Question

I’m currently coding a simple search script in PHP that requires three variables from the user namely:
$Capacity, $Location and $RoomType

Capacity is a required field which the jquery validate plugin checks for numerical entry on input – but Location and RoomType are optional.

I’m trying to now draft a SQL query that will search the table rooms.

There are three columns in the table also called Capacity, Location and RoomType that I want to search using the variables.

How would I write this SQL query? Especially with $Capacity being required, $Location / $RoomType expected to be left blank or filled in at the users discretion?

Answer 1

You could use LIKE ...% in your sql query, so that even when blank, it’ll be treated as a wildcard.

$q = 'SELECT * FROM foo WHERE capacity = "'.$capacity.'" AND location LIKE "'.$location.'%" AND roomtype LIKE "'.$roomtype.'%"';

Of course, remember to escape the inputs.