Allowing Incomplete Form Submition for SQL query

gpoduska

Hi,

I am building a webform for a wine database. I want to allow the user to select whichever form elements they wish. If they want to select just 1 item in the form or all items to narrow down the search, it will be ok.

My PHP

$query = 'SELECT * FROM vsommwines WHERE AND pricecat="'.$GET['pricecat'].'" AND color="'.$GET['color'].'" AND ingredient="'.$GET['ingredient'].'" AND type="'.$GET['type'].'"';

My Form Snippet

...
...
...
<input type="radio" name="pricecat" value="25to50" tabindex="9" style="position:absolute;z-index:20;left:191px;top:89px;">
<input type="radio" name="pricecat" value="O50" tabindex="10" style="position:absolute;z-index:21;left:271px;top:89px;">
<input type="radio" name="color" value="red" tabindex="11" style="position:absolute;z-index:22;left:21px;top:138px;">
<input type="radio" name="color" value="white" tabindex="12" style="position:absolute;z-index:23;left:74px;top:138px;">
...
...
...
There are many more items in the form, but if a user just chooses white, then what I want returned is all white wines no matter what the pricecat is or other fields.

My problem is that when fields are empty and submitted to the query string, nothing is returned. In this case, all fields must have a value.

How do I accomplish this?

devinemke

dynamically build your query based on the form input data. if a field is not used then simply leave it out of your query.

gpoduska

Easier said than done !

what is the best way to check for an empty field submitted? How is the query dynamically created? Examples would be very helpfull?

Thanks,

devinemke

<form action="" method="post">
pricecat:<br>
<input type="radio" name="pricecat" value="0to25">0-25<br>
<input type="radio" name="pricecat" value="26to50">26-50<br><br>
color:<br>
<input type="radio" name="color" value="red">red<br>
<input type="radio" name="color" value="white">white<br><br>
<input type="submit" name="submit" value="submit">
</form>

<?php
if (isset($_POST['submit']))
{
	unset($_POST['submit']);
	$sql = 'SELECT * FROM vsommwines WHERE 1 = 1';

foreach ($_POST as $key => $value)
{
	$sql .= " AND $key = '$value'";
}

echo $sql;
}
?>

gpoduska

Thanks, looks good so far...

Now..

If I add a drop down box in my form, an option value is always passed (always set). My first item in the drop down is "Choose a menu..." which isnt "selected". When I click submit without actually selecting an option in the drop down the value of the first option - "Choose a menu..." is put into the query regardless. The value is "".

<select name="menu" size="1" tabindex="6">
<option value="">Choose a menu..
<option value="m101">Restaurant1
<option value="m102">Restaurant2
</select>

My query turns out as:

SELECT * FROM vsommwines WHERE 1 = 1 AND menu ="

I want it to be:

SELECT * FROM vsommwines WHERE 1 = 1

gpoduska

Ah, I figured it out...

I set the first option of "choose menu" to value="noval"
If $_POST['menu'] = "noval" then unset it !!