Low Search and match 3 fields and then return data

Question

I'm looking for a bit of guidance here, just need pointing in the right direction for. A solid solution.

Would this be possible with ExpressionEngine? Either using something like Low Search or even the Simple Search??

Step 1: Person enters: Surname, Postcode, Client reference number

Step 2: If those details match with the data in an entry(?), they then get put through to a confirmation page which is personalised with a unique code – this unique code will be already existing in the entry.

In step 1, the data inputted will need to match exactly so there is no risk of someone accidentally getting someone else's unique code. So blank spaces will need to be removed maybe??

Happy to take advice on a better way rather than entering x3 search fields.

Thanks

UPDATE

Here is the code I am using now.

Kind of works but I cannot get it to match exactly. For example searching for "Steve" or "Steven" in the first name field returns the same result. Where the actual name in the entry is "Steve". And then the client reference number returns the same result if "1234" or "12345" is enetered, where in the actual entry it is "1234".

Form:

{exp:low_search:form 
            result_page="/site/success"
            collection="season_ticket_holder"
            required="search:firstname|search:surname|search:clientref|search:postcode" 
            require_all="search:firstname|search:surname|search:clientref|search:postcode" 
            exact="search:firstname|search:surname|search:clientref|search:postcode"
        }

        <div class="form-area">

            <p class="form-element">
                <label for="firstname">First name<em>*</em></label>
                <input type="text" name="search:firstname" id="firstname" class="txtbox">
            </p>

            <p class="form-element">
                <label for="surname">Surname<em>*</em></label>
                <input type="text" name="search:surname" id="surname" class="txtbox">
            </p>

            <p class="form-element">
                <label for="clientref">Client Ref<em>*</em></label>
                <input type="text" name="search:clientref" id="clientref" class="txtbox nowhite">
            </p>

            <p class="form-element">
                <label for="postcode">Postcode<em>*</em></label>
                <input type="text" name="search:postcode" id="postcode" class="txtbox">
            </p>            

        </div>

        <input type="submit" id="submit" class="submit" name="submit" value="Submit &#8250;" />

        {error_message}

        {/exp:low_search:form}

Results page:

    {exp:low_search:results 
query="{segment_3}" 
}
  {title} {first_name} {surname} {client_ref} {postcode}
  <h1>{discount}</h1>
  {if no_results}No search results{/if}
{/exp:low_search:results}   

Collection Settings:

FIX: problem solved, the issue was the search fields were not matching the custom field names. firstname = first_name. Thanks to Low for sorting that.

Answer 1

Looking at your example code, you've got several filter parameters in your Form tag. And as stated:

these parameters can be applied in two ways: as input fields in a Form, or as hard-coded parameters in the Results or URL tag.

Setting them as parameters in the Form tag will not work. In your case, that's the collection, require_all and exact parameters.

Secondly, the parameter you need (and which should be placed on your Results tag) is exact only. You don't need the require_all parameter, as all parameters (and fields, in this case) target a single value. Note that these params will act as tho you set search:field_name on a channel:entries tag.

Thirdly, your search form uses the Field Search filter only. That's fine, but that also means you don't need to define a collection, as that's only used for the Keywords filter. Therefore, the settings you have defined in the Collection (specifically the field weighting) have no influence whatsoever on your search results.

tl;dr:

• Move the exact param to the Results tag;
• Remove the collection and require_all params from the Form tag.

Oh, and remove the name="submit" attribute from your submit button for good measure.

Edit:

Also make sure your field names match. So, search:field_name, where field_name exactly matches the name of the field you're targeting. firstname != first_name

Answer 2

I would imagine this approach would be doable in Low Search.

You would need to define a collection that comprised the three fields that you are looking for matches in (surname, postcode, client ref), and define the unique code field as the {low_search_excerpt}. Then run the search as an inclusive stack - so all three terms have to be found in a result rather than any one of the three.

HTH