php and mysql search

**andy_jacko** · 11-09-04

I have a php page that searches a database from a form.

my problem is that the results are a little obscure
i.e. if i search for car i get results with the word carry in them.

the search is on a description so I cant have = car.

any suggestions

regards andy

**Retail-Therapy** · 11-09-04

if you don't want to, or haven't set up a fulltext index on your description field, try adding spaces to the beginning and the end of the search term;

WHERE description LIKE '% searchterm %'

the best method is to create a fulltext index on your description field, then search by a pattern match;

"SELECT *, MATCH(description) AGAINST ('searchterm') AS score FROM product where MATCH(description) AGAINST ('searchterm') group by score desc"

**andy_jacko** · 12-09-04

cheers for that,

im ashamed to admit it but i use dreamweaver

(im currently learning php (im on lesson 4 of sams teach yourself) but i can do so minor editing.

I currently have:

"" mysql_select_db($database_sendto, $sendto);
$query_Recordset1 = sprintf("SELECT * FROM sendto WHERE description LIKE '%%%s%%'", $colname_Recordset1);
...................""

the ........ is query limits etc.

how would i edit this to use full text search (which is on the column description).

Kind regards andy

**Retail-Therapy** · 12-09-04

The Query:

SELECT * FROM sendto WHERE description LIKE '%%%s%%'

To run it as a fulltext query, you need to replace that SELECT statement with this one:

SELECT *, MATCH(description) AGAINST ('SEARCHVARIABLE') AS score FROM sendto where MATCH(description) AGAINST ('SEARCHVARIABLE') group by score desc

SEARCHVARIABLE = Whatever you want it to, a word, or a passed variable.

Tony

Dreamweaver is the sharpest tool in my box!

**andy_jacko** · 13-09-04

*edit*

thought i had it sorted but now it seems to only bring the same 19 unrealated results.?

any ideas

regards andy

**andy_jacko** · 13-09-04

in phpmy admin i have

"Error
The additional Features for working with linked Tables have been deactivated. To find out why click here. "

at the bottom and if i "Click here". i get.

$cfg['Servers'][$i]['pmadb'] string
Starting with version 2.3.0 phpMyAdmin offers a lot of features to work with master / foreign - tables. To use those as well as the bookmark feature you need special tables with a predefined structure, which we explain below.
If you are the only user of this phpMyAdmin installation, you can use your current database to store those special tables; in this case, just put your current database name in $cfg['Servers'][$i]['pmadb'].

If you are setting up a multi-user phpMyAdmin installation, you will need to create a new database and setup special privileges, so, as superuser:

create a new database for phpMyAdmin:
CREATE DATABASE phpmyadmin;
Note that "controluser" must have SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE and DELETE privileges on this database. Here is a query to set up those privileges (using "phpmyadmin" as the database name, and "pma" as the controluser):
GRANT SELECT,INSERT,UPDATE,DELETE ON phpmyadmin.* to 'pma'@'localhost';
do not give any other user rights on this database.
enter the database name in $cfg['Servers'][$i]['pmadb']

Im guessing this is a host problem so i contacted them.

any other suggestions i coul try(im on shared hosting)

kind regards andy

**Retail-Therapy** · 13-09-04

Andy, without the rest of your query line, I can't tell whats going wrong, if you want to pm me the whole database connection, query and result code, then I can see whats wrong.

The phpmyadmin stuff isn't relevant for whats happening to this query

Tony