Can this be done??

mrjoeblack

let's say I've got a search page with 2 drop lists, each being part of a whole search string. So lets say the first choice list(1) is 22-33-44-55 and the
second list(2) gives choices of aa-bb-cc-dd

what i need is the user to select a choice from list (1) and then a choice from list(2) and when submitted, I need the 2 selections to be put together as one.

So let say the user chooses from (1) 44 and from (2) bb ..... on submit, I'd like the query sent to call the database to be "44bb"

Can it be done???

Hope it makes sense, thanks

NogDog

Sure, just concatenate the two form values together and use them in your query. (Or use something like [man]sprintf/man to build the query string.)

mrjoeblack

Hi Nogdog, ok I had a look at the sprintf thing and can see how to add numbers, subtract them etc etc, BUT I cant see how i'd join them together.

Is there any way you can give me some code to do the job???

The submitted 2 fields have to be joined together making one and searched for in the database.

thanks for your help so far.

bradgrafelman

If there is no special formatting to be done (e.g. you're simply trying to glue the two strings together), then concatenation is probably simpler.

Otherwise, if you're determined to use [man]sprintf/man for some reason, you'd simply place two string placeholders next to each other (e.g. '%s%s') in the format string.

mrjoeblack

ok Brad can you explain the concantenation thing and how I'd do that??? can you give me some example code please??

bradgrafelman

The manual page NogDog linked to above explains what concatenation is and gives coding examples as well. Essentially, you just join two strings together using a period.

cretaceous

would it not be better to have the two dropdowns submit their own value ..
( and if in separate forms, with a hidden value to pass the status of the other dropdown)

then when they are submitted, pick up the two values and concatenate them at that point - and not before

mrjoeblack

cretaceous ... maybe it would, i'd just like to get it working, perhaps you could drum me up some code, that would be helpful 🙂

cretaceous

um - well you really have everything you need from this thread -
would be better to show some code and then ask for help

mrjoeblack

wow that was a fast response, thanks for that. Well I'm old and not a whiz kid like you guys but I can put the form together and submit seperate field entries to the database, but I don't know how I can join then, concatenate them. Even tho I have been directed to the manual for it, I dont think I'll be able to make sense of that. I guess I was hoping for some further assistance with it. We'll see what comes along. regards,

cretaceous

aha - I bet I am not far off your age !
(Nogdog is similar age too )

mrjoeblack

hahaha ok, could be. maybe i should have said, my expertise lies in a different area so my brain has already been scramled with that and is incapable of getting around this complicated php code thing hahaha. I will try to make something up for you guys to look at. I do understand that you try to get the students using their brains and learning for themselves and not just be making it too easy for them. You are doing the right thing so far as teaching is concerned, I just wanted to skip that process hahaha so I could get on with the main project of which this is just a small part. Hope you follow ok 🙂 appreciate your input and sense of humour, I wasn't sure if there was one in here at times, lol

cretaceous

an explicit sample - change as needed

$dd1_id=$_POST['dd1_id'];
$dd2_id=$_POST['dd2_id'];

$ddconcat=$dd1_id.$dd2_id;

nope, no sense of humour here - laugh at code, it will get its revenge

mrjoeblack

cretaceous, i can tell you're a top man with such goodwill, thanks for starting me off with something, I'll see what I can make of it. It may take me some time, but I'll keep you posted. Glad to see you're a UK man, I may be needing an expert at some stage for something big. I'm further north. London is buzzing today with the royals announcement! cheers for now 🙂

cretaceous

ah well I remember the oldest one getting married - spent the day in the pub I did

NogDog

And don't forget about SQL injection prevention. If using the MySQL functions, be sure to make use of the [man]mysql_real_escape_string/man function. To kill a couple birds with one stone, we could throw it all together into one [man]sprintf/man call:

$query = sprintf(
   "SELECT * FROM table_name WHERE some_field = '%s%s'",
   mysql_real_escape_string($dd1_id),
   mysql_real_escape_string($dd2_id)
);

🙂

mrjoeblack

aaahhhhh hhhheeeellllppppppp!!!!!!

thanks NogDog, lol ... hhmmm now let's see

who said this was easy ???

cretaceous

de-concatenating any confusion:
apologies for going way off topic here but I need to set record straight on my comment on royals wedding :
when I said 'eldest one' I meant his father
I only just realised today, while perusing my newspaper, that the wedding is his sons
- end error message

mrjoeblack

ah ok no probs, I thot you mean his grandfather making you really old lol, so you must be younger like me lol. Haven't had time to figure out the code yet, hope to soon tho 🙂

mrjoeblack

Guys I just came back to this project. It's taken 2 years but I think I just got my head around what you were saying about "concatenating" hahaha. haven't tried it yet, that might take another 2 years. BUT just to say thanks again nogdog & cretaceous and friends. This forum really is consistently great over the years 🙂