help making simple search function

[Baddass]

was wondering if anyone might be able to offer some advice. I'm looing for a very simple way of adding a database search to my site. just a simple text box so that when you enter a word in it, it seaches some form of database and returns any matching results. sounds fairly simple, but i cant get it to work (i am not very experienced with web design at all!)

main thing is that i need it to search a really easy to maintain database, maybe even something like an excel sheet, or even a text doc if thats possible?! need to be able to update the entries in it a lot thats all.

is there any chance somone can put together a VERY simple example for this? perhaps a simple html coded search page and an example results page? just something with a "search" page and a database which it can search?! once i see how things like this work i find it easy enough to pick it up and edit it etc, just need a kick start! doesnt matter how simple it is!

any help is most appreciated

thanks

 

[Baddass]

Craig, that's fantastic, i'll give it a go and see how i get on

edit: the first bit of code there, is that where i also need to include the results? or do i do another file containing all the results?

for example, if i wanted to have a database listing loads of fruit (i don't, it's just an example! ) where would i put all the entries, and what would they need to look like?

 

[Baddass]

thanks Trigger. I havent really dealt with SQL databases either, and i'm grateful if people can "hold my hand" through it Can this search function above be used to link into any other type of database? like even a text doc in a certain format? Any chance someone could send me (email in sig) and example SQL really simple database and point me in the right direction.

i wish i knew more about all this stuff!

 

[Baddass]

that sounds fantastic, i would be very grateful for any help you can give. Like i say, i just need a starting block really, reading through the code it makes sense to me, i just wouldnt know where to begin. if you could put an example together that would be brilliant

 

[Baddass]

I've sent the files to your ocukmods.co.uk e-mail address in ZIP format. Hope they're of some use to you

Ben

Ben, thank you for all your help. I'll have a look through them now