Setting multiple fields in a database, from just one field - php

Question

I am working in the confines of a CMS system, which defines certain fields which can be used to make forms for use within the application in PHP.
I am making use of the inputSmartSearch field, which is basically similar to Google suggest.
It allows me to define an SQL query, and then displays records that match as I type in my search.
For my smartsearch, I have chosen it to search through three fields in a different table, and to display those fields concatenated together.
I use define my field like so:
$theinput = new inputSmartSearch($db, "chooseguests", "Choose Guests");
The last parameter is the name of the SQL query to execute.
This works fine, and a guest can be located by searching his last or first name.
However, I have implemented this smartsearch what is meant to be the page to add a sales order.
In each sales order stored in the sales table, distinct from the guest table, I also want to have the firstname and lastname of the guest making the order.
The design of the sales order table has two separate fields for firstname and lastname.
Using smartsearch, I cannot find any way to tokenize the selected input and insert it back into the field.
If I have a smartsearch and can search by firstname or lastname it shows the result as just one fields, and I want it to save the firstname to the firstname field and the lastname to the lastname field.
Each form defined has an include file which defines the function for inserting a record and such, like so:
function prepareVariables($variables){
// if ($variables["webaddress"]=="http://")
// $variables["webaddress"] = NULL;
return $variables;
}
function updateRecord($variables, $modifiedby = NULL, $useUuid = false){
$variables = $this->prepareVariables($variables);
return parent::updateRecord($variables, $modifiedby, $useUuid);
}
function insertRecord($variables, $createdby = NULL, $overrideID = false, $replace = false, $useUuid = false){
$variables = $this->prepareVariables($variables);
return parent::insertRecord($variables, $createdby, $overrideID, $replace, $useUuid);
}
However, I am unsure of how I could modify the insert or update functions to do what I need them to do, or if that is even the correct approach.
Should I be looking for a complex sql query? hidden fields with the content autopopulated from the result of my inputSmartSearch? Something else?

Answer 1

Not sure what's possible with the setup you've got going, but... my first reaction would be to return from the db the names combined with tokens - like - ',' So Smith, John. Then, when getting ready to send back, to split those up ( based upon the known token ). Now where that goes what you've got there, I do not know.

Answer 2

You just need to set the starting value of the smart search manually using the values from the database. Then when the data is posted to the server you can parse and append to the array that is used to store the data in the database. At least that seems like it should work.