passing an ID field through to PHP

[Colm_Osiris]

I think this is a PHP question, and not MySQL?

I have a MySQL database which I'm searching via PHP, and it produces a list perfectly well.

I want to be able to click on a button on any of the found records in the list, to go to a detail page for that record.

I have a problem:

The ID field I'm passing as a hidden field is always from the last record in the list, regardless of which record's button I click. I imgaine this is because by the time the button is pressed, the ID field has been incremented? But how do I get round it please?

Many thanks in advance. :-)

[Piranha]

Some code so we can see what you have done?

[Colm_Osiris]

Thanks. Yes, here is the script.

<?php

$key=$_POST['key'];
echo $key . '<br><br>';

$num=0;
$user="xsxxxxxxx";
$password="xxxxxxxx";
$database="xxxxxxxx";

$search_company=$_POST['company'];

$search_classification=$_POST['classification'];
mysql_connect(localhost,$user,$password);
@mysql_select_db($database) or die("Unable to select database");


// get data - classification only (clicked link from results not found list)
if ((isset($_GET['classification'])) && ($_GET['classification']!=''))
{

$search_classification=$_GET['classification'];

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

$query="SELECT * FROM contacts WHERE (classification='$search_classification') ORDER BY company ASC";
$result=mysql_query($query);
$num=mysql_numrows($result);
mysql_close();
}
else

// post data
{
	// both classification and company
	if (($search_classification != "") && ($search_company != ""))
		{
			$query="SELECT * FROM contacts WHERE (company LIKE '$search_company%') or (classification LIKE '$search_classification%') ORDER BY company ASC";
		}

// classification only
if (($search_classification != "") && ($search_company == ""))
{
	$query="SELECT * FROM contacts WHERE (classification LIKE '$search_classification%') ORDER BY company ASC";
}

// company only
if (($search_classification == "") && ($search_company != ""))
{
$query="SELECT * FROM contacts WHERE (company LIKE '$search_company%') ORDER BY company ASC";
}

// run the query
$result=mysql_query($query);

$num=mysql_numrows($result);
mysql_close();
}

// results found
if ($num!==0)
{
	// results header
	echo '<h2>' . $num . ' results for ';

// both classification and company
if (($search_classification != "") && ($search_company != ""))
{echo 'classification  "' . $search_classification . '" and company  "' . $search_company . '" :</h2>';}

// classification only
if (($search_classification != "") && ($search_company == ""))
{echo 'classification "' . $search_classification . '" :</h2>';}

// company only
if (($search_classification == "") && ($search_company != ""))
{echo 'company "' . $search_company . '" :</h2>';}

// results list
echo '<hr>';
	$i=0;
	while ($i < $num) 
	{

	// get the results
	$id=mysql_result($result,$i,"contactID");
	$company=mysql_result($result,$i,"company");

	$address=mysql_result($result,$i,"address");
	$phone=mysql_result($result,$i,"phone");
	$classification=mysql_result($result,$i,"classification");
	$website=mysql_result($result,$i,"website");


	// display the results
	echo
'id: ' . $id . '<br>
company: ' . $company . '<br>
address: ' . $address . '<br>
phone: ' . $phone . '<br>
classification: ' . $classification . '<br>
<a href="http://' . $website . '">http://' . $website . '</a><br><br>
open within frame:<br>
<a href="frame.php?website=' . $website .'" target="_blank">' . $website . '</a><br><br>
<input type="Submit" value="details">
<input type="hidden" name="key" value="' . $id . '"><br>
<hr>
		';
		$i++;
	}
}
else 
{
	// no results found
	echo
'<h2>Sorry! No Results Found. Please Select from one of the following Classifications</h2>

<a href="results.php?classification=supermarket">Supermarket</a><br>
<a href="results.php?classification=department store">Department Store<br></a>
<a href="results.php?classification=designers">Designers</a>
	';
}
?>

The bit where I'm getting the hidden ID field is in the section headed "// display the results".

Where I'm picking it up is right at the beginning.

Okay, I know I'm not doing anything with this field at the moment, apart from print it out, but I'll add that stuff once I know I'm getting the right data.

[Piranha]

You use the POST-method to pass on the id:

<input type="hidden" name="key" value="' . $id . '">

To do what you are trying it is easiest to use the GET-method, and use it on the id for example:

<a href="page.php?id=' . $id . '">

If there are some reason why you don't want to use GET then you should make new forms for each result, then you can pass it on as a hidden value.

[Colm_Osiris]

Yes, I've done it by making a form for each button, and it works a treat.

Thanks very much. :-)