PHP + MySQL + CSS --- How on earth?

chewmanfoo

Fellows,

I'm trying to come up with a design which involves storing "presentation" information in a table in a MySQL database. This information would include color schemes, border sizes, fonts style, color, etc. Getting this all working would enable something like this pseudocode:

DRAWING A PAGE
1.) query this page's table in presentation database, retrieve the following:
a.) background-color
b.) font size, family, etc. for h1, h2, p, a, etc.
2.) use this information to draw the page.

Now, I've been using external CSS2 style sheets to draw my pages, but I'm wondering how I can make the external style sheet dynamic in this way. External style sheets make the style elements of a page static.

Has anyone managed to use a database table to generate style information, in a dynamic way? Seems like this would enable all sorts of cool stuff regarding drawing a page...

Thanks in advance...
chewy

Ravenous

You could always have multiple stylesheets and use PHP/MySQL to decide which one to use. That would probably be much simpler, IMHO.

leatherback

Hi,

I am currently thinking about exactly the same sort of issues. And the solution is (I think) very simple: On top of your "standard" external stylesheet, use embedded stylesheets!

The definitions in the standard stylsheets are adapted first, and any redefinitions made in the embedded stysheet is processed on top of that. So you always have all defined (Through the linked stylesheets) with the flexibillity of userdefined (In the embedded).

Use it like:

<head> 
<style type="text/css"> 
body {background-color:#936936;} 
</style> 
</head>

You can of course fill the values for each entry from your database fields.

DeltaRho2K

You could also include your embedded style sheet at the top of your php page. Make a separate php page (styles.php) and define all of your styles. You could pass the style definitions from variables

styles.php

<style type="text/css"> 
body {background-color:<?$row['bodybgcolor']?>;} 
td {background-color:<?$row['tdbgcolor']?>; padding: <?$row['tdpadding']?>;}
</style>

etc....

mypage.php

<?PHP
\\Put your DB connect, query amd result strings here...
include "styles.php";

\\Rest of your code...

?>

You could then use inline styles to refine things if needed...

Ravenous

Don't embed your stylesheets into your page. It's bad practice. Yuo'll certainly be embedding in multiplie pages and that turns into a pain in the ass when you decide to go for a different look. I'm telling ya', keeping with OOP (yes, it applies to web design), keep everything as seperate as possible making your whole site operate in a modular form. Makes everything easier later on down the road.

DeltaRho2K

If you define your embedded style sheet in a separate file (and include it), it is essentially the same as using an external style sheet. (especially if you use a DB and php to define your values)

The bonus for doing it this way is that you can include a different embedded style sheet later in a document to define values differently, whereas a linked external style sheet has to be defined in the header... but your point is well taken.

Also, you mentioned in an earlier post an idea to use multiple style sheets. The only trick with that is that the end user wouldn't be able to individually define values. They are stuck with the set themes for each style sheet. Using a DB is the best way to go if you want to let the user define specific values. It is a bit more setup and test work, but well worth it.