# Search multiple tables

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/search-multiple-tables/153022>\
**Category:** Rails\
**Created:** [November 11, 2008, 7:14am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/search-multiple-tables/153022 "2008-11-11T07:14:11Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![bob](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/ea666f/32.png) [@bob](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/bob)\
**Post date:** [November 11, 2008, 7:14am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/search-multiple-tables/153022/1 "2008-11-11T07:14:11Z")

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Hi,

I am trying to create a search feature that queries multiple tables,  
and returns results from all tables in a single paginated query, kind  
of like the search feature on facebook. I was wondering if there are  
any good ways to do this.

Thanks

Bob

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bob](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/ea666f/32.png) [@bob](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/bob)\
**Post date:** [November 11, 2008, 11:08am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/search-multiple-tables/153022/2 "2008-11-11T11:08:58Z")

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This may depend on the actual number of tables to search,  
and on the kind of search.

If it’s only two or three, I would go for ActiveRecords :join  
or :include  
If that gets too complicated I would use pure SQL.  
Another option would be a search engine like sphinx.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bob](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/ea666f/32.png) [@bob](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/bob)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2008, 7:32pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/search-multiple-tables/153022/3 "2008-11-12T19:32:52Z")

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Thanks. I just gave ultrasphinx a try, and it looks promising. I’m  
also considering looking into solr.

Do you have any advice as to how the two stack up?

Thanks again!