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PHP Enhancing a Simple PHP Application Adding Search: Model Introducing the strpos Function

Posted by Liz Karaffa
Liz Karaffa
17,576 Points

Extra Credit: Adding algorithm to search SKU as well as name.

In doing this challenge, I used the below code to make it work.

function get_products_search($s) {
    $results = array();
    $all = get_products_all();

    foreach ($all as $product) {
        if(stripos($product["name"],$s) !== false) {
            $results[] = $product;
        }    
    }
    foreach ($all as $product) {
        if(stripos($product["sku"],$s) !== false) {
            $results[] = $product;
        }    
    }
    return $results;
}

But I was wondering if this is the best way or if I can check both the SKU and name in one foreach loop. I tried using both AND and OR but that broke the search feature.

7 Answers

Ben Rubin
PLUS
Ben Rubin
Courses Plus Student 14,658 Points
Ben Rubin
Ben Rubin
Courses Plus Student 14,658 Points

Oops, I was missing one of the stripos. Try this.

function get_products_search($s) { $results = array(); $all = get_products_all();

foreach ($all as $product) {
    if(stripos($product["name"], $s) !== false OR stripos($product["sku"], $s) !== false) {
        $results[] = $product;
    }    
}

return $results;

}

John MacDonald
John MacDonald
8,593 Points
John MacDonald
John MacDonald
8,593 Points

Hey Guys!

I thought I might add an improvement in this old thread

I did try some of this code once by for instance if I searched up the number 1 it would return every product with the number 1 in it.

I reverted to checking if the SKU was equal to my search term and if it was appended it to the array.

Now if I search up a SKU like the number 1 it will return nothing but if I search a SKU of 102 it returns the product.

Check the code here: 

function get_products_search($s){
    $results = array();
    $all = get_products_all();

    foreach($all as $product){
        if (stripos($product["name"], $s) !== false || $product["sku"] == $s){
            $results[] = $product;
        }
    }

    return $results;
}
Ben Rubin
PLUS
Ben Rubin
Courses Plus Student 14,658 Points
Ben Rubin
Ben Rubin
Courses Plus Student 14,658 Points

It should work with a single foreach loop if you combine the conditions with an OR, and you're correct in thinking that's a better way of doing it. What was it doing when you had both conditions inside a single loop?

Liz Karaffa
Liz Karaffa
17,576 Points
Liz Karaffa
Liz Karaffa
17,576 Points

It acted as if there were no search results available. This is the condition with OR I tried but it didn't work. 

function get_products_search($s) {
    $results = array();
    $all = get_products_all();

    foreach ($all as $product) {
        if(stripos($product["name"] OR $product["sku"],$s) !== false) {
            $results[] = $product;
        }    
    }

    return $results;
}

What should I be doing differently?

Ben Rubin
Ben Rubin
Courses Plus Student 14,658 Points

You need a !== false after stripos($product["name"]. So it should be 

function get_products_search($s) {
    $results = array();
    $all = get_products_all();

    foreach ($all as $product) {
        if(stripos($product["name"] !== false OR $product["sku"],$s) !== false) {
            $results[] = $product;
        }    
    }

    return $results;
}

You have to put the value you are comparing to after each comparison. It has to be something like

if (first_value !== false AND second_value !== false AND third_value !== false)

You can't compare all of your conditions to a single value. Don't do this:

if (first_value AND second_value AND third_value !== false)
Liz Karaffa
Liz Karaffa
17,576 Points
Liz Karaffa
Liz Karaffa
17,576 Points

I also tried this, and while it didn't break the page, it showed no results.

function get_products_search($s) {
    $results = array();
    $all = get_products_all();

    foreach ($all as $product) {
        if(stripos($product["name"] OR ["sku"],$s) !== false) {
            $results[] = $product;
        }    
    }

    return $results;
}

This broke the page.

function get_products_search($s) {
    $results = array();
    $all = get_products_all();

    foreach ($all as $product) {
        if(stripos($product["name" OR "sku"],$s) !== false) {
            $results[] = $product;
        }    
    }

    return $results;
}
Liz Karaffa
Liz Karaffa
17,576 Points
Liz Karaffa
Liz Karaffa
17,576 Points

Great! Thanks so much! I didn't know that syntax! Alas, when I copied and pasted exacted what you provided I still have the same result. The page isn't broken, but it acts as if there are no matching results.

Liz Karaffa
Liz Karaffa
17,576 Points
Liz Karaffa
Liz Karaffa
17,576 Points

Ahh I see, so it's essentially the entire statement twice with the OR btwn a complete idea. Makes sense. Put this in my code and it worked. Thanks again for your help! Definitely learned a valuable tip!