Javascript to MySQL question

mousebear

I'm trying to strategize the next step in my .php file. I show a user a page of 7 photos to which they add a set of 4 scores and comments for each photo, then they can go to the next (or previous) 7 photos. For different users the total number of photos will be different. I thought it might be inconvenient to post the data every time you leave the set of 7. At first I thought I would store the data in hidden fields, but that would seem like a lot of hidden fields (maybe 200x for each score and comment), and PHP would not know the number of the fields to create until the javascript runs and fetches the photos.

What would seem very simple is to create javascript arrays that add "records" as sets of 7 photos are retrieved and users values entered into the form fields. I think I can pass the information back and forth between the javascript arrays (with upwards of 200 records) and the 7 sets of form fields easily.

The issue is going to be posting the data to MySQL. I am thinking I could loop through the javascript array, change a set of hidden fields, and post them record by record. Would that be prohibitively slow if I might have around 100 records (photos). I guess I could have 20 (to pick a number out of a hat) hidden fields and process the records 20 at a time or something if that would speed up the posting.

I am hoping that you folks that have a lot of real-world experience with these sorts of problems might have a good feel for the best way to approach this.

mousebear

Actually, now I'm learning about defining objects instead of using arrays. It's a lot to wrap my brain around. But my basic question is still the same. Does this make sense to put data into, and get data from, these objects; then use a loop to populate some hidden fields and post the data to MySQL?

Piranha

Just post and insert into the database for every 7 photos.

mousebear

OK, I'll try that. By the way, my objects are working quite nicely so far. This seems like a better client-side solution to store the data than using an array.

Since I'll be posting and inserting the data for the entire list of photos, there's actually nothing magic about the number 7. I don't think it'll be too hard to try out different numbers of hidden fields and see what seems optimal. Maybe I can build in a timer to test it.

Thanks very much,

Piranha

Let me say it in another way then. Store what have been done so far whenever the client connects to the server. I can't see any reason not to insert into the database all the time. On the contrary, if the user decides to stop and come back and finish later or if the computer crashes or something simular he have to do it all again if you are not storing it at once.

mousebear

Sounds good. The crashing/interrupting thing was something I hadn't considered. That does seem to point to the magic number 7, since I have functions already that are triggered by switching to another set of 7 images.

On the other hand, I also have functions that are triggered whenever anyone simply moves from one image to the next within the set of 7. That could also post the data, but I wouldn't want hardly any delay at that point.

I think it should be easy to post the data when they click to another set of images, but I'm hoping I can also make it do that when they want to leave the page as well. I'm thinking it would be inconvenient to hit the user with a POST-SCORES button.