Clarify and start again

Insain

I am attempting to learn php and mysql to maintain a database. I have a hosting service that gives me space to produce databases using mySQL. I then have to administer the database through myPHP Admin. So far, I have created a database and uploaded tables to this database. The database is called Reports and table is Contacts for example. the Contacts table has 4 fields, ID, ReportDate, Name, Contacts. I have also created queries and can execute those queries...after this I get very confused. I want to be able to create a form that allows a user to input data directly into this table. Everything I am reading says to create using php. I have used some of the help codes in php to create and my server does execute php. As you can tell I am extremely new to this and would like to be pointed in the right direction. Thanks for any help

krotkruton

Here is a pretty simple form page you could use, with generic names, called "mypage.php"

<?php
$something_else = "where_something";
mysql_select_db($database, $conn);

if (isset($_POST)){
  $query = "UPDATE `table` SET ";
  $flag = 0;
  if ($_POST['first'] != "") {
    $query .= "`first_field` = '".$_POST['first']."' ";
    $flag = 1;
    }
  if ($_POST['second'] != "") {
    if ($flag == 1) { $query .= ", "; }
    $query .= "`second_field` = '".$_POST['second']."' ";
    $flag = 1;
    }
  if ($flag == 1) {
    $query .= "WHERE `something` = '$something_else'";
    $result = mysql_query($query, $conn) or die(mysql_error());
  }
}

$query_current = "SELECT * FROM `table` WHERE `something` = '$something_else'";
$result_current = mysql_query($query_current, $conn) or die(mysql_error());
$row_current = mysql_fetch_assoc($result_current);
?>
<html>
<head>
</head>
<body>
<form name="this_form" method="post" action="mypage.php">
  <div>First value: <?php echo $row_current['first']; ?><br>
  <input type="text" name="first" value="">
  </div>
  <div>Second value: <?php echo $row_current['second']; ?><br>
  <input type="text" name="second" value="">
  </div>
  <input type="submit" value="Update">
</form>
</body>
</html>

First off, I just wrote that by hand so it might have errors as I didn't bother to test it.
With that said, this code will first check to see if anything has been passed as a $_POST variable (meaning that someone came to the page and submitted the form). If neigther value was set, but the form was submitted, then $flag will be 0 so it won't try to update. If both values are set, a ", " will be put between the messages to fit into the query language. Some other things will happen too, but then the form will update.

After that If statement, the page will query the current values (either old values or newly submitted ones) to be displayed on the page.

Next time, you might want to try searching this forum for "form update" or "using forms for databases" or something else along those lines as I'm sure there are plenty of other threads that have already delt with this problem. I also highly recommend you read the sticky threads about forum guidelines and learn a little more about how to and how not to ask for help (not that you did anything wrong, its just generally a good idea to look at the guidelines as it will help you get answers in the fastest possible way)

Then the page starts the form. It displays any current information already in the database next to each of the form inputs. The form will then have two input text fields. When the user clicks Update (replaced text for the submit button), the page will reload, the values will be checked and updated if necessary, and the form will be displayed again with the new values.

Insain

Thanks for the help. I have been reading for days on this and am willing to try anything. I will give it a try.