http://www.yiiframework.com/extension/database-live-search/

Yii is fantastic framework for php as it provides lots of user friendly functions through ajax. However, I was searching for a method so that I could search in database as we type- something what google is doing these days.

With some hard work, I am able to write the script that will search into your Yii Database as you type. I had written this script earlier in PHP, but was a bit challenging with Yii as there were different database calling procedures and functions. However, this is how we go:

This is a free search extension to search in database. This extension produces the results as we type and the search narrows down as we type more and more.This extension is incredibly helpful for quick search “Something like google does”.

##Requirements
Yii 1.1 or above
NOTE:- try to keep less number of columns for fast and accurate results

##Usage
Firstly create a folder called js in root (where the file index.php is there) and paste the file the file jquery.js

Then we need to edit Model Class and add the following function. This will be the engine that will provide free search in database and will return the results. This function is currently returning model (Tested) , but you can also return the CActiveDataProvider.


public function freeSearch($keyword)
{

/*Creating a new criteria for search*/
$criteria = new CDbCriteria;

$criteria->compare(‘name’, $keyword, true, ‘OR’);
$criteria->compare(‘barcode’, $keyword, true, ‘OR’);
$criteria->compare(‘part_number’, $keyword, true, ‘OR’);

/*result limit*/
$criteria->limit = 100;
/*When we want to return model*/
return Items::model()->findAll($criteria);

/*To return active dataprovider uncomment the following code*/
/*
return new CActiveDataProvider($this, array(
‘criteria’=>$criteria,
));
*/

}
Then we will be creating two actions (functions) in the controller class to perform this search. The first function (actionFreeSearch()) will be the main static page where we will provide the keyword. This page will send request to next function with the keyword parameter (actionSearchEngine($keyword)). This keyword is then send to model which will perform the search on that keyword and will return the results.


public function actionFreeSearch()
{
$model=new Items('search');
$this->render('freeSearch',array('model'=>$model));
}

public function actionSearchEngine($keyword)
{
// echo “THIS IS IAJAXX “.$keyword;

$model=new Items();
$model->unsetAttributes(); // clear any default values
$results=$model->freeSearch($keyword);
$this->renderPartial(‘_ajax_search’,array(
‘results’=>$results,
));
}

Also you need to modify the access rules


array('allow', // allow authenticated user to perform 'create' and 'update' actions
'actions'=>array('create','update','InboundSearch','OutboundSearch','admin','FreeSearch','SearchEngine'),
'users'=>array('@'),
),


Now you need to create two views. First one for the actionFreeSearch() function which will be freeSearch.php

~~~
[php]

baseUrl;
$cs = Yii::app()->getClientScript();
$cs->registerScriptFile($baseUrl.'/js/jquery.js');
?>

~~~

Lastly you need to create a file _ajax_search.php for presenting the database results. This file is getting called every time we are typing each character.

foreach ($results as $row)
{
echo “Title: “.$row[‘name’].”
“;
}

##Resources