I have 2 tables:
user
ID | Name | Class
Category
ID | user_id | cat_id
If user inputs data from a text field how do I search data from both tables?
SELECT * from user, category
WHERE user.id=[text field]
or category.user_id=[text field]
or category.cat_id=[text field]
You need to join the two tables together.
Select *
from User , Category
where user.id = Category.user_id
Basicly you are linking the two together by the based upon the user_id that they both share. This way you get the information back from both tables.
Here is a link to help you understand the concept. http://www.w3schools.com/sql/sql_join.asp
You will need a basic query with joins. Something like this:
SELECT * FROM user u
LEFT JOIN category c ON c.user_id = u.id
WHERE ...
Try it
you need the time of insertion use mysql_insert_id for user_id to table2.
In the selection time use JOIN in mysql
eg
"select * from tb1,tb2 where tb1.ID=tb2.user_id and where tb1.ID='userid' "
for a specific user
Try this way
SELECT * FROM user
LEFT JOIN category ON category.user_id = user.ID
WHERE user.Name LIKE '%lorem%'
Even you can do like this:
SELECT * from user
LEFT JOIN category ON user.id = category.user_id
WHERE text_field IN (user.id,category.user_id,category.cat_id)