Hide php table unless it is called through search - php

Question

I currently have a page where it displays data from my database in tables and it also searchable using some key terms. What I want to do is for the table to be hidden unless it is being searched. I have rephrased my codes because this is an assignment and i dont want it to be picked up as plagiarism. I really hope someone knows a way to do this
<?php
include_once('connection.php');
$SQL = "SELECT * FROM `players`";
if (isset($_POST['search'])) {
$search_word = mysql_real_escape_string($_POST['search_bar']);
$SQL .= " WHERE player_id LIKE '%{$search_word}%'";
$SQL .= " or player_name LIKE '%{$search_word}%'";
}
$SQL .= 'group by player_id, player_name order by player_id ASC';
if( !( $SQLRes = mysql_query( $SQL ) ) ){
echo 'Retrieval of data from Database Failed - #'.mysql_errno().': '.mysql_error();
}else{
if( mysql_num_rows( $SQLRes )==0 ){
echo '<tr><td colspan="1">No results </td></tr>';
}else{
$current_player_id = false;
while( $row = mysql_fetch_assoc( $SQLRes ) ){
if ($row['player_id'] !=$current_player_id) {
if ($current_player_id !== false)
echo '</table>';
echo '
<h4>'.$row['player_id'].'</h4>
<table style = "width: 100%" class="listing" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
<tr>
<th style="width: 50%">Player Name</th>
</tr>';
$current_player_id = $row['player_id'];
}
echo '<tr>
<td>'.$row['player_name'].'</td>
<td><a href =delete.php?del='.$row['player_id'].'><strong>DELETE<strong/></a></td>
</tr> ';
}
}
echo '</table>';
?>
</table>

Answer 1

At the start you open with an if statement:
if (isset($_POST['search'])) {
$search_word = mysql_real_escape_string($_POST['search_bar']);
$SQL .= " WHERE player_id LIKE '%{$search_word}%'";
$SQL .= " or player_name LIKE '%{$search_word}%'";
}
It looks to me like the check for the $_POST variable is telling you if you have a search.
That if just needs to wrap the whole of this body of code and it should do what you're looking for.
That said, there are a few niggles elsewhere in your code - please take these the right way - in an effort to help and guide...
1 - Rather than build your "like" statements in your SQL, take a look at bind variables. Also, take a look at mysqli usage examples.
2 - Rather than echoing through your code, consider building an $html string up and then echoing at the end.
3 - It looks like you're coding for your SQL select to return multiple instances of the same player. That suggests either a flaw in the datamodel (the table is called player after all), or in the SELECT - why not get back distinct rows.
4 - Echoing SQL errors back to the console is a great way to give external people access to protected information about your system. Consider logging to a file instead - at least in production.
5 - I've corrected your indentation. Learn how to use it, it will save your brain many times over if you indent code properly.