Database searching query - need help!

Hello, I posted an earlier version of this query in another forum, but I think I used the wrong forum, so am rewriting it here.

I am looking to create a searchable directory of local organisations on the charity website whom I work for. (recently proudly built with Modx!) - not for live updating by outside users, but from basic contact data which I am going to use exported from our existing Access database which manages all our contact with our users, of about 550 records and growing! (the export isn’t done as yet - but think I understand the logic and process to create another database within MODx for use using Modules, I’m from an Access background and just beginning to learn about SQL!). We’d update/refresh the database data every 1-2 months. Anyway - less of the background info...

The area which I need some help on is, are their any existing snippets, or modules etc, that can be worked around to use as the tool for searching and returning results from. I’ve looked through the repository and looked in detail at make form/table and some others etc but am not sure if this is what I need to be using, as it isn’t for inputting records, I need PHP code or snippets for searching the data, which I can create a form from to use on the front end.
I want to be able to search not only by name of group, but also/or category and/or location also. Obviously want to incorporate a form with the cats for searching on and the how to incorporate the strings for the search and returning results.

I’m currently working on devising some simple php scripts currently to create the calls to search, but after what I have begun to learn about this wonderful MODx, is that there are often already workouts around things such as this already, so have braved it here to the forums!

If there are any other ways to implement such a task, I’m open to all ideas. I’m fine with CSS and HTML, but quite a newbie with the PHP side, but love MODX and am now developing several other sites with MODx, Its a great tool!
If you want more in-depth details, or can offer your help to accomplish this task you can also PM me.

Many thanks
Laura

Start with FlexSearch form, AjaxSearch or Hyperflex Search.

Many thanks for the signposting!

Had originally looked at Ajax search and hyper search but wasn’t sure if they could search an additional database in such detail, now coming to the idea that they can! Although am coming to the idea that for each set of search criteria I need to construct seperate search strings (ie - search one for name of group, search 2 - for category/activities check boxes, and search 3 for the location/town check boxes). (...someone shout if I am going the wrong way in this!)

Ajax search looks simplest to understand for a newb like myself, although will plough through the hypersearch in finer detail, and have a play as I need to use alot of check boxes for choice categories in my search form.

If any one else out there has done similar with complicated search forms and criteria on a database rather than a site search, I’d love to see a link to your site to see how you did it!
Thanks
Laura

Quote from: 3cats1dog at Jan 31, 2007, 11:34 AM

Although am coming to the idea that for each set of search criteria I need to construct seperate search strings (ie - search one for name of group, search 2 - for category/activities check boxes, and search 3 for the location/town check boxes). (...someone shout if I am going the wrong way in this!)

If any one else out there has done similar with complicated search forms and criteria on a database rather than a site search, I’d love to see a link to your site to see how you did it!

I’ve built a number of different search systems, including one that searches for different parts of user profiles to find matches on companies they work for, names, addresses, bios, resumes, etc. Using MySQL boolean full-text features is about the best way to go, though you will need to make sure you design the full-text indexes on the database table properly. Otherwise, you’re going to have to write multiple queries or a string of OR clauses in a single monolithic query, for each part of the search you want to do. I simply create a form with checkboxes indicating which part of the profile they want to search, then use that to build the appropriate SQL search clauses into my final search query...

Unfortunately, this is part of a secure extranet site that requires logins. But if you have additional questions on how to do some of these kinds of things, then I might be able to post relevant code portions based on those inquiries.