Unable to use like in where？

[jinmarcus]

$where['username Like'] = '%xxx%';

$this->db->table('admin_user')
        ->where($where)
        ->get()
        ->getResult();

Unable to use like in where？
it is error

mysqli_sql_exception #1064
You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MariaDB server version for the right syntax to use near '= '%xxx%'' at line 4

[gustavojm]

You should use the "like" method

->like('username', 'john');

https://bcit-ci.github.io/CodeIgniter4/database/query_builder.html?highlight=like#CodeIgniterDatabaseBaseBuilder::like

[jinmarcus]

I know the use of like()
in https://github.com/bcit-ci/CodeIgniter4/blob/develop/system/Database/BaseBuilder.php
in 2809 line

protected function getOperator($str)
	{
		static $_operators;

		if (empty($_operators))
		{
			$_les = ($this->db->likeEscapeStr !== '') ? '\s+' . preg_quote(trim(sprintf($this->db->likeEscapeStr, $this->db->likeEscapeChar)), '/') : '';
			$_operators = [
				'\s*(?:<|>|!)?=\s*', // =, <=, >=, !=
				'\s*<>?\s*', // <, <>
				'\s*>\s*', // >
				'\s+IS NULL', // IS NULL
				'\s+IS NOT NULL', // IS NOT NULL
				'\s+EXISTS\s*\(.*\)', // EXISTS(sql)
				'\s+NOT EXISTS\s*\(.*\)', // NOT EXISTS(sql)
				'\s+BETWEEN\s+', // BETWEEN value AND value
				'\s+IN\s*\(.*\)', // IN(list)
				'\s+NOT IN\s*\(.*\)', // NOT IN (list)
				'\s+LIKE\s+\S.*(' . $_les . ')?', // LIKE 'expr'[ ESCAPE '%s']
				'\s+NOT LIKE\s+\S.*(' . $_les . ')?' // NOT LIKE 'expr'[ ESCAPE '%s']
			];
		}

		return preg_match('/' . implode('|', $_operators) . '/i', $str, $match) ? $match[0] : false;
	}

'\s+LIKE\s+\S.*(' . $_les . ')?', // LIKE 'expr'[ ESCAPE '%s']

How should I use it?

[natanfelles]

https://bcit-ci.github.io/CodeIgniter4/database/query_builder.html#looking-for-similar-data

[lonnieezell]

@jinmarcus what you've shown here is an internal function not meant for outside use (see the protected keyword), so you can't use that directly. A like method is already provided, as has already been pointed out.

While there may be some hacky way to make what you're trying to do work, it's not intended for that, nor will it be optimized for that use case.