Multiple URL Parameters With Same Key But Different Values

Question

I have a filtration system for my MySQL that is based off of URL parameters. One of my parameters needs to be used several times sometimes.

I.E. Sometimes the url may be localhost/?certifications=VALUE&certifications=VALUE2

All of the values for certifications is stored together in my database as value 1, value 2, value 3, etc.

My filter works if one value is listed in the records but once there are multiple and they are seperated by a comma it doesn't work.

I tried using this code I wrote to make a statement for each certification parameter used, but its failing and I don't know why.

if(isset($_GET['certifications'])) {
 foreach ($_GET['certifications']) {
   $certifications = mysqli_real_escape_string($conn,$_GET['certifications']);
   $conditions .= " AND certifications='$certifications'";
}}

What would cause this to not work?

Are there other ways to get multiple values from one database column with the same url parameters?

Full Code

  <div id="search">
   <h2>Filter Results</h2>
  <form method="get" action="test.php">
   <h3>Certifications</h3>
   <label><input type="checkbox" name="certifications" value ="washington"/>Washington</label>
   <label><input type="checkbox" name="certifications" value ="new york"/>New York</label>
   <label><input type="checkbox" name="certifications" value ="virginia"/>Virginia</label>
   <label><input type="checkbox" name="certifications" value ="florida" />Florida</label>
   <label><input type="checkbox" name="certifications" value ="georgia" />Georgia</label>
   <label><input type="checkbox" name="certifications" value ="utah" />Utah</label>
   <h3>Signage</h3>
   <label><input type="checkbox" name="signage" value ="1" /><span class="label">Top Sign</label>
   <h3>State</h3>
   <select name="state">
    <option>Select State</option>
    <option value="AL">Alabama</option>
    <option value="AK">Alaska</option>
    <option value="AZ">Arizona</option>
    <option value="AR">Arkansas</option>
    <option value="CA">California</option>
    <option value="CO">Colorado</option>
    <option value="CT">Connecticut</option>
    <option value="DE">Delaware</option>
    <option value="DC">District Of Columbia</option>
    <option value="FL">Florida</option>
    <option value="GA">Georgia</option>
    <option value="HI">Hawaii</option>
    <option value="ID">Idaho</option>
    <option value="IL">Illinois</option>
    <option value="IN">Indiana</option>
    <option value="IA">Iowa</option>
    <option value="KS">Kansas</option>
    <option value="KY">Kentucky</option>
    <option value="LA">Louisiana</option>
    <option value="ME">Maine</option>
    <option value="MD">Maryland</option>
    <option value="MA">Massachusetts</option>
    <option value="MI">Michigan</option>
    <option value="MN">Minnesota</option>
    <option value="MS">Mississippi</option>
    <option value="MO">Missouri</option>
    <option value="MT">Montana</option>
    <option value="NE">Nebraska</option>
    <option value="NV">Nevada</option>
    <option value="NH">New Hampshire</option>
    <option value="NJ">New Jersey</option>
    <option value="NM">New Mexico</option>
    <option value="NY">New York</option>
    <option value="NC">North Carolina</option>
    <option value="ND">North Dakota</option>
    <option value="OH">Ohio</option>
    <option value="OK">Oklahoma</option>
    <option value="OR">Oregon</option>
    <option value="PA">Pennsylvania</option>
    <option value="RI">Rhode Island</option>
    <option value="SC">South Carolina</option>
    <option value="SD">South Dakota</option>
    <option value="TN">Tennessee</option>
    <option value="TX">Texas</option>
    <option value="UT">Utah</option>
    <option value="VT">Vermont</option>
    <option value="VA">Virginia</option>
    <option value="WA">Washington</option>
    <option value="WV">West Virginia</option> 
    <option value="WI">Wisconsin</option>
    <option value="WY">Wyoming</option>
 </select>              
   <br>
   <input class="submit_filter" type="submit" name="formSubmit"/>
 </form>
  </div>
  <div id="count">
   <?php
    $countListings = mysqli_num_rows(mysqli_query($conn, "SELECT * FROM pilotOperators"));
    echo "Total Listings: " . $countListings;
   ?>
  </div>
 <div id="results">
 <?php

 $start=0;
 $limit=5;

 if(isset($_GET['pg']))
 {
 $pg=$_GET['pg'];
 $start=($pg-1)*$limit;
 }
 else { 
 $pg = 1;
 }
 $sql = mysql_query($query); 

 $conditions = "SELECT * FROM pilotOperators WHERE 1=1 ORDER BY id DESC";
 # append condition for signage (if required)
 if(isset($_GET['signage'])) {
    $conditions .= " AND signage='1'";
 }
 # append condition for certifications (if required)
 if(isset($_GET['certifications'])) {
    $certifications = mysqli_real_escape_string($conn,$_GET['certifications']);
    $conditions .= " AND certifications='$certifications'";
 }
 # append condition for state (if required)
 if(isset($_GET['state'])) {
  if($_GET['state'] != "Select State") {
    $state = mysqli_real_escape_string($conn,$_GET['state']);
    $conditions .= " AND state='$state'";
 }
 }
 $conditions .= " Limit $start, $limit";
 $result = mysqli_query($conn, $conditions); 

 while($row = mysqli_fetch_array($result))
 {
 echo "\n <table border='0' class='resultTable' width='75%'> \n";
 echo "<tr> \n";
 echo "<td width='120px'>Business: </td> \n";
 echo "<td>" . $row['business'] . "</td> \n";
 echo "</tr> \n";
 echo "<tr> \n";
 echo "<td width='120px'>Cars Available: </td> \n";
 echo "<td>" . $row['cars'] . "</td> \n";
 echo "</tr> \n";
 echo "<tr> \n";
 echo "<td>Name: </td> \n";
 echo "<td>" . $row['name'] . "</td> \n";
 echo "</tr> \n";
 echo "<tr> \n";
 echo "<td>Phone: </td> \n";
 echo "<td>" . $row['phone'] . "</td> \n";
 echo "</tr> \n";
 echo "<tr> \n";
 echo "<td>Alt. Phone: </td> \n";
 echo "<td>" . $row['alt_phone'] . "</td> \n";
 echo "</tr> \n";
 echo "<tr> \n";
 echo "<td>Fax: </td> \n";
 echo "<td>" . $row['fax'] . "</td> \n";
 echo "</tr> \n";
 echo "<tr> \n";
 echo "<td>Email: </td> \n";
 echo "<td>" . $row['email'] . "</td> \n";
 echo "</tr> \n";
 echo "<tr> \n";
 echo "<td>Website: </td> \n";
 echo "<td><a href='" . $row['website'] . "' target='_blank'>" . $row['website'] . "</a></td> \n";
 echo "</tr> \n";
 echo "<tr> \n";
 echo "<td>City: </td> \n";
 echo "<td>" . $row['city'] . "</td> \n";
 echo "</tr> \n";
 echo "<tr> \n";
 echo "<td>State: </td> \n";
 echo "<td>" . $row['state'] . "</td> \n";
 echo "</tr> \n";
 echo "<tr> \n";
 echo "<td>Certifications: </td> \n";
 echo "<td>" . $row['certifications'] . "</td> \n";
 echo "</tr> \n";
 echo "<tr> \n";
 echo "<td>Top Sign: </td> \n";
 echo "<td>";
 if($row['signage'] = 1) {
  echo "Has Top Sign";
 }
 else {
  echo "Top Sign Not Listed";
 }
 echo "</td> \n";
 echo "</tr> \n";
 echo "</table> \n\n";
 }

 $countconditions = "SELECT * FROM pilotOperators WHERE 1=1";
 # append condition for signage (if required)
 if(isset($_GET['signage'])) {
    $countconditions .= " AND signage='1'";
 }
 # append condition for certifications (if required)
 if(isset($_GET['certifications'])) {
    $certifications = mysqli_real_escape_string($conn,$_GET['certifications']);
    $countconditions .= " AND certifications='$certifications'";
 }
 # append condition for state (if required)
 if(isset($_GET['state'])) {
  if($_GET['state'] != "Select State") {
    $state = mysqli_real_escape_string($conn,$_GET['state']);
    $countconditions .= " AND state='$state'";
 }
 }
 $rows = mysqli_num_rows(mysqli_query($conn, $countconditions));

 $total=ceil($rows/$limit);
  echo "<div id='paginationLinks'> \n";
  if($pg>1)
 {
 $q2 = http_build_query(array_merge($_GET, ["pg" => $pg-1]));
 echo "<a href='index.php?".$q2."' class='paginationButton'>PREVIOUS</a> \n";
 }
 if($pg!=$total)
 {
 $q = http_build_query(array_merge($_GET, ["pg" => $pg+1]));
 echo "<a href='index.php?".$q."' class='paginationButton'>NEXT</a> \n";
 }

 echo "<ul class='page'> \n";
 for($i=1;$i<=$total;$i++)
 {
     if($i==$pg) { echo "<li class='current'>".$i."</li> \n"; }

     else { echo "<li><a href='?pg=".$i."'>".$i."</a></li> \n"; }
     }
     echo "</ul> \n";
      echo "</div> \n";
     mysqli_close($con);
     ?>
      </div>
      </div>

what do the values of $certifications look like? What is the final rendered value of $conditions. Do you have error reporting turned on for your code ? — Maximus2012
– Maximus2012, Commented May 1, 2015 at 21:49
the values of certification(in the DB) if the user selects and inputs every option when they place their entry should be washington, georgia, virginia, new york, utah and the final value of $conditions once the code is ran should be SELECT * FROM pilotOperators WHERE 1=1 ORDER BY id DESC AND signage='1' AND certifications='$certifications' AND state='$state' but I need the possibility of multiple AND certifications='$certification'. — Jesse Elser
– Jesse Elser, Commented May 1, 2015 at 21:55
Can you please update your question with this information as that would be more helpful. — Maximus2012
– Maximus2012, Commented May 1, 2015 at 21:56
I'm guessing that query wouldn't work, you can't have multiple AND for the same field, you'd have to group them certifications IN ($certifications[0], $certifications[1]) or something similar — adeneo
– adeneo, Commented May 1, 2015 at 21:58

Community · Accepted Answer · 2017-05-23 11:58:27Z

1

In case you have parameters like in your example, PHP will put latest one to $_GET['certifications'] and previous params will be lost. You can either follow the FloydThreepwood's advice or parse query string manually.

In case you have GET request get query string in $_SERVER['QUERY_STRING'], if you use POST then use the following solution: How to get body of a POST in php?

Then with couple explode you can get array of 'certifications'.

edited May 23, 2017 at 11:58

CommunityBot

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answered May 1, 2015 at 21:57

Stepashka

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Comments

FloydThreepwood · Accepted Answer · 2015-05-01 22:33:40Z

1

Disclaimer: Use better coding practices.

PHP will parse URL params as arrays, if you use:

?certificates[]=aaa&certificates[]=bbb

Then your Database snippet will work.

UPDATE:

After reading your full script, a further problem turns out to be the query as pointed out in the comments. if you put

echo $countconditions; die;

You will see the parameters are all there, but your query logic is wrong. Use something like PHPMyAdmin to execute the statement and edit it. I think the

'certificated IN (' . implode(',' $$certificates) . ')'

condition could be what you are looking for.

edited May 1, 2015 at 22:33

answered May 1, 2015 at 21:51

FloydThreepwood

1,58514 silver badges24 bronze badges

9 Comments

Barmar Over a year ago

PHP The Right Way is a huge site. Could you be more specific about which recommendations he needs to adopt in this tiny snippet of code?

Barmar Over a year ago

You and @adeneo each got half the solution.

FloydThreepwood Over a year ago

Ok, I would recommend to at least read the Database and Security part. Wich will tell you about prepared statements and proper input escaping. But really: read all of it it may seem like a lot, but it is really worth it!

Jesse Elser Over a year ago

How do I get my url to add the brackets? I tried adding it to my forms but when the url was submitted they didn't appear but in place. I.E. name="certifications[]" When submitted became certifications%5B%5D=washington

FloydThreepwood Over a year ago

There is a form? Could you edit your question to show the markup?

|

Aman Maurya · Accepted Answer · 2015-05-02 02:07:08Z

0

You can pass multiple value in query string separating them by the comma, then you can get these value and put these values in array by php "explode" method. loop though the array to pick these values by using "for or foreach" loop

//$conditions="";
if(isset($_GET['certifications'])) {
     $values =explode (",",$_GET['certifications']);
     foreach ($values as $value ) {
     $certifications= mysqli_real_escape_string($conn, $value );
     $conditions .= " AND. certifications= '$certifications'";
     } 
}

Example Url: example.com&certifications=value 1,value2,value3....

answered May 2, 2015 at 2:07

Aman Maurya

1,32512 silver badges26 bronze badges

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