query specific posts according their custom fields, using sql SELECT

Question

My posts have a bunch of custom fields, to help insert and display custom info easily. I am trying to build a search that would select and display posts according values of specific 2 custom fields. The first field "type" is a radio button in my wp-admin, so in database its meta value is always one word. But second field is checkboxes, so in database meta value has several words, and I need to get posts that have the one visitor selects.

What I have so far:

1. Search form, that consists of 2 dropdowns, each for one custom field. I use it one homepage: pastebin.com/zxPuGduW
2. A function in functions.php, to select posts according the values set in dropdowns: pastebin.com/Z6D0GM4q
3. A results page to show the posts according selections in the dropdowns form: pastebin.com/KHK0exWn

Answer 1

You should be able to do this with WP_Query's meta_query parameters:

$type = 'something';
$programme = 'another';

$args = array(
    'meta_query' => array(
        array(
            'key' => 'type',
            'value' => $type,
            'compare' => '='
        ),
        array(
            'key' => 'programme',
            'value' => $programme,
            'compare' => 'LIKE'
        )
    )
);
$query = new WP_Query( $args );