MySQL searching

[BOMEz]

Hi all,

I'm trying to write up my first SQL database which I would want to be search able. Now currently I can have it search by First Name and Last Name. My code for the search goes like :
[PHP]$search = "SELECT *
FROM `Customer_info`
WHERE `First Name` LIKE CONVERT( _utf8 '$_POST[f_name]'
USING latin1 )
COLLATE latin1_swedish_ci
AND `Last Name` LIKE CONVERT( _utf8 '$_POST[l_name]'
USING latin1 )
COLLATE latin1_swedish_ci
LIMIT 0 , 30" ; [/PHP]

Now I can search only by First Name and Last Name. If I leave out either I get back blank results.

I tried searching around the net, and tried to logic it out on my own, but I just can't figure out how I can make it so that it can search by which ever field (or fields)has had information entered into it.

Can someone please guide me on how i can solve this either through PHP or SQL?

Thanks

[mwasif]

Moved to PHP Forum.

[Markus]

I believe you can use 'OR' for this.

[php]
$_select = "
SELECT
*
FROM
`table_name`
WHERE
`row_name`
LIKE
'{$_some_ESCAPED_string}'
OR
`other_row_name`
=
'{$_someOther_ESCAPED_string}'
";
[/php]

I also think you should rename your table rows; replace spaces with underscores:

'Row Name' = 'Row_Name'
 

Also be sure to escape your POST strings to prevent mysql injection!

[BOMEz]

Thanks it works!

Thanks for reminding me about the names, I'll change em later. This is a work in progress so I'll be adding in security features later, like closing sessions, checking user input etc. For now I just need it to work to make a presentation on so I can get the green light to finish everything.