[RESOLVED] Need help converting some code to an efficient function

schwim

Hi there guys,

I'm trying to streamline a site design I've done, and I'm moving as many parts of the code to functions as I can, to make future page additions easier.

One of the things I'm doing is loading a template based on a couple of conditions:

1) Is it active? This is fixed and should never change.

2) Is this page suitable for Type A(show_fin) display?

3) Is this page suitable for Type B(show_underconst) display?

To explain, the templates include pictures of houses both finished and under construction. Finished houses can load on certain pages, and under construction templates can load on certain pages. Some pages overlap regarding what templates can be used.

Right now I have the code in the page itself that determines which template gets loaded:

    if(!ISSET($_GET['bg_id'])){
		$query = "SELECT id FROM background WHERE active='yes' AND show_fin='yes' ORDER BY rand() LIMIT 1";

	$result = mysql_query($query) or die('MySQL error: ' . mysql_error() . '<hr/>' . $query);

	while ($row = mysql_fetch_assoc ($result)) {

		$bg_id = $row['id'];

	}
}else{
	$bg_id = $_POST['bg_id'];
}

Basically, if the bg_id isn't passed via the URL, it selects the template info based on the SQL conditions.

I would like to convert this to a function where I can pass the conditions from the function call(whether the page is suitable for Type A, Type B or both types of templates), but don't know how to do this.

Any help would be appreciated.

thanks,
json

schwim

Also, some basic assistance on implementing code via the function.

If I simply move the code over to a function, it stops working:

function background_select() {
	if(!ISSET($_GET['bg_id'])){
		$query = "SELECT id FROM background WHERE active='yes' AND show_fin='yes' ORDER BY rand() LIMIT 1";

	$result = mysql_query($query) or die('MySQL error: ' . mysql_error() . '<hr/>' . $query);

	while ($row = mysql_fetch_assoc ($result)) {

		$bg_id = $row['id'];

	}
}else{
	$bg_id = $_GET['bg_id'];
}
}

This causes it to stop selecting a template. I thought maybe I needed to make the $_GET['bg_id'] global, but that caused an error.

thanks,
json

halojoy

This causes it to stop selecting a template.

I thought maybe I needed to make the $_GET['bg_id'] global,
but that caused an error.
thanks, json

Why not submit a value to this function.
And remember to return value

<?php
function background_select( $get_bgid="" ){
    if(empty($get_bgid)){
        $query = "SELECT id FROM background WHERE active='yes' AND
               show_fin='yes' ORDER BY rand() LIMIT 1";

    $result = mysql_query($query) or die('MySQL error: '.mysql_error().'<hr/>'.$query);
    while ($row = mysql_fetch_assoc ($result)) {
        $bg_id = $row['id'];
    }
}
else{
    $bg_id = $get_bgid;
}

return $bg_id;
}
/////////////////////////////////

// use the function
$get_bgid = isset($_GET['bg_id']) ? $_GET['bg_id'] : "";
$bg_id = background_select( $get_bgid );

// this call will work, too. Because $get_bgid is set = "" by function
$bg_id = background_select();

?>

schwim

Hi there Halo, and thanks very much for the reply.

Part of what I need to do with the function is to decide what type of template to load:

for instance, I have three types of templates: 1, 2 and 3.

The page calling the function will set which type of template is required, so this:

$query = "SELECT id FROM background WHERE active='yes' AND
                      show_fin='yes' ORDER BY rand() LIMIT 1";

Needs to become:

$query = "SELECT id FROM background WHERE active='yes' AND
                      type='1' ORDER BY rand() LIMIT 1";

Or type='2' Or type='3', depending on what the page decides.

How would I convert the function to do that?

thanks,
json

halojoy

schwim wrote:
Hi there Halo, and thanks very much for the reply.
$query = "SELECT id FROM background WHERE active='yes' AND
                      show_fin='yes' ORDER BY rand() LIMIT 1"; 
Needs to become:
$query = "SELECT id FROM background WHERE active='yes' AND
                      type='1' ORDER BY rand() LIMIT 1"; 
Or type='2' Or type='3', depending on what the page decides.

How would I convert the function to do that?

Well, I know probably less than you of SQL.
And I have no interest to learn SuchQueerLang either.
It is enough this language is making other peoples hair turn grey.

So, I am sure some other from our gang here,
will jump in & assist you on this one.
My strength is more in the basic PHP language functions.
Not in some strange DataBase expressions syntax 😃 😃

schwim

Hi there guys,

Well, during the time alloted to me, I tried to implement this on my own, but am having a problem:

Page being loaded:

// bg type: 1) Finished 2) Under Construction 3) Both
$bg_type = '3';

/*We need to determine which templates are available for this page in particular*/
if(!ISSET($_GET['bg_id'])){
	$bg_id='999';
}else{
	$bg_id = $_GET['bg_id'];
}

background_select();

Function:

function background_select() {
global $bg_id;
global $bg_type;
	if($bg_id='999'){
		unset($GLOBALS['bg_id']);
		$query = "SELECT id FROM background WHERE active='yes' AND type='$bg_type' ORDER BY rand() LIMIT 1";

	$result = mysql_query($query) or die('MySQL error: ' . mysql_error() . '<hr/>' . $query);

	while ($row = mysql_fetch_assoc ($result)) {

		$bg_id = $row['id'];

	}
}
}

Currently, while testing with nothing being passed in the URL, it's returning bg_id's value as 999, which is right going into the function, but why is the function not setting the new value?

I tried using unset at the beginning of the function, but although it did destroy the value, it still didn't get populated with a new value:

unset($GLOBALS['bg_id']);

I echo'd the query, and everything seems to be correct there:

SELECT id FROM background WHERE active='yes' AND type='3' ORDER BY rand() LIMIT 1

And I echo'd $row['id'] in the while loop. It returned the correct result.

So I think it's got to be the way I'm handling the variable.

Any help would be appreciated,
json

schwim

Got it:

$GLOBALS['bg_id'] = $row['id'];

thanks,
json