What is the best way about going about building a on base search? (just search my site for content without using Google integrated search options)

I've seen using LIKE in queries, and wildcards.

But my direct question is, how do you go about it? Should I search all tables? Or certain tables?

Originally Posted by Red_X_

What is the best way about going about building a on base search? (just search my site for content without using Google integrated search options)

I've seen using LIKE in queries, and wildcards.

But my direct question is, how do you go about it? Should I search all tables? Or certain tables?

What are you trying to do exactly?

The site has multiple companies, based in multiple categories, and sub-categories, and countrys.

I want a user to be to say search for general query "aircraft company" and find all company LIKE the name aircraft company?

What about Sphider (http://www.sphider.eu/). It will automatically create an index of your site without too much coding.

I have heard good things about sphider though I have never used it.

If you are using a LIKE query then you only want to return relevant data, data the user has permission to see and data that you want them to see

• so only check the table where you have the data they seek such as company names, company descriptions, article content, etc.
• weed out any content that is inactive or unpublished (if that is an option)
• and if some content should not be searchable, consider adding a field called 'searchable' which would hold a value of 1, or 0 (on or off) so these can easily be avoided.