Matching multiple words in mysql query using "LIKE" - php

Question

My application allows searching of articles. So when a user enters the string "articlex" the query works & results are show but when multiple words are entered "articlex articley" the query shows no results.
Cuurently I'm using this query
$querySub = 'SELECT * FROM table WHERE (col1 LIKE "%'.$search_string.'%") OR (col2 LIKE "%'.$search_string.'%") OR (col3 LIKE "%'.$search_string.'%")';
Where $search_string only contains the input by user
How can I make the query applicable for multiple words as well?

Answer 1

Example for PDO
/* Assume $pdo is already prepared as PDO instance. */
// search query split by spaces
$user_input = 'foo bar baz';
// create string for PDO::prepare()
$sql = 'SELECT * FROM testTable WHERE ';
$wheres = $values = array();
foreach (array_filter(explode(' ', $user_input), 'strlen') as $keyword) {
$wheres[] = 'col1 LIKE ?';
$values[] = '%' . addcslashes($keyword, '%_\\') . '%'; // this is escape for LIKE search
}
$sql .= $wheres ? implode(' OR ', $wheres) : '1';
// bind values and execute
$stmt = $pdo->prepare($sql);
$stmt->execute($values);
Example for mysql_** functions (deprecated)
/* Assume $link is already prepared as MySQL resource. */
// search query split by spaces
$user_input = 'foo bar baz';
// create string for mysql_auery()
$sql = 'SELECT * FROM testTable WHERE ';
foreach (array_filter(explode(' ', $user_input), 'strlen') as $keyword) {
$wheres[] = 'col1 LIKE ' . mysql_real_escape_string(
'%' . addcslashes($keyword, '%_\\') . '%',
$link
);
}
$sql .= !empty($wheres) ? implode(' OR ', $wheres) : '1';
// execute
$result = mysql_query($sql, $link);

Answer 2

While using variables for like query, you could use
Select * from table where keyword LIKE '%{$to_be_searched}%'

Answer 3

You can use REGEXP for this perpose .....or if you want multiple word search then you need to explode search string by space and then search this string from table using LIKE
if you search "articlex articley" then it will search whole word in LIKE operator

Answer 4

use only one "%" at the end. like
$querySub = SELECT * FROM table WHERE (col1 LIKE '$search_string%'");
This will search for both "articlex" and "articley"

Answer 5

1: This will be return should record
select * from products where title like "%word1%" or
title LIKE "word2";
note: if you have so many word then use dynamic query generator which generate title like "%word3%" or title like"%word4%" or ........
2: This will be return must records
select * from products where title like "%word1%word2%word3%";