updating multiple rows in a single form

toodi4

I'm trying to do an update to a database of several rows at once, all from the same form. I have no problem doing a single row update. When multiple rows are on the same form, only the last row updates, which is logical since if there are identical field names on a form, only the last value would be recognized.

I've done a lot of searching on this, and I think I'm about 90% there, but am a little stuck at get it to 100%

I don't know if it complicates things or not, but the database I'm working with on this project is MSSQL, and I need to call a stored procedure. I'm handling the php coding, not the mssql code, and I'm trying to get this form submission accomplished through php coding and simply looping throug the stored procedure with the multiple row updates.

It is my understanding that on the submitting form, each field should be numbered so that all fields have unique names:

ID1, name1, title1, description1
ID2, name2, title2, description2

Then on the form submission code, the values entered be sent to until there are no more fields to enter.

So let's say the code for a one row submission is as follows:

$query ="Exec Stored_procedure_name_for_update $ID, '$name' , '$title' , '$description' ";

$result = mssql_query($query) or die("couldn't execute query");

What would I have to add so that this query loops through the form results entering each value for each field name? I'm trying to keep this as simple as possilbe. I'm not a newbie, but I'm not an expert either. I can deal with other issues later, right now I'm just trying to get the loop to work.

Thanks!

rajug

I am not sure about the stored proceduer. But since you have named the fields in the form as unique names, why dont you run a loop exactly the number of times your form fields are named and execute the update statement for each update. I think you have stored respective IDs of each rows.

Weedpacket

Instead of naming them "id1", "name2" and so on in the form, consider naming them field[1]['id'], field[2]['name'], etc. Then all the fields that go with record number 2 are in the $POST['field'][2] array as $POST['field'][2]['id'], $_POST['field'][2]['name'], etc. Makes it a lot easier to go through them when processing.

toodi4

Weedpacket wrote:
Instead of naming them "id1", "name2" and so on in the form, consider naming them field[1]['id'], field[2]['name'], etc. Then all the fields that go with record number 2 are in the $POST['field'][2] array as $POST['field'][2]['id'], $_POST['field'][2]['name'], etc. Makes it a lot easier to go through them when processing.

Thanks, that's easy enough to do. But I'm still unclear as to how I code to get the sql statement to loop through each row of data.

Weedpacket

It would be the other way around, I'd think: you'd have the script loop through the data and run the query for each row:

foreach($_POST['field'] as $row){
    // Do stuff with $row['id'], $row['name'], ... checking that they exist, of course
}

toodi4

So just to be clear, this is what the code should be:

foreach($_POST['field'] as $row){

query = "Exec Stored_procedure_name_for_update $row['id'], $row['name'], $row['$title'] , $row['$description'] ";

$result = mssql_query($query) or die("couldn't execute query");
}

I'll give it a try, thanks!