#params[:search_details] muss ein hash sein, dessen key jeweils dem tabellen-feldnamen entspricht (also z.B.
<input name="search_details[table.fieldname]" type="text" />
conditions = hash2conditions params[:search_details], { :additional =&gt; "table.canceled &lt;&gt; 1", :compare =&gt; "LIKE"}
...
@list = Model.find(:all, :conditions =&gt; conditions)

hash = { "vorname| |zuname" => "max mustermann"}
# => ["LOWER(CONCAT(vorname, ' ', zuname)) LIKE ?", "max mustermann"]

#Benötigte Funktion zum escapen des SQL-Statements
def mysql_escape_string string
	string.gsub(/["';]/, "")
end

#konvertiert einen hash in ein conditions-array für Model.find()
def hash2conditions _hash, options = { :compare => "LIKE", :additional => ""}
	conditions = {}
	conditions[:fields] = []
	conditions[:values] = []			
	if _hash
		_hash.each do |key, value|
			#sql-injections verhindern
			key = mysql_escape_string key
			_hash[key] = mysql_escape_string _hash[key]
			unless _hash[key].blank?
				#Wenn compare-methode "like" und der wert kein Integer ist
				if options[:compare].downcase == "like" and _hash[key].to_i.to_s != _hash[key]
					#Concat, zusammengesetzte Werte, wie z.B. contacts.first_name + " " + "contacts.last_name"
					if key.split("|").size > 1
						field = "LOWER(CONCAT(" + key.split("|").join(",").gsub(" ", "' '") + ")) " + options[:compare] + " ?"
					else
						field = "LOWER(" + key + ") " + options[:compare] + " ?"
					end
					value = "%" + _hash[key].downcase + "%"
				else
					#Integer-Wert, = wird in jedem fall genommen
					if _hash[key].to_i.to_s == _hash[key]
						field = key + " = ?"
					else
						field =  key + " " + options[:compare] + " ?"
					end
					value =  _hash[key]
				end
				if _hash[key] == "NULL"
					field = key + " IS NULL"
					value = ""
				end
				conditions[:fields] < < field
				conditions[:values] << value unless value.blank?
			end
		end
	end
	#addional-wert an conditions anfügen
	conditions[:fields] << options[:additional] unless options[:additional].blank?
	conditions[:fields] = conditions[:fields].join(" AND ")
	array = []
	#conditions-array bilden
	array << conditions[:fields]
	conditions[:values].each do |value|
		array << value
	end
	return array
end

//This function is from DHTML Calendar (http://www.dynarch.com/projects/calendar/)
function createElement(type, parent) {
	var el = null;
	if (document.createElementNS) {
 
		// use the XHTML namespace; IE won't normally get here unless
		// _they_ "fix" the DOM2 implementation.
		el = document.createElementNS("http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml", type);
	} else {
		el = document.createElement(type);
	}
	if (typeof parent != "undefined") {
		document.getElementById(parent).appendChild(el);
	}
	return el;
};
 
function destroyElement(element, parent) {
   obj = document.getElementById(element);
   document.getElementById(parent).removeChild(obj);
}

// Parameters:
//	sElementID: ID of the element you want to shade
//	bShow: Shade or brighten the element, true = shade, false = brighten
//	sStyleSheet: You can insert the class of your own stylesheet, otherwise a standard style is used. You don´t have
//		to set sStyleSheet when you want to remove the shade.
//	example: shadeElement('testdiv', true, 'superClassName');
function shadeElement(sElementID, bShow, sStyleSheet) {
 
	if (document.getElementById(sElementID).style.position == "relative") {
		if (bShow == true) {
			if (document.getElementById(sElementID + "_lightbox")) {
				var lightbox = document.getElementById(sElementID + "_lightbox");
			}
			else {
				var lightbox = createElement("div", sElementID);
				lightbox.id = sElementID + "_lightbox";
				lightbox.innerHTML = " ";
			}
 
			if (typeof sStyleSheet != "undefined") {
				lightbox.className = sStyleSheet;
			}
			else {
				lightbox.style.position = "absolute";
				lightbox.style.top = 0;
				lightbox.style.bottom = 0;
				lightbox.style.left = 0;
				lightbox.style.right = 0;
				lightbox.style.backgroundColor = "#000";
				lightbox.style.opacity = 0.8;
				lightbox.style.zIndex = 2000;
				lightbox.style.display = "block";
                                /* Some workarounds for IE */
                                lightbox.style.filter = "alpha(opacity = 80)"; //Different opacity usage in IE
				lightbox.style.width = "100%";
				lightbox.style.height = document.getElementById(sElementID).offsetHeight;
				document.getElementById(sElementID).style.zoom = 1; //Force "hasLayout" for containing div in IE
			}
		}
		else {
			if (document.getElementById(sElementID + "_lightbox")) {
				destroyElement(sElementID + "_lightbox", sElementID);
			}
		}
	}
	else {
		alert("Please make sure your containing div's position is relative.");
	}
}