Multiple Select Default

[geogal]

Hello All,

I'm wondering if it's possible to have a multiple select box default with the selected items from the database.

I have the user selecting multiple descriptions of a home lot location (CORNER, WATERFRONT or INTERIOR, CUL-de-SAC, etc.). When they need to go back into the admin tool to change something, I'd like the muliple select box to default to their original selections. I know how to do this with a standard dropdown, but am stumped as to how to do this with the "multiple" facet involved.

The selections are stored in the database with the IMPLODE function and are comma-separated. So they are in the database like this: CORNER, WATERVIEW. Is it possible to modify the below code?

---

<select MULTIPLE name="lot_description[]">

<?
$query = "SELECT ID, description FROM lot_description";
$result = mysql_query($query);

$desc = $HTTP_GET_VARS["desc"]; <--- this is passed from a form and comes across with a comma-delimited line from the db

while($row = mysql_fetch_row($result)) {
$description = $row[0]; <-- I do not need the ID number
$description = $row[1];
$selected = "";
if ($description == "$desc") { <-- HERE'S THE FAILURE, OF COURSE
$selected = "selected";
}

echo "<option $selected value=\"$description\">$description</option>\n";
}

?>
</select>

---

I'm drawing a blank. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated!

Thanks.

Geogal

[zhabala]

You have to create an array from the $desc variable and then test whether the description is in_array like this:

<select MULTIPLE name="lot_description[]"> 

<? 
$query = "SELECT ID, description FROM lot_description"; 
$result = mysql_query($query); 

$desc = $HTTP_GET_VARS["desc"]; <--- this is passed from a form and comes across with a comma-delimited line from the db 

// modification
$arrayDesc = split(',',$desc);

while($row = mysql_fetch_row($result)) { 
    $description = $row[0]; <-- I do not need the ID number 
    $description = $row[1]; 
    $selected = ""; 
    // if ($description == "$desc") { <-- HERE'S THE FAILURE, OF COURSE 
    if ( in_array($description, $arrayDesc") ) { <-- CORRECTED 
        $selected = "selected"; 
    } 

echo "<option $selected value=\"$description\">$description</option>\n"; 
} 

?> 
</select>

Maybe I did not properly understand which variable contains the comma delimited strings, in case it is the variable form database then there should be:

<select MULTIPLE name="lot_description[]"> 

<? 
$query = "SELECT ID, description FROM lot_description"; 
$result = mysql_query($query); 

$desc = $HTTP_GET_VARS["desc"]; <--- this is passed from a form and comes across with a comma-delimited line from the db 

while($row = mysql_fetch_row($result)) { 
    $description = $row[0]; <-- I do not need the ID number 
    $description = $row[1]; 
    $selected = ""; 

$arrayDesc = split(',',$description);

if ( in_array($desc, $arrayDesc") ) { <-- CORRECTED 
    $selected = "selected"; 
} 

echo "<option $selected value=\"$description\">$description</option>\n"; 
} 

?> 
</select>

Hope it helps Zdenek

[geogal]

THANK YOU! Using the 'split' function with an array did the trick. I didn't even have a clue as to how to go about this, and your example was very detailed and accurate.

Thanks again!

Geogal

[abnfire]

you can also use explode function.