PHP search text file line by line for two strings then output line

php string file search text

13,391

Solution 1

Assuming the values you're searching for are separated by a space, and they will both always be present, explode should do the trick:

$search = explode(' ', $_REQUEST["search"]);  // change ' ' to ',' if you separate the search terms with a comma, etc.
// Read from file 
$lines = file('archive.txt'); 
foreach($lines as $line) 
{ 
    // Check if the line contains the string we're looking for, and print if it does 
    if(strpos($line, $search[0]) !== false && strpos($line, $search[1] !== false)) { 
        echo"<html><title>SEARCH RESULTS FOR: $search</title><font face='Arial'> $line <hr>";
    }
}

I'll leave it up to you to add some validation to make sure there are always two elements in the $search array, etc.

Solution 2

I also corrected the HTML code. The script looks for two values, $search and $search2. It is using stristr(). For the case-sensitive version of stristr, refer to strstr(). The script will return all lines containing both $search and $search2.

<?php 
$search = $_REQUEST["search"]; 
$search2 = $_REQUEST['search2'];
// Read from file 
$lines = file('archive.txt'); 
echo"<html><head><title>SEARCH RESULTS FOR: $search</title></head><body>";
foreach($lines as $line) 
{ 
// Check if the line contains the string we're looking for, and print if it does 
if(stristr($line,$search) && stristr($line,$search2))  // case insensitive
    echo "<font face='Arial'> $line </font><hr>"; 
} 
?>
</body></html>

Solution 3

Just search for your other value also and use && to check for both.

      <?php 
        $search1 = $_REQUEST["search1"];
         $search2 = $_REQUEST["search2"];
        // Read from file 
         $lines = file('archive.txt'); 
        foreach($lines as $line) 
        { 
           // Check if the line contains the string we're looking for, and print if it does 
          if(strpos($line, $search1) !== false && strpos($line, $search2) !== false) 
             echo"<html><title>SEARCH RESULTS FOR: $search1 and $search2</title><font face='Arial'> $line <hr>"; 
        } 

       ?>

13,391

Author by

Martyn

Interested in all things technology. A self confessed Apple fan.

Updated on November 23, 2022

Comments

Martyn over 1 year
I am trying to search a text file for two values on a line. If both values are present I need to output the entire line. The values I am searching for may not be next to each other which is where I am getting stuck. I have the following code which works well but only for one search value:
```
<?php 
$search = $_REQUEST["search"]; 
// Read from file 
$lines = file('archive.txt'); 
foreach($lines as $line) 
{ 
// Check if the line contains the string we're looking for, and print if it does 
if(strpos($line, $search) !== false) 
echo"<html><title>SEARCH RESULTS FOR: $search</title> $line <hr>"; 
} 

?>
```
Any assistance much appreciated. Many thanks in advance.
Dave over 11 years

I was going to mention explode() in my answer until I saw this post (then I just discarded my answer as this one is spot on). I highly recommend using explode rather than having another request.
Martyn over 11 years

That is really great thanks! I had to modify the following line: code $line <hr>"; code to code echo " $line <hr>"; code but it works a treat! Thanks again.
mickmackusa almost 3 years

The php manual has a specific note stating that strstr() and stristr() should not be used to search for checking the existence of a substring. php.net/manual/en/function.strstr.php