Creating a Wild Card Database Search

They probably require the product number because the serial numbers are not unique....

The serial numbers are unique within a very narrow range. At least It would narrow it down.

My reason for asking is, some customers contact me with only the serial number.

Then, obviously, design the database search form so that it can do what is wanted with the information available. Sheesh!

They should be able to add Boolean search capabilities to the search engine....are you sure you don't have this already?

"Some search engines use symbols or all caps instead of words for their Boolean operations, but nearly all search engines are different:

AND = In Google and Yahoo a space between two words assumes AND.

If you use AND in Yahoo, it must be capitalized.

In other search engines, the + (plus sign) immediately before the second word: universities +norfolk will serve as the AND

Note: In Google, the + immediately before a word means you want that exact word -- without the +, Google automatically searches synonyms.

OR = Google and Yahoo require all caps when using OR.

In Google, the |(pipe sign) also indicates OR.

NOT = In Yahoo, NOT must be capitalized

- (minus sign) is a symbol many search engines use. In Google, the - must be placed immediately before the word/s you want to exclude: automobiles -trucks -vans

http://searchenginewatch.com/sew/how-to/2049150/boolean-searching

http://booleanstrings.com/custom-search-engines/

http://www.lib.odu.edu/genedinfolit/3searching/boolean_searching_in_search_engines.html

It sounds to me as if your company has a database which is not fit for purpose and you need to speak seriously to your IT department. As a customer, I would expect to provide a serial number, end of story. My car has a unique VIN number which fully identifies the vehicle without having to give a model number. My phone and dishwasher are similarly uniquely identified.
The answer to your question is therefore "Yes, even if my IT manager has to extract the information by force". A properly designed database would allow you to extract this and other information with very little in the way of commands.

It certainly would be quite simple to pull a list of all parts that went into that serial number build. You need an additional key to find a particular part from within that data set.

You would have to search where the field contain the serial number.

The word contain may be substituted by the word or symbol used in that particular query system.

The structure of the data should also be known.

So the consensus is, it would be possible.

Thanks.

Sheesh!

What happens if you Google the serial number?

I tried, nothing. The company even has a Google Based search engine.

I thought I would ask you guys before I asked the IT guys. I usually get a "no" before I finish the question.

Smart move. Even if we can't help you find the answer right.

But, most IT guys are like used car salesmen.

They can usually find something shiny that runs, for awhile, costs more than it should and will never do what you really needed it to do in the first place.

IT guy: "WORK!"

The question can't be answered correctly without knowing the type of database engine; i.e., Access, Excel, SAP, Oracle, etc. Some provide the means to produce an adhoc query, others don't, and in many cases the IT guys have the data locked down so that without the proper permissions it can't be done even if the program would otherwise allow.

Your reply indicates that it May be possible.

Thank you.

Correct. Unfortunately, inflexibility is often a sign of a home-grown database that has no standard structure like SQL (Structured Query Language) so that any nonstandard query has to be handcrafted by the IT guys, many of whom consider this as "job security".

The database might in be inflexible, I am waiting to find out.

My problem is probably one of over-logic, whereby the data base uses the first few digits of the product number and the complete serial number to search. So I suppose, there would have to be a link....or not.

You're applying modern logic to a potentially ancient database. You're thinking that the serial number/product number are separate fields and individually searchable when in fact it could just be one long string of alphanumerical characters.

The only way to search something like that is to parse each character and match it with the search string character by character until you get a perfect match, a time consuming process if your field is very wide. There are quicker ways like indexing the database or doing a hash, but if you're a non-programmer the price of the beers for the IT guys goes up very quickly.

RAMConsult, thank you very much for the enlightenment. Now I can go forth and meet the dragon.

Wear fire resistant shorts and bring lots of beer! Good luck.

Of course its "&", if you could find one you get the other because they are inclusive.