PHP Question

iceman2g

Hi guys i'm currently using cubecart for a small site and I wanto be able to add a poll feature.

I've created a simple form that will let you select option using radio buttons. The problem with this form is that it requires that you change the code everytime you want to start a new poll. I'd like to be able to add options to the poll without editing this file all the time.

I'm guessing i'd have to create a row in m database that would contain poll options.

Any help up to this point would be greatly appreciated.

aaron_karp

The basic database structure would probably look something like this:

Two tables: Polls and PollOptions

A "many to one" relationship, as they say, meaning you have multiple rows in one table that correspond to one row in another table.

Polls

PollName
PollQuestion
PollAnswer // Should probably correspond to the ID column of PollOptions...
ID

PollOptions

OptionText
PollID // Corresponds to the ID column in the Polls table
ID

Now write some PHP code that spits out your poll. Here's some very basic code. You might know how to do this just fine already, but in case you're really new to this, I'll go ahead...

It's not tested, but hopefully it sets you on the right path. Let me know if I screwed something up =)

echo "What did you think of Spiderman 2?<br>";
$sql = "SELECT OptionText, PollOptions.ID as oID FROM Polls, PollOptions WHERE PollName='What did you think of Spiderman 2?' AND PollID=Polls.ID";
$result = mysql_query($sql);
while ($record = mysql_fetch_array($result)) {
  $option = $record['OptionText'];
  $optionID = $record['oID'];
  echo "<input type=radio name=poll value=$optionID>$option<br>";
}

You'll need some FORM and SUBMIT things, of course.

It should also be pretty easy to set up a third table to track responses to the poll.

PollResponses

PollID // Corresponds to the ID column in the Polls table
Response // Corresponds to the ID column in the PollOptions table
ID

I'm really sleepy 🙁 so I'm going to leave the coding for that to you or another member, or maybe to myself later today.

iceman2g

Ok i've been trying but can't enter a table in db. I'm using phpmyadmin to access db.

aaron_karp

I'm not gonna tell you how to use PHPMyAdmin..... maybe the docs can help you out there. Also, try searching the forum to see if anyone's written anything already.

If you're actually having a problem with it, be more explicit, please.

Haha sorry i'm in a bad mood.....got about 3 hours of sleep last night.....

iceman2g

Yeah sorry bout not being more specific. Well i'm really new to php and mysql but i've been reading and looking at a lot of code to try and figure things out. Up this point I have done a little work in the database but it's been basic stuff like adding new rows to existing tables. I did however create a table before but I don't remember how I did it.

aaron_karp

phpmyadmin shouldn't be too hard to figure out if you understand the basic structure of a database. Just look for the forms that say things like "Add new column to table" or "Add new table to database." They're often below the list of existing fields or tables.

Here's the SQL Code, for your edification:

CREATE TABLE tablename (fieldname1 fieldtype1, fieldname2 fieldtype2);

ALTER TABLE tablename ADD COLUMN fieldname fieldtype

Good luck.

iceman2g

Yeah I figured out the phpmyadmid part. With help from another member I saw what mistakes I was making and feel i'm better able to deal with those problems as they come along.

iceman2g

What all is wrong with this?

$sql = ("SELECT store_polls.poll_question, store_poll_options.poll_option_id 
FROM store_polls, store_poll_options WHERE store_polls.poll_id='1' 
AND store_poll_options.poll_id='1'"); 
$result = mysql_query($sql); 
$result = mysql_query($sql); 
while ($record = mysql_fetch_array($result)) { 
  $option = $record['OptionText']; 
  $optionID = $record['oID']; 
  echo "<input type=radio name=poll value=$optionID>$option<br>"; 
}

I've created two tables each with three columns.

store_polls

poll_id (primary key)
poll_name
poll_questions

store_poll_options

poll_option_id (primary)
poll_id
poll_option_text

Also i've placed the <form> tag a different pints but it seems no matter where I put it nothin will print to page.

I'm next to lost at this point. I'l continue reading through these guides I see on the net and practice some more code.

Thanks for all the help so far guys. 🙂

aaron_karp

Originally posted by iceman2g
What all is wrong with this?

$sql = ("SELECT store_polls.poll_question, store_poll_options.poll_option_id 
FROM store_polls, store_poll_options WHERE store_polls.poll_id='1' 
AND store_poll_options.poll_id='1'"); 
$result = mysql_query($sql); 
$result = mysql_query($sql); 
while ($record = mysql_fetch_array($result)) { 
  $option = $record['OptionText']; 
  $optionID = $record['oID']; 
  echo "<input type=radio name=poll value=$optionID>$option<br>"; 
}

First of all, you're selecting poll_question - which could be a misspelling of one of the columns.

Second of all, your where clause should look like this:

WHERE store_poll_options.poll_id = store_polls.poll_id AND store_polls.poll_id = '1'

The first part matches the options to the appropriate polls, and the second part tells the database which poll that should be.

Third of all you only need to do this: $result = mysql_query($sql);
once.

Fourth of all, when you do this: $option = $record['OptionText'];
the text inside the braces represents the column name you're selecting. Try $poll_question = $record['poll_question'] and then test for the value of that variable.

iceman2g

Yeah i made a few of those corrections already, mainly having to do with having $result = mysql_query($sql); written twice. As well as having the correct spelling.

That's what the new coding looks like. I know it's probably filled with errors but i'm still trying to sort it all out.

$sql = ("SELECT store_polls.poll_question, store_poll_options.poll_option_id FROM store_polls, 

store_poll_options WHERE store_polls_options.poll_id=store_polls.poll_id "); 
<form method=\"get\" action=\"results.php\">";

$result = mysql_query($sql);  

while ($record = mysql_fetch_array($result))
 {  

  $option = $record['poll_option_text'];  

  $poll_question = $record['poll_question'];  

echo "<input type=\"radio\" name=\"poll\" value=\"$poll_question\">$option<br>";  

}
echo"<input type=\"submit\" value=\"vote\">";
{ 
echo"</form>";

I removeed store_polls.poll_id='1' because poll_id wont always equal one espicially if i have more than one poll.

As usual what might I be missing?

aaron_karp

Is this your code copied and pasted?

If so, you've got some errors. If not, please c/p it and tell me if there are any error messages.

This line can't be stuck inside your PHP code....you'll need to echo it. Also, you're missing a backslash near "get\"

<form method="get\" action=\"results.php\">";

And you can't get the value of poll_option_text in this line:

$option = $record['poll_option_text']

unless you select it with your query.

You've got some haphazard-seeming curly braces here and there. Make sure you close your while loop, and make sure there aren't any braces opened unnecessarily or left unclosed.

iceman2g

Sorry i'm working with two files one to compare changes and one to implement new changes. The missing "/" has been corrected.

As for there being error messages. The radio button and the vote button are all that's visible on the page. It wont echo the results from the query.

$sql = ("SELECT store_polls.poll_question, store_poll_options.poll_option_id FROM store_polls, 
store_poll_options WHERE store_polls_options.poll_id=store_polls.poll_id "); 

echo"<form method=\"post\" action=\"result.php\">";  

$result = mysql_query($sql);  

while ($record = mysql_fetch_array($result))
 {  

  $option = $record['poll_option_text'];  

  $poll_question = $record['poll_question'];  

 }  

echo "<input type=\"radio\" name=\"poll\" value=\"$poll_question\">$option<br>";  

{
echo"<input type=\"submit\" value=\"vote\">";
echo"</form>";
}

Also my understanding of the curly braces is that they are used if more than one line of code should be excuted when a condition is true. (whatever that means)

THANK YOU for your patience in helping me through this.

aaron_karp

You're trying to get the values of columns that you haven't selected:

SELECT store_polls.poll_question, store_poll_options.poll_option_id

$option = $record['poll_option_text'];

$poll_question = $record['poll_question'];

See?

So you probably want to change your query to contain:

SELECT store_polls.poll_question, store_poll_options.poll_option_id,
store_poll_options.poll_option_text

Give that a shot.

As for the curly braces, they define a block of code, and don't really have anything to do with a conditional, unless they're used with something like an if statement.

if ($variable == 5) {

// statement 1
// statement 2

}

The above is a reasonable thing to say. But just putting code between braces doesn't really do anything, to the best of my knowledge.

iceman2g

Yeah tryed that. Still having no luck gettin values on the page though.

aaron_karp

Post your code again? and verify that you have appropriate data in your database.

iceman2g

$sql = mysql_query("SELECT store_polls.poll_question, store_poll_options.poll_option_id, 

store_poll_options.poll_option_text FROM store_polls, store_poll_options WHERE 

store_polls_options.poll_id=store_polls.poll_id "); 


echo"<form method=\"post\" action=\"result.php\">";  

$result = mysql_query($sql);  

while ($result = mysql_fetch_array($result))
 {  

  $option = $result['poll_option_text'];  

  $poll_question = $result['poll_question'];  

}   

echo "<input type=\"radio\" name=\"poll\" value=\"$poll_question\">$option<br>";  

{
echo"<input type=\"submit\" value=\"vote\">";

echo"</form>";
}

aaron_karp

I've revised your code and commented on the things I changed. Give it a try.

$sql = "SELECT store_polls.poll_question, store_poll_options.poll_option_id,
store_poll_options.poll_option_text
FROM
store_polls, store_poll_options 
WHERE 
store_polls_options.poll_id=store_polls.poll_id";
// Store the string in the variable named $sql


echo"<form method=\"post\" action=\"result.php\">";   

$result = mysql_query($sql);
while ($record= mysql_fetch_array($result)) // record, not result
 {   

  $option = $record['poll_option_text'];   

  $poll_question = $record['poll_question'];   

// Got rid of this brace - it was ending the while loop prematurely
echo "<input type=\"radio\" name=\"poll\" value=\"$poll_question\">$option<br>";   

} // end loop

echo"<input type=\"submit\" value=\"vote\">"; 

echo"</form>";

iceman2g

Tryed it only gave me the vote button, the radio button is no longer visible on the page. At this point i'm losted because it seem at though

aaron_karp

Do me a favor and run these 4 SQL queries in phpMyAdmin, just to make sure you have the appropriate data in your database:

INSERT INTO store_polls SET poll_name='My Poll', poll_question='Why is this so difficult?', poll_id=99;

INSERT INTO store_poll_options SET poll_id='99', poll_option_text='Because it\'s a difficult problem';

INSERT INTO store_poll_options SET poll_id='99', poll_option_text='Because you haven\'t read the manual;

INSERT INTO store_poll_options SET poll_id='99', poll_option_text='No reason...';

Now change your PHP code's query to look like this:

$sql = "SELECT store_polls.poll_question, store_poll_options.poll_option_id,
store_poll_options.poll_option_text
FROM
store_polls, store_poll_options
WHERE
store_polls.poll_id='99' AND store_polls_options.poll_id=store_polls.poll_id";

iceman2g

Tryed still nothin. Everything looks fine as far as I can tell.

You missing a ' in "INSERT INTO store_poll_options SET poll_id='99', poll_option_text='Because you haven\'t read the manual; "