
$errors[] = 'Your search for ' .$keywords . ' showed no results';
}

if (empty($errors)) {
$results = search_results($keywords );
$results_num = count($results);
$suffix = ($results_num != 1) ? 's' : '';
echo 'Your search for <strong>'. $keywords  .'</strong> returned <strong>' .$results_num.'</strong> result'.$suffix.'';

foreach($results as $result) {
echo $result['first'];
}

} else {
foreach($errors as $error){
echo $error;
}
}

}

?>
Here is the search_func.php file
Code: [Select]
<?php
include('includes/config.php');
connect();

function search_results($keywords ) {
$returned = array();
$where = "";

$keywords  = preg_split('/[\s+]/', $keywords );
$total = count($keywords );

foreach($keywords  as $key=>$keyword) {
$where .= "`l_name` LIKE '%$keyword%'";

if($key != ($total - 1)){
$where .= "OR";
}
}

$results  = "SELECT `l_name`,`f_name`,`image`,`item_return` FROM `ttmautos` WHERE $where";
$results_num = ($results = mysql_query($results)) ? mysql_num_rows($results): 0 ;

if ($results_num === 0) {
return false;
} else {
while($results_row = mysql_fetch_assoc($results)) {
$returned_results[] = array(
'last' => $results_row['l_name'],
'first' => $results_row['f_name'],
'image' => $results_row['image'],
'item' => $results_row['item_return']
);
}

return $returned_results;
}
}
?>

If anyone could give me an idea of what I am doing wrong I would appreciate it.

hey guys, i have a search bar i am implementing into my navmenu but keeping getting errors returned and im not sure why

This is the code in my navmenu to display the search bar
Code: [Select]
echo '<form action="search.php" method="post">Search: <input type="text" name="term" /> <input type="submit" name="submit" value="Search"/>'; Code: [Select]
Here is the php file that query's the search
$term = $_POST['term'];
$dbc = mysqli_connect(DB_HOST, DB_USER, DB_PASSWORD, DB_NAME);
$query = mysqli_query("select * from ob_listings where subject like '%$term%' or description like '%$term%' ");
while ($row = mysql_fetch_array($dbc, $query)){
echo 'Subject: '.$row['subject'];
echo '<br/> Date: '.$row['date'];
echo '<br/> Price: '.$row['price'];
echo '<br/> City: '.$row['city'];
echo '<br/><br/>';
}
any help is much appreciated

here are the errors being returned

Warning: mysqli_query() expects at least 2 parameters, 1 given in C:\vhosts\HeadFirst\ourbazzar\search.php on line 16
(line 16 is the $query)

Warning: mysql_fetch_array() expects parameter 1 to be resource, object given in C:\vhosts\HeadFirst\ourbazzar\search.php on line 17
(line 17 is the while loop)

Hi,
I have a problem if users search something which doesn't match the data in the table I'm selecting from.

At the moment I'm trying this code:
Code: [Select]
<?php 
require_once('inc/global.inc.php');

# search.inc.php

/* 
 * This is the search content module.
 * This page is included by index.php.
 * This page expects to receive $_GET['terms'].
 */

// Redirect if this page was accessed directly:
if (!defined('BASE_URL')) {

// Need the BASE_URL, defined in the config file:
require_once ('../includes/config.inc.php');

// Redirect to the index page:
$url = BASE_URL . 'index.php?p=search';

// Pass along search terms?
if (isset($_GET['terms'])) {
$url .= '&terms=' . urlencode($_GET['terms']);
}

header ("Location: $url");
exit;

} // End of defined() IF.

// Print a caption:
echo '<h2>Search Results</h2>';

// Display the search results if the form
// has been submitted.
if (isset($_GET['terms']) && ($_GET['terms'] != 'Search...') ) {

$terms = $_GET['terms'];
$dbc = mysqli_connect(DB_HOST, DB_USER, DB_PASSWORD, DB_NAME) or die *('Error connecting to MySQL server');
// Query the database.
$query = "SELECT * FROM product WHERE title LIKE '%$terms%'";

// Fetch the results.
//$row = mysqli_fetch_array($result);

// Print the results:

$result=mysqli_query($dbc,$query);

if ($result == 0){
  echo "<h3>Sorry,</h3>";
  echo "<p>your search: &quot;" .$terms. "&quot; returned zero results</p>";
}

while($row=mysqli_fetch_assoc($result)) {

$output[] = '<ul>';
$output[] = '<li>'.$row['title'] .': &pound;'.$row['price'].'<br /><img src="'.$row['img'].'" alt="'.$row['title'].'" /></li>';
$output[] = '</ul>';
}
echo join('',$output);
}

else { // Tell them to use the search form.
echo '<p class="error">Please use the search form at the top of the window to search this site.</p>';
}



?>

But I'm getting this error:
Object of class mysqli_result could not be converted to int

So that little if statement here doesn't work:
Code: [Select]
if ($result == 0){
  echo "<h3>Sorry,</h3>";
  echo "<p>your search: &quot;" .$terms. "&quot; returned zero results</p>";
}

Is there another way I can display no search matched results?

Thank you for reading,
Andrew.

I have a page that I am using to search a database. Basically what I want to do is allow the end user to sort by column headings after the search results are returned. The sort code that I am using works fine on a "lesser complicated" page that does not involve $_GET variables. I am not sure however if I adapted it properly. Also, I am having problems adding the new $_GET variables to the URL string when the user chooses to sort the returned search results. Thank you in advance for any suggestions. My code is below:

Code: [Select]
<?php 
//////////////////// INITIATE SESSION ////////////////////
if (!isset($_SESSION)) {
session_start();
}
//////////////////// ALLOW ACCESS ONLY TO ADMINISTRATORS ////////////////////
if ($_SESSION['person_priveleges'] == 0) {
header("location:index.php");
}
//////////////////// CONNECT AND SELECT DATABASE ////////////////////
require_once('connect.php');
mysql_select_db($database, $connect);
//////////////////// GET STATES ////////////////////
$state = mysql_query("SELECT state_abbreviation FROM state ORDER BY state_abbreviation ASC", $connect);
$data_state = mysql_fetch_assoc($state);
$rows_state = mysql_num_rows($state);




//////////////////// GET USER SEARCH RESULTS ////////////////////
if (array_key_exists('search', $_GET)) {
$error = array();
if ((empty($_GET['last_name_search'])) && (empty($_GET['organization_search'])) && (empty($_GET['state_search'])) && (empty($_GET['payment_status']))) {
$error['search'] = "Please enter at least one search parameter.";
} else {
$search = "SELECT * FROM person";
$where = false;
if (isset($_GET['last_name_search']) && !empty($_GET['last_name_search'])) {
$last_name_search = $_GET['last_name_search'];
$search .= " WHERE person_last_name LIKE '%$last_name_search%'";
$where = true;
} 
if (isset($_GET['organization_search']) && !empty($_GET['organization_search'])) {
$organization_search = $_GET['organization_search'];
if ($where) {
$search .= ' AND ';
   } else {
$search .= ' WHERE ';
$where = true;
   }
$search .= " person_organization LIKE '%$organization_search%'";
}
if (isset($_GET['state_search']) && !empty($_GET['state_search'])) {
$state_search = $_GET['state_search'];
if ($where) {
$search .= ' AND ';
   } else {
$search .= ' WHERE ';
$where = true;
   }
$search .= " person_state LIKE '%$state_search%'";
}
if (isset($_GET['payment_status']) && !empty($_GET['payment_status'])) {
$payment_search = $_GET['payment_status'];
if ($where) {
$search .= ' AND ';
   } else {
$search .= ' WHERE ';
$where = true;
   }
$search .= " person_paid LIKE '%$payment_search%'";
}

if (isset($_GET['sort'])) {
$sort = mysql_real_escape_string($_GET['sort']);
if (strcasecmp($sort, "DESC") == 0) {
$new_sort = "ASC";
} else {
$new_sort = "DESC";
}
} else {
$sort = "ASC";
$new_sort = "DESC";
}
if (isset($_GET['order'])) {
$order = mysql_real_escape_string($_GET['order']);
$search .= " AND person_priveleges = 0 ORDER BY $order";

if (strcasecmp($sort, "DESC") == 0) {
$search .= " DESC";
} else {
$search .= " ASC";
}
} else {
$search .= " AND person_priveleges = 0 ORDER BY person_last_name";
$query_search = mysql_query($search, $connect) or die(mysql_error());
$result_search = mysql_fetch_assoc($query_search);
$number_search = mysql_num_rows($query_search);
$count = 0;
}
}
}
?>
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" />
<title>2011 IDUES Project Directors Meeting</title>
<link href="layout.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" />
</head>

<body class="twoColFixLtHdr">
<br />

<!--container starts here-->
<div id="container">

<?php include('header.php'); ?>

<?php include('menu_admin.php'); ?>

<?php include('sidebar_admin.php'); ?>

<!--main content starts here-->
<div id="mainContent">
<h2 class="page_title">REGISTRANT SEARCH</h2>

<div align="center"><?php if (isset($error)) {
echo '<div align="center"><span class="contact_us_error">';
foreach ($error as $alert) {
echo "$alert<br />\n";
}
echo '</div></span>';
} ?></div>

<form id="search" name="search" method="get" action="">
<table width="60%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="5">
<tr>
<td class="black_font"><label>Search by Last Name:</label></td>
<td class="black_font"><input type="text" name="last_name_search" id="last_name_search" /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="black_font"><label>Search by Organization:</label></td>
<td class="black_font"><input type="text" name="organization_search" id="organization_search" /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="black_font"><label>Search by State:</label></td>
<td class="black_font"><select name="state_search" id="state_search">
    <option value="">Select State</option>
<?php do { ?>
<option value="<?php echo $data_state['state_abbreviation']?>"
<?php if (isset($_POST['state']) && $_POST['state'] == $data_state['state_abbreviation']) {
echo 'selected="selected"';
}
echo $data_state['state_abbreviation']; ?>><?php echo $data_state['state_abbreviation']?></option>
<?php } while ($data_state = mysql_fetch_assoc($state));
$rows = mysql_num_rows($state);
if ($rows > 0) {
mysql_data_seek($state, 0);
$data_state = mysql_fetch_assoc($state);
} ?>
</select></td>
</tr>
<tr>
  <td valign="top" class="black_font">Search by Payment Status:</td>
  <td class="black_font"><p>
    <label>
      <input type="radio" name="payment_status" value="Yes" id="payment_status_0" />
      Paid</label>
    <br />
    <label>
      <input type="radio" name="payment_status" value="Pending" id="payment_status_1" />
      Pending</label>
    <br />
    <label>
      <input type="radio" name="payment_status" value="No" id="payment_status_2" />
      Not Paid</label>
    <br />
  </p></td>
</tr>
</table>
<input type="submit" name="search" id="search" value="Search" />
</form>

<br />

<?php if (array_key_exists('search', $_GET) && !$error) { ?>

<?php if ($number_search == 0) 
{ ?>
<div align="center" class="contact_us_error">No results match your search</div>
<span class="black_font">
<?php } else { ?>

<strong>Total Search Results: <?php echo $number_search; ?></strong>

<br />

</span>

<table width="100%" border="0" align="center" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0">
  <tr>
    <td bgcolor="#CCCCCC" class="black_font">&nbsp;</td>
    <td bgcolor="#CCCCCC" class="black_font"><strong><a href="<?php echo $_SERVER['PHP_SELF']."?".$_SERVER['QUERY_STRING']."?order=person_last_name&sort=$new_sort"; ?>">Name</a></strong></td>
    <td bgcolor="#CCCCCC" class="black_font"><strong><a href="<?php echo $_SERVER['PHP_SELF']."?order=person_organization&sort=$new_sort"; ?>">Organization</a></strong></td>
    <td bgcolor="#CCCCCC" class="black_font"><strong><a href="<?php echo $_SERVER['PHP_SELF']."?order=person_state&sort=$new_sort"; ?>">State</a></strong></td>
    <td align="left" bgcolor="#CCCCCC" class="black_font"><strong><?php if ((isset($_GET['payment_status'])) && ($_GET['payment_status'] == 'Yes')) { ?> <a href="<?php echo $_SERVER['PHP_SELF']."?order=person_payment_method&sort=$new_sort"; ?>">Payment</a></strong></td> <?php } else { echo "Paid</strong></td>"; } ?>
  </tr>
<tr>
<?php do { ?>
<?php $count++; ?>
<?php $person_id = $result_search['person_id']; ?>
<?php $first_name = $result_search['person_first_name']; ?>
<?php $last_name = $result_search['person_last_name']; ?>
<?php $organization = stripslashes($result_search['person_organization']); ?>
<?php $state = $result_search['person_state']; ?>
<?php $paid = $result_search['person_paid']; ?>
<?php $payment_method = $result_search['person_payment_method']; ?>
<td class="black_font"><?php echo $count; ?></td>
    <td class="black_font"><?php echo "<a href='registrant_info.php?id=$person_id'>$last_name, $first_name</a>"; ?></td>
    <td class="black_font"><?php echo stripslashes($organization); ?></td>
    <td class="black_font"><?php echo $state; ?></td>
    <td class="black_font"><?php if ($paid =='Yes') { echo $payment_method; } else { echo $paid; } ?></td>
</tr>
<?php } while ($result_search = mysql_fetch_assoc($query_search)); ?>
</table>

<span class="black_font">
<?php } ?>
<?php } ?>
</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
</div>
<!--main content ends here-->

<!--clearing element should immediately follow #mainContent div to force the #container div to contain all child floats-->
<br class="clearfloat" />

<?php include('footer.php'); ?>

</div>
<!--container ends here-->

</body>
</html>