module Multisearch

# File lib/multisearch.rb, line 5
def multisearch(searchterm, columnlist)
        @searchterm = searchterm
        @columnlist = columnlist
        @count = columnlist.count
        @results = Hash.new

        if @searchterm
                # get the first coloumn regardless of content length
                @firstkey = @columnlist[0]
                @firstcol = @firstkey.downcase.gsub(' ', '')
                @results[@firstkey] = self.where("#{@firstcol} like ?", "%#{@searchterm}%").to_a

                # iterate through rest of columnlist keeping only keys with values
                if @count > 1

                        @columnlist[1..@count].each do |key|
                                @col = key.downcase.gsub(' ', '')
                                @finds = self.where("#{@col} like ?", "%#{@searchterm}%").to_a
                                @results[key] = @finds if @finds.count > 0 
                        end

                end

                return @results
        else
                self.find(:all)
        end

end