if / else not working in PHP

Question

I have created a search for on my website and dependent what term is written in the string, it needs to run a different php code.

For example people could type in #rtp drum and bass music it will then do the php code for that.

Another is if some types in “radio that plays drum and bass music” I will then need it to run a different code.

Finally, some one could type #rtp robbie williams songs it will also need it to run different code. My code below does not work though. Any ideas?

if(preg_match('[#rtp|music]', $a)){
    preg_match('/#rtp (.*) music/', $a, $match);
    $tags = $match[1];
}

if(preg_match('[radio|that|plays|music]', $a)){
    preg_match('/plays (.*) music/', $a, $match);
    $tags = $match[1];
}

if(preg_match('[#rtp|songs]', $a)){
    preg_match('/#rtp (.*) songs/', $a, $match);
    $tags = $match[1];
}

$tags = explode(' ', $tags);
$tags = implode("%' OR `tags` LIKE '%", $tags);
$result1 = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM `Stations` WHERE `tags` LIKE '%$tags%'" );
$num_rows1 = mysql_num_rows($result1);

echo $num_rows1;

"Code below does not work" is not specific enough. What happens when you try it (and with what input), and what did you expect it to do? What do variables like `$a` contain? — JJJ, May 17 '14 at 15:23
I would also crash if I had to search for Robbie Williams songs. — Michel, May 17 '14 at 15:25
@CasimiretHippolyte Agreed. I don’t think this question is so bad it deserves down voting to this level. — Giacomo1968, May 17 '14 at 15:27

score 0 · Answer 1 · edited May 23 '17 at 11:51

0

Looking at your code, perhaps using parenthesis would work as expected. When you use [#rtp|music] all that is getting matched is the #. Check it out here. Parenthesis captures the whole string your regex implies should be captured. Also, use else if for the additional checks. Here is my rewritten code.

if (preg_match('(#rtp|music)', $a)){
    preg_match('/#rtp (.*) music/', $a, $match);
    $tags = $match[1];
}

else if (preg_match('(radio|that|plays|music)', $a)){
    preg_match('/plays (.*) music/', $a, $match);
    $tags = $match[1];
}

else if (preg_match('(#rtp|songs)', $a)){
    preg_match('/#rtp (.*) songs/', $a, $match);
    $tags = $match[1];
}

$tags = explode(' ', $tags);
$tags = implode("%' OR `tags` LIKE '%", $tags);
$result1 = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM `Stations` WHERE `tags` LIKE '%$tags%'" );
$num_rows1 = mysql_num_rows($result1);

echo $num_rows1;

That said—and I bet I will not be the only one saying this—but you should replace all your calls using mysql_* extensions to mysqli_* extensions since not only is mysql_* depreciated as of PHP 5.3, but is completely gone in PHP 5.5. More details here.

edited May 23 '17 at 11:51

Community

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answered May 17 '14 at 15:26

Giacomo1968

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it is exactly the same: square brackets are seen as delimiters like parenthesis. – Casimir et Hippolyte May 17 '14 at 15:28
Thanks, I've tried this and it seems that $tags gets overwritte, from the first if statement. When I type in search bar "radio that plays drum and bass music" it still runs the code from the first if statement not second. Any ideas? – Jamie Warren May 17 '14 at 15:41
@CasimiretHippolyte Can you look the results to the PHP Live Regex I have above compared to the one here & see what I mean: http://www.phpliveregex.com/p/5gk – Giacomo1968 May 17 '14 at 15:41
2

What you don't have seen is that the OP use `[` and `]` as pattern delimiters and in your phpliveregex you use slashes. – Casimir et Hippolyte May 17 '14 at 15:44
@CasimiretHippolyte Okay, fair enough. – Giacomo1968 May 17 '14 at 15:46

Casimir et Hippolyte · Answer 2 · 2014-05-17T15:59:23.027

You must replace the two last if with elseif, otherwise $tags will be overwritten.

if(preg_match('[#rtp|music]', $a)){
    preg_match('/#rtp (.*) music/', $a, $match);
    $tags = $match[1];
}
elseif(preg_match('[radio|that|plays|music]', $a)){
    preg_match('/plays (.*) music/', $a, $match);
    $tags = $match[1];
}
elseif(preg_match('[#rtp|songs]', $a)){
    preg_match('/#rtp (.*) songs/', $a, $match);
    $tags = $match[1];
}

if (!empty($tags)) {
    ...

As an aside comment, using square brackets as pattern delimiters is not the best choice of the universe since it is confusing with character classes. I suggest to replace them with a slash:

if(preg_match('/#rtp|music/', $a))

if / else not working in PHP

2 Answers2