[RESOLVED] How should I do this?

[jmartinez]

I have a group of drop downs that depend on each other (its not working at all). The information that is called from the drop down is based on a mysql qurrey result that is based off the drop down before it. Like this here.

The problem I have is that the only way I know to make this work is with the onchange option refreshing the page. But once this is done all other values no longer are valid. There is no reason to have all the drop downs (imo) but my boss just wants to be able select the item by going to the division then subcat then select the item. The other issue is that we need to be able to select up to 10 items. How can I clean this up and make it function properly? I hope this makes some since.... Thanks in advance for the help.

[Percadan]

DHTML would be my guess.

[blackhorse]

jmartinez wrote:

The problem I have is that the only way I know to make this work is with the onchange option refreshing the page. But once this is done all other values no longer are valid. There is no reason to have all the drop downs (imo) but my boss just wants to be able select the item by going to the division then subcat then select the item. The other issue is that we need to be able to select up to 10 items. How can I clean this up and make it function properly? I hope this makes some since.... Thanks in advance for the help.

<form name="myform" method="post" action="">
<select name="division" onChange="this.form.submit();">
</select>
<select name="cat" onChange="this.form.submit();">
</select>
<select name="sub" onChange="this.form.submit();">
</select>
<input type="button" name="submit" value="submit" onClick="javascript: document.myform.action='next.php'; document.myform.submit();">
</form>

MySQL and php soultions

Make the form onchange to submit to itself, you get the values, search the database, and reassign the values to the form fields if necessary.

and only when click the submit button, then your form is sent to another page.

as for 10 drop down, you can name your select fields as array, or just division_1, division_2, duplicate the first set.

Javascript solutions

Search for the "chain menu" there are some very good javascript "chain menu" for your request.

[jmartinez]

Cool I will give this a try!

[blackhorse]

http://www.dynamicdrive.com/dynamicindex16/chainedselects/index.htm

Best way is to see if you can grab the values from database, and then assign these values to the above javascript or similar javascript. So the chain menu changes will stay at the client side. Not have to submit the form and refresh the form every time.

I found this script, but I cannot use it. Because my chain menu request multiple select. So I wrote my own php solutions. It has to submit and refresh every time when the chain menu select.

[Roger_Ramjet]

Funny how the same problems come in clusters: there are several current threads that are relevent to this.

The first point is one that I have just finished answering in this thread , and my answer is not one that your boss is going to like, unless yours is an Intranet/Extranet environment.

Quite simply, javascript-dependent public websites are ILLEGAL in Europe, or rather the EU: though most web-heads do not realise it.
All of our governments have signed up to the notion of accessibility, and passed local laws to enforce the issue.

So far this has just been interpretted to mean 'accesible to people with disabilities' like impaired vision. see this articel or this article for more information.

"OK", your boss sez, "We'll provide alt text for images" etc: but that is still browser-dependent.
But what about this:
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2 (WCAG2)

WCAG2 is currently being written by the WAI and is due for release late 2005. The draft guidelines group checkpoints under four main principles:

* Perceivable - all content must be perceivable i.e. provide text for non-text content
* Operable - Interface elements in the content must be operable i.e. access via a keyboard or keyboard interface
* Understandable - Content and controls must be understandable i.e. text should not be ambiguous
* Robust - Content must be robust enough to work with current and future technologies i.e. will work with old, new and future technology[/COLOR]

What you gonna do when someone comes along and sez, "I use a different technology, or an old browser, and it is not javascript complient."? How does that fit with the 'Robust' aspect?

Add that to this, (from the W3.org website)
It will also enable people to access Web content using many different devices - including a wide variety of assistive technologies.
and you have a problem.

What I'm trying to get at is that your web site MUST be accessible to the lowest common denominator if it is public. That means that it must work in text-only mode. Then, and only then, can you off-load the problem to the user and their agent. If you provide a text-complient website then it is up to them to use an agent that can convert that text to their needs.

Throw all this at your boss and tell him to get with the program: make it work at the lowest level and then use enhanced technologies like js and AJAX for those that can use them.

[jmartinez]

After much thinking on what Roger Ramjet had to say along with my original statement about only needing the item name I came up with this..

<?
mysql_connect(localhost,$username,$password);
@mysql_select_db($database) or die( "Unable to select database");

$getlist = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM item_info ORDER BY itemcat ASC");
echo " <select name=\"item1\">\n";
echo "<option selected value=''>Select One</option>";
while ($row = mysql_fetch_array($getlist)) {
echo ' <option value="'.$row["itemname"].'">'.$row["itemcat"].'&nbsp;>&nbsp;'.$row["itemtype"].'&nbsp;>&nbsp;'.$row["itemname"]."</option>\n";
}
echo " </select>\n"; 
?>

I had to tweek the database a little bit by adding the needed fields but I got it figured out.

Yay me!!