PHP and MySQL for Dynamic Web Sites: Visual QuickPro Guide

Search Engines

Writing a basic search engine in PHP is not that difficult. Writing an effective one, on the other hand, takes more effort. PhpDig has taken the mystery out of the process by providing a potent search engine in a small footprint.

The application works like an HTTP spider, analyzing a Web site’s documents, following its links, and storing the results in a MySQL database. It can even index Microsoft Word documents and PDF files, with the appropriate extensions installed. Once PhpDig has spidered your Web site, a search box can be added so that visitors can easily find the information they require.

You can find PhpDig at http://phpdig.toiletoine.net (Figure B.11).

Figure B.11. PhpDig is a small but powerful search engine that can ...