# Looking for a gem that can do full-text-search of active-record tables

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/looking-for-a-gem-that-can-do-full-text-search-of-active-record-tables/175230>\
**Category:** Rails\
**Created:** [September 10, 2009, 1:20am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/looking-for-a-gem-that-can-do-full-text-search-of-active-record-tables/175230 "2009-09-10T01:20:19Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![explainer](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/e/bbce88/32.png) [@explainer](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/explainer)\
**Post date:** [September 10, 2009, 1:20am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/looking-for-a-gem-that-can-do-full-text-search-of-active-record-tables/175230/1 "2009-09-10T01:20:19Z")

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Hi All,

I have a table of 500! entries that needs to be used as a pick list,  
or a selection list. 500 entries is way overkill for a selection  
list, so I am looking for a gem/plugin that can search across  
stipulated fields of an AR table or tables.

Any help is appreciated.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![explainer](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/e/bbce88/32.png) [@explainer](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/explainer)\
**Post date:** [September 10, 2009, 4:07am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/looking-for-a-gem-that-can-do-full-text-search-of-active-record-tables/175230/2 "2009-09-10T04:07:44Z")

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have a look at thinking\_sphinx

[http://freelancing-god.github.com/ts/en/](http://freelancing-god.github.com/ts/en/)

You will need sphinx installed and running but will easily wire up  
your AR tables as a search index

Adam