[PHP] Free MySQL search script

[Pajter]

Hey Neowin!

I'm working on a new website, including my own CMS, and I'm in need of a search function. Obviously I know the basic principle, MySQL query and stuff, but that won't cut it. I need something a bit more advanced, which gives more relevant search results.

I've browsed Hotscripts.com for a few minutes, but couldn't really come up with anything concrete. Saw a good one, only to find out that you had to pay for it. There were other (free) ones, but it was hard to find one that fit the description.

So I thought, the good people of Neowin could help me. Surely someone here has some hands-on experience with a more advanced, free search script. Well, at least I hope so, because I could really use one.

I'm not looking for a personal Google, but just something that'll give me better search results than the basic MySQL query.

Thanks in advance!

[Pc_Madness]

You could always do it yourself. :)

Your options are Full Text Searching and LIKE searching I believe. I think Full Text Searching is the kind that you might see on sites that have a percentage next to them and supports boolean stuff. Its not that hard to do really. If you go the LIKE route, take your search string, split it on say spaces and then create your query (LIKE "THIS" OR LIKE "THAT"). And I spose you could throw in some checks to ignore common words.

This is the first google result I found that looked pretty interesting. :)

http://devzone.zend.com/node/view/id/1304

[Pajter]

Thanks for the help. Those are some things I already came across. I know the basics are not hard to do. If I were to do them myself, I'd go for full text.

Thing is, I've tried the basics, and they don't satisfy me. I'm hard to please. :p

I need something with more finetuning: which I've found out, is the hardest thing about making a search script. Seeing as I've still a lot more work to do with my CMS, I was hoping to save myself a lot time with a complete script. :)

[+Nik Louch Subscriber²]

Damn, can be easily done is MS-SQL. FULLTEXT is what I'd use - it allows you to percentage match, and so on.

[Pajter]

At the risk of sounding ungrateful/lazy/dumb: please, spare the old man (me) some time. If I can just use a ready script, I'll be a happy bloke with some extra time on his hands. :p

[~Matt~]

Research MYSQL fulltext.

The thing is we can't make it for you cos you need to know specifically the columns, names of databases and you need to create full-text columns.

Edited December 22, 2008 by ~Matt~

[Pajter]

I've researched it, I know how it's done, but like I said, the standard searches just SUCK. :p

Also, I'm not asking any of you to make it for me. I was just wondering if anybody knew of any free advanced scripts. Apparently, that's not the case, so I'll have to figure out something else.

Thanks though. :)

[~Matt~]

Mysql Fulltext isn't the "standard" search. What your thinking of is the mysql "like" command which goes something along the lines of this:

mysql_query("SELECT * FROM news WHERE title LIKE '%$keyword%'");

[Simon Veteran]

If you're willing to go installing stuff (not sure you are), I'd recommend Sphinx (http://www.sphinxsearch.com/, but the site was down when I just tried it). Very fast and very powerful.