Generating Tables and Forms in PHP

[kilbey1]

😕 I know how to implement a class, but not how to write one. I have a complex table (formatted options menu, checkboxes, text boxes) and would like to be able to put in some settings and have PHP generate the table for me (in PHP). I also have a MySQL db if that helps.

For example, if I know my table starts out like so:

name ____________
contact name _________
address ____________

then goes to:
city ____________ state zip ___

and then to a complex option table that includes Non-breaking spaces, etc.,

wouldn't it be possible to construct a table in the same way as, say, Dreamweaver (WYSIWYG) or Word (Table)?

I have been all over PHP classes and haven't really found a suitable one for my purposes. They work great for some things, but it's not very intuitive when Joe Average is trying to edit the code for another page on the site.

I have used a simple table generator that puts the data on seperate rows, but for the option menu I'm speaking of, it would look hideous!

Any suggestions, links?

Thanks,
Eve
[e-mail]

[zalath]

Err... I'm at a loss here - why do you need (or want) to write a class to create a table? 😕

[kilbey1]

Here's why. 🙂

With 3 or 4 people working on the same site, I can see a need for other formatted tables and forms. Example... this one is a dining guide (administration and client submit page). The next one might be a Bands page (administration and band submit page). etc. etc.

We want a common look throughout the site. Eric is going to do the dining guide. Now, when Jane wants to do the band guide, all she should need to do is copy the band site PHP and edit the code for fields for the table, WITHOUT recreating HTML, then wrapping PHP around the HTML, etc. etc.

Also, say Jane doesn't know much PHP. In our current code, all she has to know is:

//this adds a form element "text"
$frm->text('name','label','size','maxsize','value')

//this adds an option button
$frm->option('value','name','elementnum','selected')

//this adds a checkbox
$frm->checkbox('name','value','label')

etc. etc.

All Eric or Jane will have to do is note which fields must be created, and the table (via PHP) is created around the fields.

Elements are easy to create in all the classes I've seen; I think the problem is creating rows and fields the same way, ie. I'd love to do this:

//this adds a row here
$frm->row('width','height','columns')
//this adds 3 columns in the row I just created
$frm->column('width','height',valign')
[some element code for td 1)
$frm->column('width','height',valign')
[some element code for td 1)
$frm->column('width','height',valign')
[some element code for td 1)

Then continue with creating elements, etc. etc.

Thanks,
Eve