PHP/MySQL search - query builder not working

Hi Folks,

Can anyone help me figure out what I have done wrong here.

I am trying to make a search system that builds a query according to the options selected by the user.

As well as a text box ('search') the user can choose from 3 drop down menus:

category

location

dealtype

The default for each of the drop downs is 'Any' which I have given a null value "". So if the string length of any of category, location or dealtype is greater than 1 they should be added to the query.

I'm in over my head here so any pointers would come in very handy.

Right now I have this error:

"You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near '' at line 1"

Any way, here's the code:

--------------------------

// search query builder starts

if (isset($_GET['search'])){

//set search variable

$search=$_GET['search'];

// reset search query clause variables

$where_clauses= "";

$location="";

$category="";

$dealtype="";

// set search query variables with GET data

if (isset($_GET['location'])){$location=$_GET['location'];}

if (isset($_GET['category'])){$category=$_GET['category'];}

if (isset($_GET['dealtype'])){$dealtype=$_GET['dealtype'];}

//test for "any" (any is set to "" in every case)

if (strlen($location >1)){

$where_clauses .= "AND location ='.$location'. ','";

}

if (strlen($category >1)){

$where_clauses .= "AND category ='.$category'. ','";

}

if (strlen($dealtype >1)){

$where_clauses .= "AND dealtype ='.$dealtype'";

}

//construct query

mysql_select_db($database_deals, $deals);

$query_rs_deals = "SELECT * FROM deals WHERE description LIKE '$search'"."'$where_clauses'";

$rs_deals = mysql_query($query_rs_deals, $deals) or die(mysql_error());

$row_rs_deals = mysql_fetch_assoc($rs_deals);

$totalRows_rs_deals = mysql_num_rows($rs_deals);

}

// search query builder ends

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