PDO returns empty array as result - php

Question

I have a simple search form, which I use to send a POST request to my php script using AJAX. I want the script to search my database for the keyword in the title column, and return the rows where it finds it. The posted data looks like this "searchword=test1", where test1 in the content of my text input.
I have 2 rows in my database, one has a title of test1, and another of test2. If I do SELECT * FROM articles I can see the results fine. If I type SELECT * FROM articles WHERE title LIKE 'test1'; into console, I get the correct result, but my php script returns an empty array.
No idea what I'm doing wrong here, any help is appreciated.
my php:
try {
$hostname = "localhost";
$username = "root";
$password = "";
$db = new PDO("mysql:host=$hostname;dbname=topdecka_PTC",$username, $password);
if (!empty($_POST["searchword"])) {
$searchword = $_POST["searchword"];
$query = $db->prepare("SELECT * FROM articles WHERE title LIKE %:seachword%");
$query->execute(array(':searchword' => $searchword));
$result = $query->fetchAll(PDO::FETCH_ASSOC);
echo json_encode($result);
die();
}
else {
$query = $db->prepare('SELECT * FROM articles');
$query->execute();
$result = $query->fetchAll(PDO::FETCH_ASSOC);
echo json_encode($result);
die();
}
} catch (PDOException $e) {
echo "Error!: " . $e->getMessage() . "<br/>";
die();
}

Answer 1

Firstly, you forgot the $ sign for %:seachword% as per your assignment:
Sidenote: There's a typo that I just noticed in seachword which should read as searchword as per ':searchword' => $searchword
$searchword = $_POST["searchword"];
However, I'd do something like this instead:
LIKE :seachword
then
$query->execute(array(":searchword" => "%" . $searchword . "%"));
Example syntax:
$sqlprep = $conn->prepare("SELECT `column` FROM `table` WHERE `column` LIKE :word");
$sqlprep->bindValue(':word', '%value%');
Also make sure that your form does have a POST method and that your element is indeed named and no typos.
Add error reporting to the top of your file(s) which will help find errors.
<?php
error_reporting(E_ALL);
ini_set('display_errors', 1);
// rest of your code
Sidenote: Error reporting should only be done in staging, and never production.
Add $db->setAttribute(PDO::ATTR_ERRMODE, PDO::ERRMODE_EXCEPTION); right after the connection is opened, to catch potential errors, if any.

Answer 2

The reason it isn't working is because the value for :searchname is being escaped. As a result,
SELECT * FROM articles WHERE title LIKE %:seachword%
is being interpreted as this:
SELECT * FROM articles WHERE title LIKE %"test1"%
which is an invalid query. You need to quote the entire string or use concat() to add the % in.
Your two options are:
$query = $db->prepare("SELECT * FROM articles WHERE title LIKE :seachword");
$query->execute(array(':searchword' => "%" . $searchword . "%"));
or:
$query = $db->prepare("SELECT * FROM articles WHERE title LIKE CONCAT('%', :seachword, '%')");
$query->execute(array(':searchword' => $searchword));
Personally, I prefer the option with CONCAT as it separates responsibilities better, in my opinion.