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falcatrecon · 03-21-2009, 10:02 AM

This is slowly but surely wearing at me, and I need help.

The problem is this. I'm trying to create a search function of sorts with SQL LIKE and eventually a field of keywords. I've been testing it on the title for now. The LIKE works fine without wildcards, but when I try to put wildcards in the statement, where nearly every site tells me to, it does not work. I've used % and *. The website is hosted on a linux server and I was using PHP to access the MySQL server, if that helps any.

my test code peice as well, if that helps:
$query = sprintf("SELECT title, subtitle, button, price, ItemNo, instock, search1, search2 FROM inventory WHERE title LIKE '%naruto%' ORDER BY title ASC");

Thank you for your help.

freegamegallery.com · 03-21-2009, 04:09 PM

I wonder if the problem is with running your sql string through sprintf.
sprintf is going to attempt to process the % signs first, and the net result is that your % signs will be disappearing from the sql query.
Check out the sprintf docs:
PHP: sprintf - Manual

I do the exact same thing you do in my system, however I dont use sprintf.
Try this instead:
$query = "SELECT title, subtitle, button, price, ItemNo, instock, search1, search2 FROM inventory WHERE title LIKE '%naruto%' ORDER BY title ASC";

If you HAVE to use sprintf for some other reason, then try escaping the % symbols.

I hope that helps!

falcatrecon · 03-22-2009, 10:01 AM

Thank you! It works perfectly now.

Jennysmith · 03-24-2009, 08:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by freegamegallery.com

I wonder if the problem is with running your sql string through sprintf.
sprintf is going to attempt to process the % signs first, and the net result is that your % signs will be disappearing from the sql query.
Check out the sprintf docs:
PHP: sprintf - Manual

I do the exact same thing you do in my system, however I dont use sprintf.
Try this instead:
$query = "SELECT title, subtitle, button, price, ItemNo, instock, search1, search2 FROM inventory WHERE title LIKE '%naruto%' ORDER BY title ASC";

If you HAVE to use sprintf for some other reason, then try escaping the % symbols.

I hope that helps!

Thanks for your support, i really had the same doubt