[Resolved] conditionally sorting column headers?

[jasonmills58]

Hey there. I want my column headers to sort their data, kind of like how hotmail or any web based email can sort by 'from' or 'date' or whatever. when you click 'from' the first time, it sorts by ascending order, and then if you click the same link again, it sorts by descending order. I had to use two different links to get this functionality - how can I get one link to do the job of two? cheers!

<td bgcolor="F9FBF0">Client Name  <a href="viewClients.php?sort=1">asc</a> |
                                  <a href="viewClients.php?sort=2">desc</a></td>
<td bgcolor="F9FBF0">             <a href="viewClients.php?sort=3">Client Phone</a></td>
<td width="150" bgcolor="F9FBF0"> <a href="viewClients.php?sort=4">Client Email</a></td>
<td width="50" align="center" bgcolor="F9FBF0">Edit</td>
<td width="50" align="center" bgcolor="F9FBF0">Delete</td>
                  </tr>

            <tr class="listContent">

<?php	
$username = "cpoint";
$password = "*****";
$database = "counterpoint";
$link = mysql_connect( "localhost", $username, $password );
if ( ! $link ) {
	$dberror = "Couldn't connect to MySQL server.";
	return false;
}
if ( ! mysql_select_db( $database, $link ) ) {
	$dberror = mysql_error();
	return false;
}

$orderQuery = " ORDER BY clientname ASC"; 
switch ($_GET['sort']) { 
	case 1: 
		$orderQuery = " ORDER BY clientname ASC"; 
		break; 
	case 2: 
		$orderQuery = " ORDER BY clientname DESC"; 
		break; 
	case 3: 
		$orderQuery = " ORDER BY phone"; 
		break; 
	case 4: 
		$orderQuery = " ORDER BY email"; 
		break; 
	default: 
		$orderQuery = " ORDER BY clientname DESC"; 
		break; 
} 

$data = mysql_query( "SELECT clientname, phone, email FROM clients" . $orderQuery  );

[LordShryku]

Usually, I'll put a second parameter in there to say how to sort. Top of the page:

if(isset($_GET['sorter'])) {
   $way = "DESC";
   $set = 0;
}
else {
   $way = "ASC";
   $set = 1;
}

The $way you put in your query

$data = mysql_query( "SELECT clientname, phone, email FROM clients" . $orderQuery." ".$way);

The $set is to see if it should stick the variable in the URL to get it to change next click around

<a href="viewClients.php?sort=3<?=($set==1)?"&amp;sorter=1":""?>">Client</a>

HTH

[jasonmills58]

that worked beautifully, thank you.