thanks... i am going to try this.

can i do something like this:

Code:
mysql_select_db($database_connectDB, $connectDB);
$query_rs = "SELECT * FROM prod_items  INNER JOIN prod_make ON prod_items.make_ID= prod_make.make_ID INNER JOIN prod_model ON prod_items.model_ID= prod_model.model_ID  INNER JOIN prod_man ON prod_items.man_ID= prod_man.man_ID INNER JOIN prod_level ON prod_make.level_ID= prod_level.level_ID WHERE ";
$sqladded = false; //to see if we need an "AND"
 	if($_GET['man'] != "0"){
		//if the make is not set to all, we add to the query
		if (is_numeric($_GET['man']))
		{
		$query_rs .= "prod_items.man_id='{$_GET['man']}'";
		$sqladded = true; //if model is not all, we need an AND to make a proper query
		}
		} 
///the rest here in the same format
does that work too?!!