Question

Ok so I can probably see WHY I am getting many results, since I use so MATCH queries. What I want is for relevant searches to be outputted. For example if the search is “interest in green it” it only outputs those results from teh table that has interest or green or IT in there if that makes sense.

Right now I get resutls for everything, additionally its really rather slow. I dont want to use anything other than mysql/php to achieve this, so no third party search engines like Lucene or alternatives.

Here’s the search code:

    <?php

mysql_connect("webhost", "user", "pass") or die(mysql_error());
mysql_select_db("replies") or die(mysql_error());

// Retrieve result using term
$term = $_POST['term'];

$sql = mysql_query("SELECT * from 'replies' `where interest_in_green_it` MATCH '%$term%' or `green_it_good_thing MATCH` '%$term%' or    `green_it_save_environment` MATCH '%    $term%' or  `green_it_save_money` MATCH '%$term%' or    `green_it_incentive` MATCH '%$term%' or `uel_green_it MATCH` '%$term%' or   `MATCH_green_it` MATCH '%$term%' or     `printing_costs` MATCH '%$term%' or `travel_costs` MATCH '%$term%' or   `comments` MATCH '%$term%' or   `uel_green_modules` MATCH '%$term%' or  `year_of_study` MATCH '%    $term%' or      `questionnaire_filled` MATCH '%$term%'");

while ($row = mysql_fetch_array){
echo 'ID: '.$row['ID'];
echo '<br/> Do you have an interest in green IT?: '.$row['interest_in_green_it'];
echo '<br/> Do you think green IT is a good thing?: '.$row['green_it_good_thing'];
echo '<br/> Would you consider green IT if it meant saving the environment?: '.$row['green_it_save_environment'];
echo '<br/> Would you consider green IT if it meant saving money?: '.$row['green_it_save_money'];
echo '<br/> What would be the better incentive to practice green IT?: '.$row['green_it_incentive'];
echo '<br/> DO you think UEL is doing enough to practice green IT? : '.$row['uel_green_it'];
echo '<br/> Do you like green IT?: '.$row['like_green_it'];
echo '<br/> Your estimated monthly travel costs to UEL: '.$row['travel_costs'];
echo '<br/> Your estimated printing costs at UEL at any one time: '.$row['printing_costs'];
echo '<br/> Your comments: '.$row['comments'];
echo '<br/> Would you like to see more green modules at UEL?: '.$row['uel_green_modules'];
echo '<br/> What is your year of study?: '.$row['year_of_study'];
echo '<br/> If you did not fill in the questionnaire why not?: '.$row['questionnaire_filled'];
echo '<br/><br/>';
}

$_GET = array_map('trim', $_GET); 
$_POST = array_map('trim', $_POST); 
$_COOKIE = array_map('trim', $_COOKIE); 
$_REQUEST = array_map('trim', $_REQUEST); 
if(get_magic_quotes_gpc()): 
$_GET = array_map('stripslashes', $_GET); 
$_POST = array_map('stripslashes', $_POST); 
$_COOKIE = array_map('stripslashes', $_COOKIE); 
$_REQUEST = array_map('stripslashes', $_REQUEST); 
endif; 
$_GET = array_map('mysql_real_escape_string', $_GET); 
$_POST = array_map('mysql_real_escape_string', $_POST); 
$_COOKIE = array_map('mysql_real_escape_string', $_COOKIE); 
$_REQUEST = array_map('mysql_real_escape_string', $_REQUEST); 

?>

thank you in advance

Answer 1

“How can I improve this query?”

Use an index. A FULLTEXT index might be userful here.

I believe the latest InnoDB Engine supports FULLTEXT indexes, as well. (MySQL 5.6+)

To not get all possible results, calculate a score that determines how well a tuple matches your condition and ORDER BY score DESC LIMIT 20, to get the best 20 matches. See this answer for an example.