creating a search.php page

to search mySQL database

[Strato]

I'm a complete newbie with PHP. I need to make a search.php page so I can search my mySQL database and return the results IN A TABLE. The below code will return the results, I just need to display them in a nice looking table.

The Database has "warn" information in it, so I need to be able to search a persons name and have it display everytime that person got a warn (along with the other information that is stored with that record, ie. that persons IP, MID, comments, member that warned the person)

Or if somebody has a better/easier search code that would be great.

Thanks for your help!

<form name="form" action="search.php" method="get">
<input type="text" name="q" />
<input type="submit" name="Submit" value="Search" />
</form>
<?php
 // Get the search variable from URL
 $var = @$_GET['q'] ;
 $trimmed = trim($var); //trim whitespace from the stored variable
// rows to return
$limit=10; 
// check for an empty string and display a message.
if ($trimmed == "")
 {
 echo "<p>Please enter a search...</p>";
 exit;
 }
// check for a search parameter
if (!isset($var))
 {
 echo "<p>We dont seem to have a search parameter!</p>";
 exit;
 }
//connect to your database ** EDIT REQUIRED HERE **
mysql_connect("localhost","warn","password"); //(host, username, password)
//specify database ** EDIT REQUIRED HERE **
mysql_select_db("sitedb") or die("Unable to select database"); //select which database we're using
// Build SQL Query 
$query = "select * from Warn where Name like \"%$trimmed%\" 
 order by Name"; // EDIT HERE and specify your table and field names for the SQL query
 $numresults=mysql_query($query);
 $numrows=mysql_num_rows($numresults);
// If we have no results, offer a google search as an alternative
if ($numrows == 0)
 {
 echo "<h4>Results</h4>";
 echo "<p>Sorry, your search: &quot;" . $trimmed . "&quot; returned zero results</p>";
// google
 echo "<p><a href=\"http://www.google.com/search?q=" 
 . $trimmed . "\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Look up 
 " . $trimmed . " on Google\">Click here</a> to try the 
 search on google</p>";
 }
// next determine if s has been passed to script, if not use 0
 if (empty($s)) {
 $s=0;
 }
// get results
 $query .= " limit $s,$limit";
 $result = mysql_query($query) or die("Couldn't execute query");
// display what the person searched for
echo "<p>You searched for: &quot;" . $var . "&quot;</p>";
// begin to show results set
echo "Results";
$count = 1 + $s ;
// now you can display the results returned
 while ($row= mysql_fetch_array($result)) {
$title = $row["Name"];
$IP = $row["IP"];
$MID = $row["MID"];
$Date = $row["Date"];
$Warning = $row["Warning"];
$Comments = $row["Comments"];
$Staff = $row["Staff"];
 echo "$count.)&nbsp;$title $IP $MID $Date $Warning $Comments $Staff";
 $count++;
 }
$currPage = (($s/$limit) + 1);
//break before paging
 echo "<br />";
 // next we need to do the links to other results
 if ($s>=1) { // bypass PREV link if s is 0
 $prevs=($s-$limit);
 print "&nbsp;<a href=\"$PHP_SELF?s=$prevs&q=$var\">&lt;&lt; 
 Prev 10</a>&nbsp&nbsp;";
 }
// calculate number of pages needing links
 $pages=intval($numrows/$limit);
// $pages now contains int of pages needed unless there is a remainder from division
 if ($numrows%$limit) {
 // has remainder so add one page
 $pages++;
 }
// check to see if last page
 if (!((($s+$limit)/$limit)==$pages) && $pages!=1) {
 // not last page so give NEXT link
 $news=$s+$limit;
 echo "&nbsp;<a href=\"$PHP_SELF?s=$news&q=$var\">Next 10 &gt;&gt;</a>";
 }
$a = $s + ($limit) ;
 if ($a > $numrows) { $a = $numrows ; }
 $b = $s + 1 ;
 echo "<p>Showing results $b to $a of $numrows</p>";

[PHP_Chimp]

Although I will have to admit to not following your code the whole way through I did see

$var = @$_GET['q'] ;

Muting errors with @ is something that should only be done in very rare occurrences.

You are using @$_GET as there is no check to see if there has been a get request made. You could use -

if (/*$_GET['q'] && */trim($_GET['q'])!== '') { 
 // commented out $_GET['q'] as it should be ok without...but you need to test it.
 // do your search
}
else {
 // how do you expect me to search when you havent asked?
}