Need Advice on Online Product Catalog with Search & Display

[g35fan]

I'm trying to build an online inventory that can be searched and dynamically displayed depending on that search and I'm really stuck at the moment.

I have about 100 items in 10 fields in a MySQL database. Dreamweaver connects to the database just fine and I was able to use online tutorials to view my inventory by creating some simple .php files that display records, etc.

Where I'm stuck at is on how to display the advanced search/filter function so a potential client can come on to my site, search my inventory using drop down boxes to filter results, and then have the results displayed to them. From what I understand I really only need 2 or 3 files - 1 for the dynamic inventory, 1 for product details/pics, 1 for search - is that correct?

Are there any scripts or framework I can download that handle all of this backend work or do I need to make this all custom with my database?

Thanks in advance...I've been working on this problem for about 12hrs straight now...

[bretticus]

Are there any scripts or framework I can download that handle all of this backend work or do I need to make this all custom with my database?

You can't just "plugin" some code for your custom database. Yes, it's true. You only need the good 'ole threesome: search, results, details.

The search page is simply a form with a search box and a submit button.

The results page should do a database query and show the results. This is done using the WHERE clause in a SELECT statement in MySQL. See Example #2 in the php manual. The one thing you'll need to do is hyperlink each result with the url to your details page referencing the primary key for the record (ie. details.php?id=<?=$row['primary_key']?>)

Finally, the details page simply looks up that one record refeneced by the primary keys and displays all (or some) of the (item) record's contents.

It's a simple model really. I know this stuff is not easy when you are first learning how to do it though. I suggest digging in (check out my php 101 link) and when you hit specific snags, post your questions here in this forum.

Good luck!

[g35fan]

Thanks for the reply. I figured it out on it's most basic level and got a working example going. Having a few issues still...but I feel some sense of accomplishment for finally figuring this out. I think the main problem was in the recordset - I was in advanced mode instead of simple.

[g35fan]

Alrighty- haha - next question which I'm stumped on:

Multiple List/Menu drop down boxes on the search page. I got the first one to work alright. "Type" is the one I got to work. But I want to have more than 1 choice, ie:

Type: Forklift, Reach Truck, Turret
Make: Hyster, Nissan, Toyota
Weight: <2,000lb, 2,000-5000lb, >5,000lb
etc.

I'd like to have about 5 or 6 of these choice fields to narrow the results page down to 1 or 2 records. Or have them leave those fields blank to display all of the results at once.

I've tried to do some research but can't seem to figure this out. I added multiple List/Menu drop down boxes within the form on the search.php page but only the first one works. Do I need to create multiple recordsets or do I use just 1?

Or am I on the wrong page? Should I be on the results page in advanced Recordset mode or in simple mode?

[dagon]

show us some code

but i imagine it should look something like

SELECT * from foo WHERE type='$type' AND make='$make' ....

$type and $make from your select boxes

[g35fan]

arrrg I'm lost. Here is the form code from my search.php page. Like I mentioned, the first List/Menu drop down box works great - but not the 2nd one. Should this be something dealing with the actual search page or the results page? Arrgh I'm lost...

---

<form id="form1" name="form1" method="post" action="inventory3.php">
<label></label>
<label></label>
<p>
<label></label>
</p>
<p>
<label>Type
<select name="TYPE" id="TYPE">
<option value="ARIEAL/SISSOR LIFT" <?php if (!(strcmp("ARIEAL/SISSOR LIFT", $row_Recordset1['TYPE']))) {echo "selected=\"selected\"";} ?>>ARIEAL/SISSOR LIFT</option>
<option value="CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT" <?php if (!(strcmp("CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT", $row_Recordset1['TYPE']))) {echo "selected=\"selected\"";} ?>>CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT</option>
<option value="FORKLIFT" <?php if (!(strcmp("FORKLIFT", $row_Recordset1['TYPE']))) {echo "selected=\"selected\"";} ?>>FORKLIFT</option>
<option value="JACKS/STACKERS" <?php if (!(strcmp("JACKS/STACKERS", $row_Recordset1['TYPE']))) {echo "selected=\"selected\"";} ?>>JACKS/STACKERS</option>
<option value="ORDER PICKER" <?php if (!(strcmp("ORDER PICKER", $row_Recordset1['TYPE']))) {echo "selected=\"selected\"";} ?>>ORDER PICKER</option>
<option value="PERSONNEL CART" <?php if (!(strcmp("PERSONNEL CART", $row_Recordset1['TYPE']))) {echo "selected=\"selected\"";} ?>>PERSONNEL CART</option>
<option value="REACH TRUCK" <?php if (!(strcmp("REACH TRUCK", $row_Recordset1['TYPE']))) {echo "selected=\"selected\"";} ?>>REACH TRUCK</option>
<option value="SIDE LOADER" <?php if (!(strcmp("SIDE LOADER", $row_Recordset1['TYPE']))) {echo "selected=\"selected\"";} ?>>SIDE LOADER</option>
<option value="STAND-UP" <?php if (!(strcmp("STAND-UP", $row_Recordset1['TYPE']))) {echo "selected=\"selected\"";} ?>>STAND-UP</option>
<option value="SWEEPER/SCRUBBER" <?php if (!(strcmp("SWEEPER/SCRUBBER", $row_Recordset1['TYPE']))) {echo "selected=\"selected\"";} ?>>SWEEPER/SCRUBBER</option>
<option value="TOW TRACTOR/TUGGER" <?php if (!(strcmp("TOW TRACTOR/TUGGER", $row_Recordset1['TYPE']))) {echo "selected=\"selected\"";} ?>>TOW TRACTOR/TUGGER</option>
<option value="TURRET" <?php if (!(strcmp("TURRET", $row_Recordset1['TYPE']))) {echo "selected=\"selected\"";} ?>>TURRET</option>
<option value="3 WHEEL FORKLIFT" <?php if (!(strcmp("3 WHEEL FORKLIFT", $row_Recordset1['TYPE']))) {echo "selected=\"selected\"";} ?>>3 WHEEL FORKLIFT</option>
<?php
do {

?><option value="<?php echo $row_Recordset1['TYPE']?>"<?php if (!(strcmp($row_Recordset1['TYPE'], $row_Recordset1['TYPE']))) {echo "selected=\"selected\"";} ?>><?php echo $row_Recordset1['TYPE']?></option>
<?php
} while ($row_Recordset1 = mysql_fetch_assoc($Recordset1));
$rows = mysql_num_rows($Recordset1);
if($rows > 0) {
mysql_data_seek($Recordset1, 0);
$row_Recordset1 = mysql_fetch_assoc($Recordset1);
}
?>
</select>
</label>
</p>
<p>Make
<label>
<select name="Make" id="Make">
<option value="Hyster" <?php if (!(strcmp("Hyster", $row_Recordset1['MAKE']))) {echo "selected=\"selected\"";} ?>>Hyster</option>
<option value="Caterpillar" <?php if (!(strcmp("Caterpillar", $row_Recordset1['MAKE']))) {echo "selected=\"selected\"";} ?>>Caterpillar</option>
<option value="TCM" <?php if (!(strcmp("TCM", $row_Recordset1['MAKE']))) {echo "selected=\"selected\"";} ?>>TCM</option>
<option value="Nissan" <?php if (!(strcmp("Nissan", $row_Recordset1['MAKE']))) {echo "selected=\"selected\"";} ?>>Nissan</option>
<option value="Toyota" <?php if (!(strcmp("Toyota", $row_Recordset1['MAKE']))) {echo "selected=\"selected\"";} ?>>Toyota</option>
<option value="Yale" <?php if (!(strcmp("Yale", $row_Recordset1['MAKE']))) {echo "selected=\"selected\"";} ?>>Yale</option>
<?php
do {

?>
<option value="<?php echo $row_Recordset1['MAKE']?>"<?php if (!(strcmp($row_Recordset1['MAKE'], $row_Recordset1['MAKE']))) {echo "selected=\"selected\"";} ?>><?php echo $row_Recordset1['MAKE']?></option>
<?php
} while ($row_Recordset1 = mysql_fetch_assoc($Recordset1));
$rows = mysql_num_rows($Recordset1);
if($rows > 0) {
mysql_data_seek($Recordset1, 0);
$row_Recordset1 = mysql_fetch_assoc($Recordset1);
}
?>
</select>
</label>
</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>
<label></label><label>Search
<input type="submit" name="Search" id="Search" value="Submit" />
</label>
</p>

</form>