making an alphabetical index of records?

miriamverburg

this is the idea:

To make an alphabet where each letter returns the names in the record that begin with that letter...

i am looking for a tutorial or a how-to for this on-line and having no luck,
this is my idea. ...
query

select from table artists first_ name, last_name where last_name begins with the letter a.. ( i don't how to formulate that correctly yet )

Then you have list of letters each is hyper linked to a script that returns the result of the above query as a list of names, the query is changed for each letter of the alphabet.
that seems bloody awkward to me...

can I make the letter a variable?

if each letter had a variable id, and then that variable is passed to the sql query...

letter =$a

if you click on a then $a = 'A'
then the query becomes :

select from table artists first name, last_name where last_name begins with $POST[ 'a']";

finally will I need to index the names column?

Any advice would be appreciated.

miriam

Thora_Fan

Try something like this. On your first page, have:

foreach(range('a','z') as $alphaKey)
{
   echo " <a href=\"pathtonewscript.php?key=$alphaKey\">$alphaKey</a> ";
}

On the next page, your query should be like:

$SQL = "SELECT * FROM table_name WHERE field LIKE '$_POST[key]%'";

If I read your post right, that should work.

miriamverburg

okay so I am still having some problems..

here it is;

-- page one calls alphatest plus letter key
<?

foreach(range('a','z') as $alphaKey)
{
echo "<a href=\"alphatest.php?key=$alphaKey\">$alphaKey</a> ";
}

--end page

next page is always blank. url reads:"/php/alphatest.php?key=s"

but the script that I have written doesn't engage, nothing appears actually.

here is the script for alphatest.php ;

<body>
<?

//check for required query string variables
if (!$_POST[alphaKey]) {
header("http://isadore.local/~miriam/php/alphabettest.php");
exit;
} else {
//if form variables are present, start a session
session_start();
}

$db_name ="//db-name_is here";
$table_name ="//table_here";

//connect to server and select database
$connection = blah de blah
$db = blah de blah

//build and issue query
$sql ="SELECT id, first_name, last_name FROM $table_name WHERE last_name LIKE '$_POST[Key]%'";

$result = @($sql,$connection)or die(mysql_error());

if ($alphaKey != ""){
//create list block of results

$contact_list ="<ul>";

while ($row = mysql_fetch_array($result)) {
$id = $row['id'];
$first_name = $row['first_name'];
$last_name = $row['last_name'];
$contact_list .= "<li><a href=\"show_contact.php?id=$id\">$last_name,$first_name</a>";
}

$contact_list .="</ul>";

echo "$contact_list";

} else {

echo "sorry there are no artists listed under $alphaKey.";

}

<a href="alphabettest.php">Return to Main Menu</a>

</body>

</html>

I guess I am not passing the url properly, any advice on something, I can add remove or change??

oh, and if I put an error in my code,
the browser send me a parse error message. so maybe the script is being read? but not executed so the value isn't being passed. but then I shoudl be re-directed back to the alphabet page???

or could it be, that I need to index the last_name column?

cheers,
mir

Thora_Fan

Ok, first off, here:

if (!$_POST[alphaKey])...

It looks like you're referrring to a variable that was never passed. What I wrote (and looks like you are using) is:

foreach(range('a','z') as $alphaKey) 
{ 
echo "<a href=\"alphatest.php?key=$alphaKey\">$alphaKey</a> "; 
}

The variable $alphaKey won't be passed, but the variable $key will. In the alphatest.php script, there won't be an $alphaKey, unless you define it yourself.

Also, I was wrong in my code. Instead of $POST[key] it should be $GET[key]. Anythng sent via a hyperlink will be $GET. Only form data is sent via $POST (but can also be sent via $_GET).

I would suggest MAYBE using the $REQUEST variable. It handles both $POST, $GET, $SESSION, and $_COOKIES, however this can become mighty confusing after a while.

miriamverburg

it worked.
thank you and your dark glasses.

it still isn't reading the last names in the db though.

should i index the column?

or... do I need to to do some string recognition thing in the mysql select?

don't think I am asking you directly perhaps I am just posing these questions to myself?

cheers,
mir

miriamverburg

how did I fix it, let me see if I remember. oh yeah,

there was an if tag that was somehow bunging up the whole thing.

thanks again for your help.

mir

pjleonhardt

Originally posted by Thora_Fan
Try something like this. On your first page, have:
foreach(range('a','z') as $alphaKey)
{
 echo " <a href=\"pathtonewscript.php?key=$alphaKey\">$alphaKey</a> ";
}
On the next page, your query should be like:
$SQL = "SELECT * FROM table_name WHERE field LIKE '$_POST[key]%'";
If I read your post right, that should work. [/B]

youre appending the variable to the end of the url............
dont you need to use $GET[] not $POST[] ??

Thora_Fan

My dark glasses and I say you're welcome. I too know the pain of it all. Been there, done that and I'm sure will be there many times again.

pjleonhardt, I did mean $GET and not $POST, I corrected myself in a follow up to my original post.