SQL Theory & How-To Page 4

<?php
if(isset($submit))
{
  // Our initial SELECT query - we will build on to it.
  $sql = "SELECT * FROM link_information AS I, link_categories AS C";
  $where[] = ' C.categoryID=I.categoryID ';
  // If it's not "Any" then add on a where claus
  if($f['category' != 'all')
  {
    $where[] = ' I.categoryID='.$f['category'];
  }
  // If "hits" is a valid number then add on a where clause
  if(isset($f['hits_compare']) && strlen($f['hits_limit']))
  {
    $where[] = ' I.hits '.$f['hits_compare'].' '.$f['hits_limit'];
  }
  $sql .= ' WHERE '.implode(' ',$where);
  // decide our limit values
  if(strlen($f['record_limit']) && strlen($f['record_start']))
  {
    $limit = ($f['record_limit'] - $f['record_start']);
    if($f['record_start'] >= 0 && $limit >= 0)
    {
      $sql .= ' LIMIT '.$f['record_start'].','.$limit;
    }
  }
  echo $sql;
}
?>

That should build intelligent queries for you to then use at your discretion. You can view the above in action at
www.miester.org/appendix/dynamic_queries.php and the code at
www.miester.org/appendix/dynamic_queries.phps.

You can also add “ORDER BY” clauses with ease and the ability to choose which columns to perform those “ORDER BY”
cluases on. In the grand scheme of things users are wanting not only more customization but better search results
then they go to your webpages. Giving them the power of a SQL console in their browser will bring them one step
close to their goal.

Finally here are some links of interest:

• This tutorial in action
• Database Normalization And Design Techniques
• Database Normalization
• MySQL’s JOIN Syntax