editing an existing datafile from a form

robk

I want to be able to view, edit then save to an existing file from an admin area. I got this code from www.spoono.com and I'd like to know how to set this up to display the current data in the file in the textarea so I can edit what is there without having to overwrite all the data everytime (r+ I guess).

Any help would be much appreciated!

robk

// form.php

===========================================

// action.php

<?php
$post_data = "$name";
$data = fopen($post_data, "r+");
$post = stripslashes($post);
fwrite($data, "$post");
fclose($data);
?>

<html>
<head>
<title>eGuide Editor</title>
</head>
<body>
<center>
<font face="tahoma" size="2">
The contents of the Entertainment Guide have been saved as:<br><hr><br>
<div align="left"><?php readfile("/eguide.txt"); ?></div>
</body>
</html>

daveyboy

What do you want to achieve? Why can't you overwrite the file every time? Your question is most cryptic. Why would you want to edit a file and only save a part of it? What is the difference if you rewrite the whole file? Is this a performance question?

robk

Once I input the data for the first time, I want to be able to use that data as a template of sorts. It will be the source for a local entertainment guide and the text file is just an external file. So I need to be able to see the current data (textarea would be the preferred method), edit the dates and the band playing and then save it without having to re-write all the bar/club names and contact info.

For example, the template is like this:

CLUB X
123 Anystreet | ### - ####

Jan 1 - Jan 3 // edit
Band Name // edit

Jan 8 - Jan 10 // edit
Band Name // edit

etc.. etc...

I don't want to get into trying to put together a form based variables system (hell, I can't even get this running!) so this seems like the best alternative.

I hope that clears it up and thanks for looking in!

robk

Is the readfile function going to cause me problems in that area? I keep getting an innapropriate ioctl device error which is frustrating...

daveyboy

You can't open a whole file and just resave parts of it without a LOT of work measuring the length of your string and where it has changed. That would be stupidly complicated.

You could use XML to store your info in one file, or use lots of files. Give each venue a file, say, 'bobsbar.venue' and then use seperate files for the gigs with matching names, i.e. 'bobsbar.gigs'. This way you can edit the dates & bands without touching the venue data. If you really must have one file, you need XML.

daveyboy

readfile just spits the contents of the file at the browser / terminal. do you not want [man]fread/man?

robk

Thanks for your help daveyboy. I'll look into an XML solution and hopefully that should work for me!

Regards,

robk