# Search multiple tables

**URL:** <https://discuss.rubyonrails.org/t/search-multiple-tables/36235>\
**Category:** rubyonrails-talk\
**Created:** [November 11, 2008, 6:13am UTC](https://discuss.rubyonrails.org/t/search-multiple-tables/36235 "2008-11-11T06:13:38Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![bob7](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@bob7](https://discuss.rubyonrails.org/u/bob7)\
**Post date:** [November 11, 2008, 6:13am UTC](https://discuss.rubyonrails.org/t/search-multiple-tables/36235/1 "2008-11-11T06:13:38Z")

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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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**Author:** ![Thorsten\_Muller2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@Thorsten\_Muller2](https://discuss.rubyonrails.org/u/Thorsten_Muller2)\
**Post date:** [November 11, 2008, 10:08am UTC](https://discuss.rubyonrails.org/t/search-multiple-tables/36235/2 "2008-11-11T10:08:26Z")

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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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**Author:** ![bob7](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@bob7](https://discuss.rubyonrails.org/u/bob7)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2008, 6:32pm UTC](https://discuss.rubyonrails.org/t/search-multiple-tables/36235/3 "2008-11-12T18:32:12Z")

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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!