PHP MySQL form

coho75

I have been trying to make a form using HTML that will alllow a user to check several boxes and then click submit. When submit is pressed I want the form to access a MySQL db and return the corresponding information. Similar to this -->http://www.nokia.com/phones/compare/compare.jsp Any help that anybody can provide would be greatly appreciated since I am getting nowhere with this project.

sarahk

I'm guessing that you didn't write the nokia page?

They use a combination of html, javascript and jsp.

You'll need to do the same. The guts of it is that when the user clicks compare only 3 things are sent down to the server - the 3 phone models.

So then you need to query your database which holds the comparison info and build from the results the html to pass back to the browser.

It's reasonably tricky because there are a few design issues but the php coding is all very straight forward.

If you've never created a php page using database data then I'd start with just doing simple queries and get used to the system before launching into this.

coho75

I have done a few other pages that query a MySQL db. The problem I am having is how to take the checkbox info and use it to query the database to bring back the phone info.

I know how to do all the HTML code already, and I understand how to query the db. I just have no idea to take the checkboxes and retrieve that correct data from the db.

If someone could post some sample code to get me on the right track I would be eternally grateful. Thanks for all the help so far.

cgraz

well i'd assume if this code is to function properly, each checkbox has a value (the value is probably the id that corresponds to whatever that checkbox represents).

If your checkbox is called $t_var

SELECT * FROM your_table WHERE id='$t_var'

$t_var would hold the id of the product you are trying to access. Although keep in mind checkboxes will allow for more than one selection, you'd probably want to go with radio buttons instead, but it would work the same way.

Cgraz

coho75

I want the user to be able to choose more than one checkbox.

Is this the only thing that I have to do to get the form to query the db correctly? I have been working on this for a few weeks and could not find any info on it. Thanks for everything.

cgraz

Then do this. Make your checkboxes an array by specifing [] after the name (they all have the same name)

Ex: <input type="checkbox" name="var[]" value="1">
<input type="checkbox" name="var[]" value="2">

The only difference from this and your code is that the value should be the id for each product, so it should be dynamic. Select the id from your database, then do

<form method="post" action="processing_page.php">

while ($row = mysql_fetch_array($query)) {
   echo $row["product_name"] . " <input type='checkbox' name='var[]' value='" . $row["id"] . "'><br>";
}

echo "</form>\n";

Now when they submit, you'll have the array $var with the values (which would be the id's) of the products. Then, just use a select query to select all those values from the database.

   $query = "SELECT * FROM your_table WHERE id IN ('" . implode("','", $_POST['var']) . "')";
   $result = mysql_query($query);

That will select everything from the table, your_table WHERE the id equals any of the values they selected using the checkboxes. Then, just take that and display the results.

Cgraz

coho75

thank you very much cgraz. I really appreciate the help that you have given me.

cgraz

no problem, just be sure to let me know how it goes. 😉

Cgraz

coho75

I am actually having some trouble with it. I keep getting:
Bad arguments to implode() when I hit the submit button. I am sure that I messed something up.

cgraz

post the code for your form and the processing script

coho75

this is the form

<html>
<head>
   <title></title>
</head>

<body>

<form METHOD="POST" ACTION="db.php">
<?php

while ($row = mysql_fetch_array($query)) {
   echo $row["product_name"] . "<input type='checkbox' name='phone[0]' value='" . $row["id"] . "'>phone<br>";
}

?>

<input TYPE="submit" name="submit">

</form>
</body>
</html>

this is the processor

<html>
<head>
   <title></title>
</head>

<body>

<?php
    mysql_connect("localhost", "hconklin", "PW") or
        die("Could not connect: " . mysql_error());
    $query = "SELECT * FROM hconklin_phones.nokia WHERE id IN ('" . implode("','", $_POST['phone']) . "')";
   $result = mysql_query($query);
?> 

</body>
</html>

coho75

I thought that I had a handle on this, as you can see I am lost.

cgraz

Ok, on your form:

while ($row = mysql_fetch_array($query)) {

that line is referring to a mysql_query. I thought you were going to write one. You need to write a SELECT query that selects whatever it is you're selecting.

// this query is just an example
$query = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM your_table");

// then you can do
while ($row = mysql_fetch_array($query)) {
   echo $row["product_name"] . "<input type='checkbox' name='phone[0]' value='" . $row["id"] . "'>phone<br>";
}

Make sure you change $row["product_name"] to the field that holds the product name or whatever it is you're displaying.

Cgraz