using a multi value form field to search page array

[davo]

I've used form builder to create a form but but this isn't really a form builder question as I'm processing my own form.

I've created a form that submits a multi value field back to itself called specialise[].

How can I then use that array to filter a multi page field array and return only pages that have any of the specialise[] values?

A dmc page may have many specialise values by page select type.

The specialise[] array in the get input again may have many values.

This is my attempt so far but I'm not sure how I'd  use $matches =$pages->find("timedifference, flightbit, --here i want to compare the specialise[] array to see if any values are in the specialise array")

The field I want to search is DMCstats_Specialise_In which is  multiselect page type.

<?php 

/**
 * Page template
 *
 */

include("./dmcheader.inc"); 

$hours_flight = $input->get->hours_flight;  // this comes from the slide
$time_difference = $input->get->time_difference; // this comes from the other slider
$specialism = $input->get->specialism; // this comes from a form builder using ASM select
?>

<div class='container'>

		<div class='row'>
			<div class='col-md-6'>

<!-- load in the form builder form -->

<?php echo $forms->load('advanced_search')->render(); ?>
<?php
$modules->get('JqueryCore'); // ...or load your own jQuery
$config->styles->append($config->urls->root . "wire/templates-admin/styles/inputfields.css"); 
$config->scripts->append($config->urls->root . "wire/templates-admin/scripts/inputfields.js"); 
$config->styles->append($config->urls->FormBuilder . 'form-builder.css'); 
$config->scripts->append($config->urls->FormBuilder . "form-builder.js"); 
foreach(array('jquery-ui', 'inputfields', 'main') as $file) {
  $path = $config->paths->FormBuilder . "themes/start/$file";
  $url = $config->urls->FormBuilder . "themes/start/$file";
  if(is_file("$path.css")) $config->styles->append("$url.css"); 
  if(is_file("$path.js")) $config->scripts->append("$url.js"); 
}
foreach($config->styles as $file) echo "<link rel='stylesheet' type='text/css' href='$file' />"; 
foreach($config->scripts as $file) echo "<script type='text/javascript' src='$file'></script>";
?>

			</div>

		

		
			<div class='col-md-6'>

<?php
$negative_time = $time_difference - ($time_difference * 2); // time difference uses a signed integer

$matches = $pages->find("template=dmc, DMC_Average_Flying_Time_hours<=$hours_flight, DMCstats_GMT<=$time_difference, DMCstats_GMT>=$negative_time"); // im after all pages that are less than or equal to the flight time, less that time difference and greater than the negative time difference
$countresult = count($matches);

echo "$countresult DMCs matching your search $specialism[1]";

echo "<ul class='list-group'>";
foreach($matches as $match) {

			echo "<li class='list-group-item'><a href='{$match->url}'>{$match->DMC_country_represented->title} - {$match->title} - $match->DMCstats_GMT time difference | $match->DMC_Average_Flying_Time_hours flying time </a></li> ";


}
echo "</ul";



?>
			</div>
		</div>

</div>
</div> <!-- end container -->
<?php

include("./dmcfooter.inc"); 

[davo]

Trying to think of this with a clearer head this morning, I think I could do something like this. Open the specialise[] get array and create a selector variable. Then paste that variable into the selector for the pages -> find command. I think it should work, but it's going to feel quite messy. Is this the only/best way?

I've not tried it, but it would look a bit like this:

$specialise = $input->get(specialse[]);

$special_selector = "specialism=";

foreach ($specialse as $special_item) {
                                          $special_selector = $special_selector . $special_item . "|";                         }

$special_selector = $special_selector . ","







$search_results = $pages->find("$special_selector")

 just feels messy

[davo]

OK, I think I got there in the end. I think it's still messy but I it does seem to work.

For info of anyone that wants to do the same:

$hours_flight = $input->get->hours_flight;  // this comes from the slide
$time_difference = $input->get->time_difference; // this comes from the other slider
$specialism = $input->get->specialism; // this comes from a form builder using ASM select

if($specialism){
$special_selector = ", DMCstats_Specialise_In=";

foreach ($specialism as $special) {
	$special_selector = $special_selector . $special . "|";
}
$special_selector = rtrim($special_selector, "|");}else{
$special_selector = "";}

?>

$negative_time = $time_difference - ($time_difference * 2); // time difference uses a signed integer

$matches = $pages->find("template=dmc, DMC_Average_Flying_Time_hours<=$hours_flight, DMC_Average_Flying_Time_hours!='', DMCstats_GMT<=$time_difference, DMCstats_GMT>=$negative_time $special_selector"); // im after all pages that are less than or equal to the flight time, less that time difference and greater than the negative time difference

which renders me a page like this:

http://www.dudmc.com/dmc-hunter/

...plus there's something wrong with my divs, but that's for another day.