Getting variables from another file

[Ørjan Langbakk]

I wanna make a file that holds the complete pricelist for a small
webshop (yes, I know that a database in the background would be a lot
simpler, but that is not an option today, unfortunately).

I'm thinking something like creating a file that holds the productname
and the price, and then just get the price from the other pages that
needs it. (Typically an overview page of all the products in a category,
and the spesific product pages).

I'm thinking it would be possible to create something like:

#Product 1
$produkt1 = 2000
#produkt 2
$produkt2 = 1400

and so on

Is this a good way to create this?

And what is the best way to get the informatin into the file that needs
to parse it? $GET? or something else entirely?

--
mvh
Ørjan Langbakk

http://www.bergenpchjelp.no

http://www.cubic-design.net

[Rik]

Re: Getting variables from another file

Ørjan Langbakk wrote:

I wanna make a file that holds the complete pricelist for a small
webshop (yes, I know that a database in the background would be a lot
simpler, but that is not an option today, unfortunately).
>
I'm thinking something like creating a file that holds the productname
and the price, and then just get the price from the other pages that
needs it. (Typically an overview page of all the products in a
category, and the spesific product pages).
>
I'm thinking it would be possible to create something like:
>
#Product 1
$produkt1 = 2000
#produkt 2
$produkt2 = 1400
>
and so on
>
Is this a good way to create this?

Why not create an CSV, and use fgetcsv() and fputcsv() to get/store the
data? That way it's still pretty easy to update/add/delete stuff, and you
could even run a database somewhere else that would periodically upload a
changed csv easily. Maybe even parse_ini_file( ) could help you here, but I
doubt it will handle very nicely once the shop grows.

Grtz,
--
Rik Wasmus

[Ørjan Langbakk]

Re: Getting variables from another file

Den 14.08.2006 16:21, skriblet Rik følgende:

Ørjan Langbakk wrote:

>I wanna make a file that holds the complete pricelist for a small
>webshop (yes, I know that a database in the background would be a lot
>simpler, but that is not an option today, unfortunately).
>>
>I'm thinking something like creating a file that holds the productname
>and the price, and then just get the price from the other pages that
>needs it. (Typically an overview page of all the products in a
>category, and the spesific product pages).
>>
>I'm thinking it would be possible to create something like:
>>
>#Product 1
>$produkt1 = 2000
>#produkt 2
>$produkt2 = 1400
>>
>and so on
>>
>Is this a good way to create this?

>
Why not create an CSV, and use fgetcsv() and fputcsv() to get/store the
data? That way it's still pretty easy to update/add/delete stuff, and you
could even run a database somewhere else that would periodically upload a
changed csv easily. Maybe even parse_ini_file( ) could help you here, but I
doubt it will handle very nicely once the shop grows.

Well... I already have CSV-files of all the product-listing pages. But
what I want is _one_ file just holding the prices, basically - no other
info. The reason for this is that the prices change frequently (sales,
campaigns etc.) - therefore it would be much easier to just store each
price as a variable, and then get that variable on the pages that need
the price displayed.

So, I think maybe my original suggestion is better, if it works - will
it work?

--
mvh
Ørjan Langbakk

http://www.bergenpchjelp.no

http://www.cubic-design.net

[Rik]

Re: Getting variables from another file

Ørjan Langbakk wrote:

Den 14.08.2006 16:21, skriblet Rik følgende:

>Ørjan Langbakk wrote:

>>I wanna make a file that holds the complete pricelist for a small
>>webshop (yes, I know that a database in the background would be a
>>lot simpler, but that is not an option today, unfortunately).
>>>
>>I'm thinking something like creating a file that holds the
>>productname and the price, and then just get the price from the
>>other pages that needs it. (Typically an overview page of all the
>>products in a
>>category, and the spesific product pages).
>>>
>>I'm thinking it would be possible to create something like:
>>>
>>#Product 1
>>$produkt1 = 2000
>>#produkt 2
>>$produkt2 = 1400
>>>
>>and so on
>>>
>>Is this a good way to create this?

>>
>Why not create an CSV, and use fgetcsv() and fputcsv() to get/store
>the data? That way it's still pretty easy to update/add/delete
>stuff, and you could even run a database somewhere else that would
>periodically upload a changed csv easily. Maybe even
>parse_ini_file () could help you here, but I doubt it will handle
>very nicely once the shop grows.

>
Well... I already have CSV-files of all the product-listing pages. But
what I want is _one_ file just holding the prices, basically - no
other info. The reason for this is that the prices change frequently
(sales, campaigns etc.) - therefore it would be much easier to just
store each price as a variable, and then get that variable on the
pages that need
the price displayed.
>
So, I think maybe my original suggestion is better, if it works - will
it work?

It can work perfectly.
I'd prefer an array though: using a product id, and an include like:

<?php
$prices = array(
1 =1200,
2 =4200,
etc...
)
?>

But why not create a seperate csv (if you really want it seperate) if you're
already using it's capabilities?

1,1200
2,1400
etc...

It seems more logical/maintainable to me. It seems even more logical to me
to keep the price in the original CSV, and to maintain it there. It's not
that hard to write a framework than can manipulate a csv as easily as a flat
table.

Grtz,
--
Rik Wasmus

[Ørjan Langbakk]

Re: Getting variables from another file

Den 14.08.2006 17:59, skriblet Rik følgende:

Ørjan Langbakk wrote:

>Den 14.08.2006 16:21, skriblet Rik følgende:

>>Ørjan Langbakk wrote:
>>>I wanna make a file that holds the complete pricelist for a small
>>>webshop (yes, I know that a database in the background would be a
>>>lot simpler, but that is not an option today, unfortunately).
>>>>
>>>I'm thinking something like creating a file that holds the
>>>productnam e and the price, and then just get the price from the
>>>other pages that needs it. (Typically an overview page of all the
>>>products in a
>>>category, and the spesific product pages).
>>>>
>>>I'm thinking it would be possible to create something like:
>>>>
>>>#Product 1
>>>$produkt1 = 2000
>>>#produkt 2
>>>$produkt2 = 1400
>>>>
>>>and so on
>>>>
>>>Is this a good way to create this?
>>Why not create an CSV, and use fgetcsv() and fputcsv() to get/store
>>the data? That way it's still pretty easy to update/add/delete
>>stuff, and you could even run a database somewhere else that would
>>periodicall y upload a changed csv easily. Maybe even
>>parse_ini_fil e() could help you here, but I doubt it will handle
>>very nicely once the shop grows.

>Well... I already have CSV-files of all the product-listing pages. But
>what I want is _one_ file just holding the prices, basically - no
>other info. The reason for this is that the prices change frequently
>(sales, campaigns etc.) - therefore it would be much easier to just
>store each price as a variable, and then get that variable on the
>pages that need
>the price displayed.
>>
>So, I think maybe my original suggestion is better, if it works - will
>it work?

>
It can work perfectly.
I'd prefer an array though: using a product id, and an include like:
>
<?php
$prices = array(
1 =1200,
2 =4200,
etc...
)
?>
>
But why not create a seperate csv (if you really want it seperate) if you're
already using it's capabilities?
>
1,1200
2,1400
etc...
>
It seems more logical/maintainable to me. It seems even more logical to me
to keep the price in the original CSV, and to maintain it there. It's not
that hard to write a framework than can manipulate a csv as easily as a flat
table.

Maybe? I'm not that capable at PHP (at least not yet) - What I wonder is
how I would take JUST that value (ie. the price) from the CSV-file I
already have?

Could I use a kind of one-liner to just put in the last group in the CSV
(the price is always last)?

And, as I am also new to the array-functions, how would I go around
creating that file, and pulling the different values from it?

I'm thinking I could use something like:

<?php
$prices = array (
product1 =1200,
product2 =2400,
product3 =3450,
)
?>

Would this work? Does the names have anything to say? And, to pull one
value from this file - how would I do that? Assuming that this is put in
a separate PHP-file, that is. Like eg. prices.php

Would I use something like <?php $_GET["prices.php "] $prices="produc t1"
???


--
mvh
Ørjan Langbakk

http://www.bergenpchjelp.no

http://www.cubic-design.net

[Gary Hasler]

Re: Getting variables from another file

But why not create a seperate csv (if you really want it seperate) if you're

already using it's capabilities?

...It seems more logical/maintainable to me. It seems even more logical to me
to keep the price in the original CSV, and to maintain it there. It's not
that hard to write a framework than can manipulate a csv as easily as a flat
table.

I agree totally. I store a list of about 40 unit rate prices for our online
quote system as a very small .csv file, and our cost estimating staff can easily
load it in Microsoft Excel and play with it all they want without having to get
into databases at all. When they're finished, I upload it to the server easy as
pie.

[mootmail-googlegroups@yahoo.com]

Re: Getting variables from another file


Ørjan Langbakk wrote:

And, as I am also new to the array-functions, how would I go around
creating that file, and pulling the different values from it?
>
I'm thinking I could use something like:
>
<?php
$prices = array (
product1 =1200,
product2 =2400,
product3 =3450,
)
?>
>

To do this, put that $prices array in a file all by itself.
Then, from the page that needs to use this data, use require_once [1]
to include the file.
To access the data for a specific product, then, you would say, for
example, $prices['product1'].

This can be a very easy to implement solution, but difficult to
maintain in the long run. I agree with those advocating using, at the
very least, CSV (though I've never done it, so probably won't be of
much help). Once someone decides they want to do more with the website
and/or the data, you are going to wish you had a more flexible data
backend than an include file with an array.


[1] - http://us2.php.net/manual/en/function.require-once.php

[Ørjan Langbakk]

Re: Getting variables from another file

Den 14.08.2006 22:23, skriblet Gary Hasler følgende:

>But why not create a seperate csv (if you really want it seperate) if you're
>already using it's capabilities?

>

>...It seems more logical/maintainable to me. It seems even more logical to me
>to keep the price in the original CSV, and to maintain it there. It's not
>that hard to write a framework than can manipulate a csv as easily as a flat
>table.

>
I agree totally. I store a list of about 40 unit rate prices for our online
quote system as a very small .csv file, and our cost estimating staff can easily
load it in Microsoft Excel and play with it all they want without having to get
into databases at all. When they're finished, I upload it to the server easy as
pie.

Well... I use TextPad for my webcoding, and has no problems using that
with custom highlights for CSV :)

But still, I kinda don't understand how I would extract only ONE value
for each row in the CSV file, into the other file. If someone can point
me in the right direction for something like that, it would be great -
the lesser the files to maintain, the better.


--
mvh
Ørjan Langbakk

http://www.bergenpchjelp.no

http://www.cubic-design.net

[Ørjan Langbakk]

Re: Getting variables from another file

Den 14.08.2006 22:41, skriblet mootmail-googlegroups@ya hoo.com følgende:

Ørjan Langbakk wrote:

>And, as I am also new to the array-functions, how would I go around
>creating that file, and pulling the different values from it?
>>
>I'm thinking I could use something like:
>>
><?php
>$prices = array (
>product1 =1200,
>product2 =2400,
>product3 =3450,
>)
>?>
>>

>
To do this, put that $prices array in a file all by itself.
Then, from the page that needs to use this data, use require_once [1]
to include the file.
To access the data for a specific product, then, you would say, for
example, $prices['product1'].

Wouldn't that mean that it would have to read through the entire
prices.php file, to get the one value I need? I mean, using require_once.

Wouldn't it be possible to just use the $_GET variable or something,
using the prices.php as the file from where to get the data?

Or is the require_once the best way of doing this?

--
mvh
Ørjan Langbakk

http://www.bergenpchjelp.no

http://www.cubic-design.net

[Ørjan Langbakk]

Re: Getting variables from another file

Den 14.08.2006 22:41, skriblet mootmail-googlegroups@ya hoo.com følgende:

Ørjan Langbakk wrote:

>And, as I am also new to the array-functions, how would I go around
>creating that file, and pulling the different values from it?
>>
>I'm thinking I could use something like:
>>
><?php
>$prices = array (
>product1 =1200,
>product2 =2400,
>product3 =3450,
>)
>?>
>>

>
To do this, put that $prices array in a file all by itself.
Then, from the page that needs to use this data, use require_once [1]
to include the file.
To access the data for a specific product, then, you would say, for
example, $prices['product1'].
>
This can be a very easy to implement solution, but difficult to
maintain in the long run. I agree with those advocating using, at the
very least, CSV (though I've never done it, so probably won't be of
much help). Once someone decides they want to do more with the website
and/or the data, you are going to wish you had a more flexible data
backend than an include file with an array.
>
>
[1] - http://us2.php.net/manual/en/function.require-once.php

Hm. Well, I got it to work, but not as I wanted to. Okey, the file
prices.php and the require_once all work fine, but since I already
include a CSV-file with all the specific details about each product, I
need the <?php echo $prices['product1']; ?to be _in_ the CSV file I
parse - and THAT seems to be a problem, since the code just shows up in
the page source code, it's not being parsed, and I wonder how I can
correct this?

--
mvh
Ørjan Langbakk

http://www.bergenpchjelp.no

http://www.cubic-design.net

[Jerry Stuckle]

Re: Getting variables from another file

Ørjan Langbakk wrote:

Den 14.08.2006 22:23, skriblet Gary Hasler følgende:
>

>>But why not create a seperate csv (if you really want it seperate) if
>>you're
>>already using it's capabilities?

>>
>>

>>...It seems more logical/maintainable to me. It seems even more
>>logical to me
>>to keep the price in the original CSV, and to maintain it there. It's
>>not
>>that hard to write a framework than can manipulate a csv as easily as
>>a flat
>>table.

>>
>>
>I agree totally. I store a list of about 40 unit rate prices for our
>online
>quote system as a very small .csv file, and our cost estimating staff
>can easily
>load it in Microsoft Excel and play with it all they want without
>having to get
>into databases at all. When they're finished, I upload it to the
>server easy as
>pie.

>
>
Well... I use TextPad for my webcoding, and has no problems using that
with custom highlights for CSV :)
>
But still, I kinda don't understand how I would extract only ONE value
for each row in the CSV file, into the other file. If someone can point
me in the right direction for something like that, it would be great -
the lesser the files to maintain, the better.
>
>

You're going to want to extract at least 2 values - the item number and
the price. Otherwise, what happens if, for instance, the first line got
deleted? You might be selling a $75,000 Jaguar for $0.75.

Using require_once is easy - but it means you have to parse the entire
file. If it's long, that might be a problem. A csv file requires you
to parse every line until you get to the one you want (unless you have
fixed length blocks of data, random access will not work).

But OTOH, if you've got that much data you really need a database
anyway, so I'm assuming the amount of data is limited. In that case
either way should not be that much of a performance problem.


--
=============== ===
Remove the "x" from my email address
Jerry Stuckle
JDS Computer Training Corp.
jstucklex@attgl obal.net
=============== ===

[Ørjan Langbakk]

Re: Getting variables from another file

Den 15.08.2006 04:22, skriblet Jerry Stuckle følgende:

>
You're going to want to extract at least 2 values - the item number and
the price. Otherwise, what happens if, for instance, the first line got
deleted? You might be selling a $75,000 Jaguar for $0.75.

Nope. I'll want to extract ONE value :)

You see, the CSV-file in question is the basis for the product
categories - if something gets deleted, it will show up pretty soon on
the screen, so to speak - not to forget that using XHTML 1.0 Strict, any
parsing error will make the page break - which in turn of course will
show that there is an error. So, how do I, simply, extract everything
that is placed behind the _last_ comma in a CSV-file? As the price
itself isn't a set size (it varies from several prices, to only one, so
the length is fairly unpredictable). I will want to make this possible
to extract into several files.

As it is now, I have one page detailing each of the product categories.
These pages loads the appropriate CSV-file, and lists it's values as a
table.

Now, in the CSV-files, I've got everything from 6 to 60 products - maybe
more as the time goes by. What I need to do is something like extract
the value that is stored in the last field (after the last comma) into
several files.

Using require_once is easy - but it means you have to parse the entire
file. If it's long, that might be a problem. A csv file requires you
to parse every line until you get to the one you want (unless you have
fixed length blocks of data, random access will not work).

Well. I tried the require_once suggestion, and ran into trouble as the
price I'm trying to parse, is set into the CSV-file where I get the rest
of my data. For some reason the php-code I put in the appropriate field
in the CSV won't parse. I'm thinking maybe it's a quote-error somewhere,
or maybe it's in the way I parse the CSV into the html-file. I don't know.

And, besides, I still need to get ONLY the value from the price-field
into the singelpage product descriptions. Which I have NO clue as to how
to do with CSV.

The best way would be to just have a single file with all the prices,
and call up an arrayparameter in BOTH the CSV-file and the singlepage
product description - but as I already said, the php-code in the
CSV-file doesn't parse. It just sits in the source code when I'm looking
into it - which tells med that the server doesn't see it as php at all,
but as pure tekst, or something - it's not visible, so I'm guessing it
interprets it at comments or something.

Is there a way, or some tips as to what to look for, when it comes to
parsing php-code in CSV-files?

--
mvh
Ørjan Langbakk

http://www.bergenpchjelp.no

http://www.cubic-design.net

[Jerry Stuckle]

Re: Getting variables from another file

Ørjan Langbakk wrote:

Den 15.08.2006 04:22, skriblet Jerry Stuckle følgende:
>

>>
>You're going to want to extract at least 2 values - the item number
>and the price. Otherwise, what happens if, for instance, the first
>line got deleted? You might be selling a $75,000 Jaguar for $0.75.

>
>
Nope. I'll want to extract ONE value :)
>
You see, the CSV-file in question is the basis for the product
categories - if something gets deleted, it will show up pretty soon on
the screen, so to speak - not to forget that using XHTML 1.0 Strict, any
parsing error will make the page break - which in turn of course will
show that there is an error. So, how do I, simply, extract everything
that is placed behind the _last_ comma in a CSV-file? As the price
itself isn't a set size (it varies from several prices, to only one, so
the length is fairly unpredictable). I will want to make this possible
to extract into several files.
>

Very dangerous. And sooner or later it will fail. But you'll have to
explain it to the boss/customer, not me.

As it is now, I have one page detailing each of the product categories.
These pages loads the appropriate CSV-file, and lists it's values as a
table.
>

OK, no problem there.

Now, in the CSV-files, I've got everything from 6 to 60 products - maybe
more as the time goes by. What I need to do is something like extract
the value that is stored in the last field (after the last comma) into
several files.
>

If you keep it in a csv file, you'll have read the entire file and parse
each line. You can't get just "everything after the last comma". But
for 60 items this would be minimal time.

>Using require_once is easy - but it means you have to parse the entire
>file. If it's long, that might be a problem. A csv file requires you
>to parse every line until you get to the one you want (unless you have
>fixed length blocks of data, random access will not work).

>
>
Well. I tried the require_once suggestion, and ran into trouble as the
price I'm trying to parse, is set into the CSV-file where I get the rest
of my data. For some reason the php-code I put in the appropriate field
in the CSV won't parse. I'm thinking maybe it's a quote-error somewhere,
or maybe it's in the way I parse the CSV into the html-file. I don't know.
>

No, you won't be able to do it in a .CSV file. If the extension isn't
..php (or others, as your webserver may have set up), the server won't
parse the PHP code. And the rest will be output as text.

To use require_once, you'll have to build a file with PHP code as
mootmail indicated.

And, besides, I still need to get ONLY the value from the price-field
into the singelpage product descriptions. Which I have NO clue as to how
to do with CSV.
>

Check out fgetcsv().

The best way would be to just have a single file with all the prices,
and call up an arrayparameter in BOTH the CSV-file and the singlepage
product description - but as I already said, the php-code in the
CSV-file doesn't parse. It just sits in the source code when I'm looking
into it - which tells med that the server doesn't see it as php at all,
but as pure tekst, or something - it's not visible, so I'm guessing it
interprets it at comments or something.
>

And as I explained, it won't.

Is there a way, or some tips as to what to look for, when it comes to
parsing php-code in CSV-files?
>

Read up on fgetcsv().

--
=============== ===
Remove the "x" from my email address
Jerry Stuckle
JDS Computer Training Corp.
jstucklex@attgl obal.net
=============== ===

[Ørjan Langbakk]

Re: Getting variables from another file

Den 15.08.2006 13:38, skriblet Jerry Stuckle følgende:

Ørjan Langbakk wrote:

>Den 15.08.2006 04:22, skriblet Jerry Stuckle følgende:
>>

>>You're going to want to extract at least 2 values - the item number
>>and the price. Otherwise, what happens if, for instance, the first
>>line got deleted? You might be selling a $75,000 Jaguar for $0.75.

>>
>Nope. I'll want to extract ONE value :)
>>
>You see, the CSV-file in question is the basis for the product
>categories - if something gets deleted, it will show up pretty soon on
>the screen, so to speak - not to forget that using XHTML 1.0 Strict, any
>parsing error will make the page break - which in turn of course will
>show that there is an error. So, how do I, simply, extract everything
>that is placed behind the _last_ comma in a CSV-file? As the price
>itself isn't a set size (it varies from several prices, to only one, so
>the length is fairly unpredictable). I will want to make this possible
>to extract into several files.
>>

>
Very dangerous. And sooner or later it will fail. But you'll have to
explain it to the boss/customer, not me.
>

>As it is now, I have one page detailing each of the product categories.
>These pages loads the appropriate CSV-file, and lists it's values as a
>table.
>>

>
OK, no problem there.
>

>Now, in the CSV-files, I've got everything from 6 to 60 products - maybe
>more as the time goes by. What I need to do is something like extract
>the value that is stored in the last field (after the last comma) into
>several files.
>>

>
If you keep it in a csv file, you'll have read the entire file and parse
each line. You can't get just "everything after the last comma". But
for 60 items this would be minimal time.
>

>>Using require_once is easy - but it means you have to parse the entire
>>file. If it's long, that might be a problem. A csv file requires you
>>to parse every line until you get to the one you want (unless you have
>>fixed length blocks of data, random access will not work).

>>
>Well. I tried the require_once suggestion, and ran into trouble as the
>price I'm trying to parse, is set into the CSV-file where I get the rest
>of my data. For some reason the php-code I put in the appropriate field
>in the CSV won't parse. I'm thinking maybe it's a quote-error somewhere,
>or maybe it's in the way I parse the CSV into the html-file. I don't know.
>>

>
No, you won't be able to do it in a .CSV file. If the extension isn't
.php (or others, as your webserver may have set up), the server won't
parse the PHP code. And the rest will be output as text.
>
To use require_once, you'll have to build a file with PHP code as
mootmail indicated.
>

>And, besides, I still need to get ONLY the value from the price-field
>into the singelpage product descriptions. Which I have NO clue as to how
>to do with CSV.
>>

>
Check out fgetcsv().
>

>The best way would be to just have a single file with all the prices,
>and call up an arrayparameter in BOTH the CSV-file and the singlepage
>product description - but as I already said, the php-code in the
>CSV-file doesn't parse. It just sits in the source code when I'm looking
>into it - which tells med that the server doesn't see it as php at all,
>but as pure tekst, or something - it's not visible, so I'm guessing it
>interprets it at comments or something.
>>

>
And as I explained, it won't.
>

>Is there a way, or some tips as to what to look for, when it comes to
>parsing php-code in CSV-files?
>>

>
Read up on fgetcsv().

I will. At least I now know that there is no way to make the PHP-code
work from inside the parsed CSV-file - thereby making that more or less
a moot point.

--
mvh
Ørjan Langbakk

http://www.bergenpchjelp.no

http://www.cubic-design.net