Form - How to use db list in a form.

[Donald_King]

I am using a MySQL database to provide a list of items from which members may make one selection. I have written a function which creates the drop-down list and can display the list properly in the form.

I perform the edits in another record and return to the form when there is an error.

However, when I complete editing all of the data that has been input and want to return to the form, I want to restore the selected item so the member does not have to select it again while correcting other data in the form. The only reason that I would generate an error message for the selection would be if the member failed to make a selection.

So - I have 2 problems:
1. getting the selected item to the edit routine
2. returning the selected item to the form - when there is an error

I would appreciate any advice.
Thanks
Donald

[amansabharwal]

create a form like this

<?
$ERROR =0;
if($submit)
{
$SHOW_FORM=0;
check for errors ( check if the user has left any thing unselected or what ever you want to check ) or validate the form

if any error (
$ERROR = 1;
$SHOW_FORM = 1;
}
ELSE SHOW_FORM=0;

IF(($SHOW_FORM==0) OR ($ERROR ==1))
{
?>

<form name = "frm" action=$PHP_SELF>
<input type=text name="name" name value=<?=$name; ?>
<input type=submit name=submit value=submit>
<?
}

?>
</form>

if any doubt send me mail at [e-mail] or [e-mail]

[MrAlaska]

There is a slight logic error in the code posted that will show the
form regardless of errors.

I usually populate an error message then use the existance of
that to determine whether to display the form.

Here is an ungainly but functional approach that will echo back
the selected choices if they failed to choose one of the
dropdowns, along with any error message, or display a link if
they made both selections.

<?
error_reporting(E_ALL);
if (isset($_POST['options'])){
	$options==$_POST['options'];
}else $options="";

if (isset($_POST['more_options'])){
	$more_options==$_POST['more_options'];
}else $more_options="";

$error_msg="";
if(isset($submit)){
	//check for errors, validate, etc.
	if ($options==""){
		$error_msg.="You did not choose an OPTIONS!<br>";
	}
	if ($more_options==""){
		$error_msg.="You did not choose any MORE_OPTIONS!<br>";
	}
}
if(!isset($submit) || $error_msg != ""){
	echo $error_msg;
	?>
	<form method='post'>
	<select name='options'>
	<option value="">OPTIONS
	<option value="option1" <?php echo ($options=='option1')?"selected":""?>> option1
	<option value="option2" <?php echo ($options=='option2')?"selected":""?>> option2
	<option value="option3" <?php echo ($options=='option3')?"selected":""?>> option3
	<option value="option4" <?php echo ($options=='option4')?"selected":""?>> option4
	</select>
	<select name='more_options'>
	<option value="">MORE_OPTIONS
	<option value="option1" <?php echo ($more_options=='option1')?"selected":""?>> option1
	<option value="option2" <?php echo ($more_options=='option2')?"selected":""?>> option2
	<option value="option3" <?php echo ($more_options=='option3')?"selected":""?>> option3
	<option value="option4" <?php echo ($more_options=='option4')?"selected":""?>> option4
	</select>
	<input type=submit name=submit value=submit>
	</form>
	<?php
}else{
	echo "THANK YOU!<br><a href='$_SERVER[PHP_SELF]'>Click here</a> to start over";
}
?>

[jnuneznyc]

Here is a function that I created and have in my php toolbox. I have function for creating alot of these tags and I feel it's faster and easier to create a form that is driven by DB content.

$selectName : Is the name you would like to the <SELECT> tag
$sqlString : Is the SQL string that you would like to pull the data from.
$tagExtras : Is a space to add tag properties such as class=""
$optionValue : Is the db field name of the field you would like to use for the item value.
$optionName : Is the db field name of the field you would like to use for the item display.
$selectedValue : Is the value you want to select.
$topOption/$bottomOption : Is <option> tags that are inserted at the beginning/end of the select tag.

    function db2select($selectName, $sqlString, $tagExtras, $optionValue, $optionName, $selectedValue, $topOption = "", $bottomOption = "") {
        $dbresult = mysql_query($sqlString);
        if(!$dbresult||mysql_errno() > 0) {
            $theSelectTag = "";
        } else {
            $theSelectTag = "<select name='{$selectName}' {$tagExtras}>";
            if($topOption!=""){
                $theSelectTag .= $topOption;
            }
            while ($row = mysql_fetch_array($dbresult)) {
                if($selectedValue == $row[$optionValue]) {
                    $rowSELECTED = "SELECTED";
                }else{
                    $rowSELECTED = "";
                }
                $theSelectTag .= "<option value='{$row[$optionValue]}' {$rowSELECTED}>{$row[$optionName]}</option>\n";
            }
            if($bottomOption != ""){
                $theSelectTag .= $bottomOption;
            }
            $theSelectTag .= "</select>";
        }
        return $theSelectTag;
    }

[Donald_King]

THANKS for your responses. Sorry for my tardy 'Thanks', but I got involved in some other routines. The 'form' question is working now. Thanks!