How can I convert this to use PDO? - sql

Question

I would like to use PDO for selecting (searching) a database.
The search 'form' has MULTIPLE fields that can be used.. 1 or many can be filled in to help refine the search. (or there can be many o them left blank/empty)
here is what I have been using (locally):
//localhost details
$db_username="root"; //database user name
$db_password="";//database password
$db_database="test"; //database name
$db_host="localhost";
mysql_connect($db_host,$db_username,$db_password);
#mysql_select_db($db_database) or die("Unable to connect to database.");
if(isset($_POST['submit'])) {
// define the list of fields
$fields = array('first', 'trialdate', 'wcity', 'wstate', 'plantif');
$conditions = array();
//loop through the defined fields
foreach($fields as $field){
// if the field is set and not empty
if(isset($_POST[$field]) && $_POST[$field] != '') {
// create a new condition while escaping the value inputed by the user (SQL Injection)
$conditions[] = "`$field` LIKE '%" . mysql_real_escape_string($_POST[$field]) . "%'";
}
}
//build the query
$query = "SELECT * FROM myTable ";
// if there are conditions defined
if(count($conditions) > 0) {
// append the conditions
$query .= "WHERE " . implode (' OR ', $conditions); // you can change to 'OR', but I suggest to apply the filters cumulative
}
$result = mysql_query($query);
if(isset($_POST['submit'])) {
while($row = mysql_fetch_array($result)) {
echo $row['first'] . "<br />"; //individual value
//build panels that displays everything from row..etc
}
}
}
this has been working fine... but I'd like convert to using the PDO approach.
I gave it a few tries...but am missing something here..
heres what I've tried so far..
//localhost details
$db_username="root"; //database user name
$db_password="";//database password
$db_database="test"; //database name
$db_host="localhost";
//PDO DB connection
$conn = new PDO('mysql:host='.$db_host.'dbname='.$db_database.'charset=utf8', $db_username, $db_password);
if(isset($_POST['submit'])) {
$stmt = $conn->prepare('SELECT * FROM myTable WHERE first LIKE :first OR trialdate LIKE :trialdate OR wcity LIKE :wcity OR wstate LIKE :wstate OR plantif LIKE :plantif');
//build query placeholders (*note: use bindValue for $_POST values)
$stmt->bindValue(':first', '%' . $_POST['first'] . '%');
$stmt->bindValue(':trialdate', '%' . $_POST['trialdate'] . '%');
$stmt->bindValue(':wcity', '%' . $_POST['wcity'] . '%');
$stmt->bindValue(':wstate', '%' . $_POST['wstate'] . '%');
$stmt->bindValue(':plantif', '%' . $_POST['plantif'] . '%');
$stmt->execute();
foreach ($stmt as $row) {
// do something with $row
echo $row['first'] . "<br />"; //individual value
}
}
I could use help on getting the PDO example working with a displayed result/row/value?