Rails - Sep 2005 - sql statements and parameter

hey, i want to created an sql statement with rails for a search engine

this is the code, u can search on first name and last name

firm_id = @session[:user].id
  #last_name =  params[:employee][:last_name]
  #first_name =  params[:employee][:first_name]
  last_name =  "Creytens"
  first_name =  "b"
  @employee_pages, @employees = paginate (:employee, :conditions =>
["firm_id = ? and first_name like ? and last_name like ?" , firm_id,
first_name, last_name] , :order_by => "last_name ASC", :per_page
=> 10)


i have a few question:

-how can i make, that the user doesnt need to fill in the full name, just
1st or a couple of letters, in php i can use the % ==>
''%first_name%'', seems
not to work here

-the search engine is on the same page as the results, but the first time
the parameters arent there, so i just want to show all employees, if the
parameters are there then i show those.
How can i check if the parameters are there, in php u can u isset(
*_POST["last_name"] ), what is that here?

Hello Nick,

You could have waited a bit more before sending a new message, but it''s
ok.

Nick Brutyn said the following on 2005-09-27 09:02:
> firm_id = @session[:user].id
>  #last_name =  params[:employee][:last_name]
>  #first_name =  params[:employee][:first_name]
>  last_name =  "Creytens"
>  first_name =  "b"
>  @employee_pages, @employees = paginate (:employee, :conditions =>
> ["firm_id = ? and first_name like ? and last_name like ?" ,
firm_id,
> first_name, last_name] , :order_by => "last_name ASC",
:per_page => 10)
> 
> i have a few question:
> 
> -how can i make, that the user doesnt need to fill in the full name, just
> 1st or a couple of letters, in php i can use the % ==>
''%first_name%'',
> seems
> not to work here
You can, you just have to give the right parameters to the query engine: 
  :conditions => [''first_name like ?'',
"%#{first_name}%"]
> -the search engine is on the same page as the results, but the first time
> the parameters arent there, so i just want to show all employees, if the
> parameters are there then i show those.
> How can i check if the parameters are there, in php u can u isset(
> *_POST["last_name"] ), what is that here?
params[:last_name].blank?

Bye !
François