Looking for advice on incrementing numbers

[DKY]

I have this page that's going to create a row in mysql and that row also has a column for an incrementing number. I wanted to take that number upon submission and put it in a link so that this form that has been submitted can be called up again. problem is that the form hasnt created the incrementing number yet, so how can I have it send the number and create it at the same time upon submission? Any suggestions?

[dewen]

The link shown with submit button on same page? If so you have to generate the number first,then insert it to the auto column in the row you mentioned. If link is on next page, then you should have chance to read the number and put in the link.

[DKY]

yes, everything is on one page and I was going to have it pass the incrementing number in a variable through the link. then have it refill the fields back in when it calls up thatpage?un=1234

[dewen]

but before submitting, un=1234 is not existing yet, then why put it link there?

[DKY]

two reasons I want to put the link there. This form is for someone in a part of our company on the other side of the country to fill out the form, and I want once the form is submitted to not have the fields cleard and that if they hit submit a second or third time it only updates and doesnt create a new row.

the second reason is, I want it to email a link to that page (with all the fields already filled out) to the other person accross the country so that they can click the link and only have to append the other fields.

[dewen]

I see, but pre-generated number may bring you concurrency issue and you can't lock the form or number for current user only. So why don't you try to use some other number instead of auto number, for example, a current timestamp plus a random number(or ip, or mac number), so not two user could share the same link number.

[DKY]

hmm, interesting idea. Not sure how to implement the timestamp and ip or anything in a code, but I think that might be a good idea. just in case its high traffic at some point. How would I code something that's timestamp + ipaddy? Also, could I do the timestamp + ipaddy in the link before the submit button is pressed?

[leatherback]

Hey DKY,

This is ASKING for trouble. Stick with the auto-increment colum. DO NOT include the number in a link or a form directly.

Here goes:

This form is for someone in a part of our company on the other side of the country to fill out the form, and I want once the form is submitted to not have the fields cleard and that if they hit submit a second or third time it only updates and doesnt create a new row.

-> You solution: Once the form is processed, you get the row which has been inserted, grab the info, and echo it back to the form when it loads. If the traffic to the dbase is low, you could use (mysql_insert_id() returns the ID generated by the last query that inserted a row into a table with an AUTO_INCREMENT index). Else do a query for the right record.

I want it to email a link to that page (with all the fields already filled out) to the other person accross the country so that they can click the link and only have to append the other fields.

-> Just send the email AFTER the inserted data has been processed.

Hope it helps.

J.

[DKY]

okay, in essence, this is what I got above.

if submit button is pressed
then
create a row in mysql with data from input boxes.

I would like to make it something like so.

• if submit button is pressed then
• create a row in mysql with data from input boxes.
• after row is created, $un="unique_number"; <~~~~number in the incrementing number field of the new row
• then submit an email to [e-mail] with the link of thispage.com/index.php?un=$un
• action of the form is thispage.com/index.php?un=$un
• take all values for the fields on this page and update them with values from the row where un=$un

problem is i can't figure out how to make a conditional statement based upon the creation of that row.

[leatherback]

ok here goes./

You have inserted your record:

$inserted = mysql_query("insert into table blablabla") or die(mysql_err()."Some error occurred");

// then get the inserted record, straight away

$un = mysql_insert_id();

// and mail the id to the recipient:

$header = "from:$fromname <$fromaddress>\n";
$header .= "Content-type: text/html";

$tomail = "$toname <$toaddress>";
$mail_message = 
  "
<a href=\"thispage.com/index.php?un=$un \">thispage.com/index.php?un=$un </a>
  ";

  mail($tomail, "$topic", $mail_message, $header);


// and get the record from the database

$GetRecord = mysql_query("select * from YOURTABLE where YOURIDKOLUM = $un");

while($row=mysql_fetch_array($GetRecord))
  {
  echo $row['someColum']
  }

Hope you can manage from here. Just use the predefined value="" section of form elements and 'checked' or 'selected' keywords for checkboxes / radio's to get the right parts of hte form filled out.

J.

[DKY]

First off THANK YOU SOO MUCH FOR AN EXAMPLE!!! I SOO APPRECIATE IT!!!.

Now that that is out of the way, I have a question. I'm following it all except the last part. What exactly is it doing? I'm thinking its displaying information from somecolum from YOURTABLE, is that correct?

$GetRecord = mysql_query("select * from YOURTABLE where YOURIDKOLUM = $un");

while($row=mysql_fetch_array($GetRecord))
{
echo $row['someColum']
}

[leatherback]

Yes.

Basicall, since I do not know your tables, I used YOURTABLE, instead of the actual tablename (So replace this for the name of the table you want to use) YOURIDCOLUM refers to the colum in which you store the unique values, also replace this name (Did you remember to define this colum in your database as auto_increment!?). Finally, somecolum refers to the columname of which you would like to display the information.

Have a browse through the forum, there are many examples on these things.

Often you want to do some things on your data before actually posting them on the site. I then retrieve the info first. And exaple of a form section is below:

// after getting the right record:

   $id = $row['F_Id'];
   $naam = $row['F_Name'];
   $cd = $row['F_Cd'];
   $imagex = $row['F_Imagex'];
   $imagey = $row['F_Imagey'];
   $country = $row['F_Country'];
   $locatie = $row['F_Location'];
   $jaar = $row['F_Year'];
   $titel = $row['F_Title'];
   $omschrijving = $row['F_Description'];
   $kwaliteit = $row['F_Quality'];
   $portfolio = $row['F_Portfolio'];
   $ecard = $row['F_Ecard'];

// Then test for checkboxes

   if($portfolio == 1)
     {
     $ptsel = 'checked';
     }
   if($ecard == 1)
     {
     $ecsel = 'checked';
     }

// so further down you can use this info in your forms:
$content ="

<table class=\"main\">
<tr>
<td rowspan=2>

  <form action=\"index.php\" method=\"POST\">
  <input type=\"hidden\" name=\"formid\" value=\"1\">
  <input type=\"hidden\" name=\"offset\" value=\"$start\">
  <input type=\"hidden\" name=\"recordid\" value=\"$id\">
  <table>
  <tr>
     <td class=formlabel>(File)name</td><td class=formel><input class=\"formel_1\" type=\"text\"  value =\"$naam\" name=\"naam\"></td>
  </tr><tr>
     <td class=formlabel>CD</td><td class=formel><input class=\"formel_1\" type=\"text\"  value =\"$cd\" name=\"cd\"></td>
  </tr><tr>
     <td class=formlabel>Maximum width </td><td class=formel><input class=\"formel_1\" type=\"text\"  value =\"$imagex\" name=\"imagex\"></td>
  </tr><tr>
     <td class=formlabel>Maximum Height </td><td class=formel><input class=\"formel_1\"  type=\"text\"  value =\"$imagey\" name=\"imagey\"></td>
  </tr><tr>
     <td class=formlabel>Country</td><td class=formel>

 <select class=\"formel_1\" name=\"country\">
   <option value = \"\">Select Country</option>
   $countrylist
 </select>

 </td>
  </tr><tr>
     <td class=formlabel>Year</td><td class=formel><input class=\"formel_1\" type=\"text\"  value =\"$jaar\" name=\"jaar\"></td>
  </tr><tr>
     <td class=formlabel>Location</td><td class=formel><input class=\"formel_1\" type=\"text\" size=\"50\"  value =\"$locatie\" name=\"locatie\"></td>
  </tr><tr>
     <td class=formlabel>Title</td><td class=formel><input class=\"formel_1\" size=\"50\" type=\"text\"  value =\"$titel\" name=\"titel\"></td>
  </tr><tr>
     <td class=formlabel>Description</td><td class=formel><textarea cols=\"40\" rows=\"5\" name =\"omschrijving\" class=\"formel_1\">$omschrijving</textarea></td>
  </tr><tr>
     <td class=formlabel>Quality</td><td class=formel><input class=\"formel_1\" type=\"text\"  value =\"$kwaliteit\" name=\"kwaliteit\"></td>
  </tr><tr>

 <td class=formlabel>Species 

 </td><td class=formel>

 $specieslist

 </td>
  </tr><tr>
     <td class=formlabel>  </td><td>
      Portfolio &nbsp; <input class=\"formel_1\" type=\"checkbox\"  $ptsel name=\"portfolio\"> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
      E-cards &nbsp; <input class=\"formel_1\" type=\"checkbox\" $ecsel name=\"ecards\">
     </td>
  </tr><tr>
    <td></td><td><input type=\"submit\" class=\"SafeButton\" value=\"Store information\" ></td>
  </tr>
  </table>
  </form>


</td>
<td colspan=2>


  <font size=\"+3\">Picture manager</font>

  <hr>
   $allrows records in the database<br>
   Current record number: $id<br>
   Current = <b>$current</b><sup>th</sup> of <b>$ReturnedResults</b> selected records<br>
  <hr>  

</td>
</tr><tr>
<td>

  <p class=\"thumbnailimage\"> 


<img src=\"$ImagePath".$naam."_cd".$cd.".jpg\">

  </p><p>
  <h2>Only show:</h2>
  </p>
  <form action=\"index.php\" method=\"POST\">
  <input type=\"hidden\" name=\"formid\" value=\"2\">
  <input type=\"hidden\" name=\"offset\" value=\"$start\">
  <input type=\"hidden\" name=\"recordid\" value=\"$id\">
  <table>
  <tr>
    <td>
    <input type=\"checkbox\" name=\"subset[cd]\" $cdsel value=\"true\">this CD
    </td>
  </tr><tr>
    <td>
    <input type=\"checkbox\" name=\"subset[jaar]\" $jrsel value=\"true\">this year
    </td>
  </tr><tr>
    <td>
    <input type=\"checkbox\" name=\"subset[location]\" $lcsel value=\"true\">Without location
    </td>
  </tr><tr>
    <td>
    <input type=\"checkbox\" name=\"subset[title]\" $ttsel value=\"true\">Without title
    </td>
  </tr><tr>
    <td>
    <input type=\"checkbox\" name=\"subset[description]\" $dssel value=\"true\">Without description
    </td>
  </tr>
  </table>
  <input type=\"submit\" class=\"SafeButton\" value=\"Create subset\" >
  </form>

</td>
<td>


  <h2>Key-words</h2>

  <form action=\"index.php\" method=\"POST\">
  <input type=\"hidden\" name=\"formid\" value=\"3\">
  <input type=\"hidden\" name=\"offset\" value=\"$start\">
  <input type=\"hidden\" name=\"recordid\" value=\"$id\">
  $themelist
  <input type=\"submit\" class=\"SafeButton\" value=\"Store information\" >
  <p>
    <a target=\"_new\" class=\"navig\" href=\"content/add.php?section=1\">Add keyword</a>
  </p><p>
    <a target=\"_new\" class=\"navig\" href=\"content/add.php?section=2\">Add species</a>
  </p><p>
    <a target=\"_new\" class=\"navig\" href=\"content/cdindex.php\">Import new CD</a>
  </p>

</td>
</tr>
</table>
   ";

[DKY]

okay, cool. Once again, I appreciate the help. and yes I did remember to do the auto-increment setting in the db. and it is working, everytime I submit it auto increments, well. Actually, everytime I refresh too. but that's another problem I have posted in another topic. HAHAAA

I can't quite get the link to work properly. I changed it around to look like this.

<a href= \"dky.sytes.net/PDC_Hotline.php?un='.$un.' \">dky.sytes.net/PDC_Hotline.php?un='.$un.' </a>

and it comes to me like this, which is cool except it needs an [url]http://[/url] in front of it.
dky.sytes.net/PDC_Hotline.php?un=119

but when I copy the shortcut and paste it into the browser to see why it's not working it looks like this
file:///C:/%22dky.sytes.net/PDC_Hotline.php%3Fun=119

and how in the world do I get the [url]http://[/url] in there without it thinking it should ignore it because of the double slash. 😃

P.S. in the code above, there actually is a \ before the " after the <a href=. it just doesn't show up for some reason when I submit

[cafrow]

Originally posted by DKY
First off THANK YOU SOO MUCH FOR AN EXAMPLE!!! I SOO APPRECIATE IT!!!.

Now that that is out of the way, I have a question. I'm following it all except the last part. What exactly is it doing? I'm thinking its displaying information from somecolum from YOURTABLE, is that correct?

$GetRecord = mysql_query("select * from YOURTABLE where YOURIDKOLUM = $un");

while($row=mysql_fetch_array($GetRecord))
{
echo $row['someColum']
}

Well the $un in the MySQL_QUERY is the variable you will need to get you Colum ID number into, you can do a

$un = $_POST['un'];

to get the UN variable from the URL into your $un variable.

The next line is a loop that will go thru and you can use to display all the records, I would do it something like this.

$row=mysql_fetch_array($GetRecord);

echo $row['ColumName'];

the ColumName would be the colum name of the record you are trying to display. The other example used a While loop but that should not be needed as the MySQL query should only return 1 record since the ID colum is a Unique field. If you are trying to fill out a form with the info you have out of the database then this is how I would make it look.

$GetRecord = mysql_query("select * from YOURTABLE where YOURIDKOLUM = $un"); 

$row=mysql_fetch_array($GetRecord);

?>
<form action="" method ="">
Client Name: <input type="text" name="clientname" value="<? echo $row['clientname']?>"><br>
Client Contact: <input type="text" name="ClientContact" value="<? echo $row['clientcontact']?>"><br>
</form>

This is just an example, you would want this to be in a IF condition or you could store the $un variable in a hidden field then if the $un value. Then when you resub to the same page you do a check for the value of $UN and if it is null you know to insert the form data, if it has value then you update the value.

[leatherback]

Hi,

I never had a problem with it..

Let me see..

This does not work, you say:

$mailmessage = "http://dky.sytes.net/PDC_Hotline.php?un=$un \">dky.sytes.net/PDC_Hotline.php?un=$un</a>";

Then you could try adding backslashes, but I doubt that would work. Hm.. odd

J.

[DKY]

okay, that works. I just had to play with it. I actually have a variable for my message which has other things besides just the link and was trying to put the <a href= in there but found that it was better to just put '.$mailmessage.' instead. Thanks again

[cafrow]

Hey DKY, I ended up coding a site somewhat what yours does with the editing and adding new content on one page, you can check it out, only does one field ATM because that is all I needed for right now.

<?php
$id = $_REQUEST['id'];
$movie = $_REQUEST['movie'];
$action="Add New Listing";
if ($id){
include 'mconnect.php';
 mysql_SELECT_DB('cafrow_movies') or die ('Could Select Databse Movies');
if($movie){
 mysql_QUERY("UPDATE movies SET movie = '$movie' WHERE id = '$id'") or die ("Could not Update Database");
$movie="";
}else{
 $movie = mysql_QUERY("SELECT * FROM movies WHERE id ='$id'");
 $row=mysql_fetch_array($movie);
$action ="Edit Listing";
}
mysql_close($mconnect);
}else{
if ($movie){
 include 'mconnect.php';
    if(!mysql_SELECT_DB('cafrow_movies')){
	die("Could not connect to Database Movies");
    }
 if (!MYSQL_Query("INSERT INTO movies SET movie='$movie'")){
	die("Could not Update Records");
    }Else{
	$updatemessage = $movie. " has been added to the database";
	}  	
mysql_close($mconnect);
}
}
echo $updatemessage;
?>
<form action="<?php echo $HTTP_SERVER_VARS['PHP_SELF']; ?>" method="post">
<input type="hidden" name="id" value="<? echo $id ?>"><br>
Movie Name: <input type="text" name="movie" value="<? echo $row['movie'] ?>"><br>
<input type="Submit" name="submit" value="<? echo $action ?>">
</form>
<br><br>
<a HREF="movies.php" target="_self">Back to Movie Listing</a>

[DKY]

I guess my question is, how do I put a variable in the url if not in the action of the form? that's the only way, right?