Mysql result to limit output - php

Question

I have a problem realizing some output to echo a list of results that comes from an Array.
I would like to create a Live search engine that runs a query by the help of keyup-function by using AJAX.
Everything works fine when the output will be echoed for every match that is listed in the table.
Now I would like to to combine all entries that are duplicates.
The code is like:
$search_term = $_POST['search_term'];
$where = "";
$search_term = preg_split('/[\s]+/', $search_term, -1, PREG_SPLIT_NO_EMPTY);
$total_search_terms = count($search_term);
$total_search_term = 0;
foreach ($search_term as $key=>$value) {
$total_search_term = $total_search_term + 1;
if ($total_search_term === 1){
if (is_numeric($value) ){
$where .= "(`a` LIKE '%$value%')";
} else {
$where .= "(`b` LIKE '%$value%')";
}
}else if ($total_search_term > 1){
$where .= " AND ";
if (is_numeric($value) ){
$where .= "(`a` LIKE '%$value%')";
} else {
$where .= "(`b` LIKE '%$value%')";
}
}
}
$duplicate = $db->query("SELECT a, b, COUNT(*) counter
FROM `table`
GROUP BY a, b
HAVING COUNT(*) > 1
");
$check = $duplicate->fetch_assoc();
$query = $db->query("SELECT a, b FROM table WHERE $where");
$result = $query->num_rows;
if ($result !== 0 ){
echo '<li id="hit">There are $result results!</li>';
while ($row = $query->fetch_assoc() ) {
echo '<li>',
$row["a"],
' ',
$row["b"],
'</li>';
}
} else {
echo '<li id="hit">no result!</li>';
}
To give an example of the output:
There are 3 results!
12345 New
12345 New
56789 Chicago
And thats how it should be:
There are 3 results!
12345 New (2x)
56789 Chicago
So the table is:
a | b
12345 New
12345 New
56789 Chicago
Thanks alot.

Answer 1

I thought of something like this:
$query = $db->query("SELECT a, b, COUNT(*) counter FROM `table` WHERE ".$where." GROUP BY a, b");
$result = $query->num_rows;
if ($result !== 0 ){
$resultSizeQuery = $db->query("SELECT COUNT(*) counter FROM `table` WHERE ".$where);
$resultSize = $resultSizeQuery->fetch_assoc();
echo '<li id="hit">There are '.$resultSize["counter"].' results!</li>';
while ($row = $query->fetch_assoc() ) {
echo '<li>'.$row["a"].' '.$row["b"];
echo ($row["counter"] > 1 ? " (".$row["counter"]."x)" : "");
echo '</li>';
}
} else {
echo '<li id="hit">no result!</li>';
}
Replacing all lines from "$duplicates = ..." to the end it should do it's work. Just give it a try because sometimes the step before the problem should be thought over.
Regards
parascus

Answer 2

first of all, your statement will return just 1 line with New York and the column counter will have 2. Chicago is missing because counter is just 1.
So I think your result looks like:
Ther are 1 results!
12345 New York
If you want to have "3 results" jsut do 2 queries, one for the number of rows (just leave out the group and having clause, also don't ask for a and b).
So you get the output:
There are 3 results!
Next you have to omit the having clause for getting all rows (also those without duplicates). You could write something like:
echo ($row["a"].' '.$row["b"].($row["counter"] > 1 ? " (".$row["counter"]."x)" : "")
I hope this helps.
Regards
Parascus