Database search

SoC · August 15th, 2004, 08:15 PM

Currently have a search form which allows you to search a simple database.

The search form has a series of checkboxes and a textfield.

The problem is that if someone does not enter anything in the textfield, the SQL looks for a record in the database containing nothing. This means that no results will be returned.

I can get around this by using an IF then ELSE statement which says if the length of the text field is 0 then search on the checkboxes only, ELSE search on the checkboxes and the textfield. The problem is that this ends up being a relatively large file size.

I was just wondering if there is a way of saying IF the LENGTH of the textfield = 0 then LET its VALUE = 'a'. Because every single record in the database contains the letter 'a', I know that it will search all records.

I guess there is another, better way of doing this though. Any help much appreciated.

SoC

rodmcleay · August 15th, 2004, 08:34 PM

SoC,

One alternative to this would be to only include the where clause if there is something in field.

Code:

SQL = "Select * from mytable where 1=1 "
if len(textfield) > 0 then SQL = SQL & " and dbFieldvalue = '"  & textfield & "'"
if len(textfield2) > 0 then SQL = SQL & " and dbFieldvalue2 = '"  & textfield2 & "'"

Another alternative is to use the LIKE statement.
This is quite common with search fields because it allows the user to put in part of the text being searched for.

Code:

SQL = "Select * from mytable where" 
SQL = SQL & " dbFieldvalue LIKE '%" & textfield & "%'"
SQL = SQL & " and dbFieldvalue2 LIKE '%" & textfield2 & "%'"

The advangage of the second method is that you can enter part of the text and still return a result. So if you are seaching for 'john', records containing 'john' would be returned as well as records containing 'johnson'.
So if the textfield was empty it would return all rows.
The disadvantage is that it is a slower query.

======================================
They say, best men are molded out of faults,
And, for the most, become much more the better
For being a little bad.
======================================

SoC · August 15th, 2004, 08:49 PM

Hi rodmcleay,

thanks for your help.

Sorry, I should have specified in my original post that I
have been using the LIKE statement in my search (LIKE %textfield%) but for some reason it does not return any results.

Any thoughts?

SoC

rodmcleay · August 15th, 2004, 08:52 PM

Can you post your code for the statement?

======================================
They say, best men are molded out of faults,
And, for the most, become much more the better
For being a little bad.
======================================

SoC · August 15th, 2004, 08:56 PM

Hi,

I think I just solved it.

I'm using Dreamweaver, which lets you set the default value for the
form variable.

Up until now I had this set to 'null'.

All I needed to do was change this to nothing! Aaagh!

Cheers

SoC