Disscussion about filling combo box from database in php

[punitshrivastava]

Hi to all,
I am punit.i m working in php.As i m fresher in php .i am using combo box for selection of data & making Report .please tell me that how i fill the combo box dynamically.so please suggest me the code for filling combo dynamically in php
using database as sql.
Thanks
Punit

[nathj]

Hi to all,
I am punit.i m working in php.As i m fresher in php .i am using combo box for selection of data & making Report .please tell me that how i fill the combo box dynamically.so please suggest me the code for filling combo dynamically in php
using database as sql.
Thanks
Punit

I do something like this, oce I have got the data in an associative array. For help on that please read the article on data abstraction layers.

[CODE=php]
// NOTE: $laResults is the associative array returned via data query
echo "<select name='list1' id='list1'>;
foreach($laResu lts as $lcDataLine)
{
echo "<option value=" ."'" . $lcDataLine['ID'] . "'" ;
if($lcDataLine['isDefault'])
// used to indicate a default selection, this is an item in my database
{
echo "selected='sele cted'";
}
echo ">" . $lcDataLine['description'] ."</option>";
}
echo "</select>";
[/CODE]

I hope this helps. It works for me, wven producing a country codes drop down list of all the countries in the world in no time at all.

Have a go and if you get stuck give me a shout.
nathj

[punitshrivastava]

Hi Nathj,
I read your reply send it for filling combobox.
Thanks to you .But i have one problem as i am working in on two form .In one form i create one textbox & combobox incombobox i fill it manually by database feild & in textbox i use ot give entry . i have to do that i take the input from textbox & select the data from database according to combox feild for this i code for first form is :
<form name="search" method="post" action="select. php">
Seach for: <input type="text" name="find" /> in
<select name="field" id="field" >
<option value="1" >FirstName</option>
<option value="2" >LastName</option>
<option value="3" >Age</option>
</select>
<input type="hidden" name="searching " value="yes" />
<input type="submit" name="search" value="select" />
</form>
& for searching form i code it as:

<?php
if ($searching =="yes")
{
echo "<h2>Result s</h2><p>";

//If they did not enter a search term we give them an error
if ($find == "")
{
echo "<p>You forgot to enter a search term";
exit;
}

$host="localhos t"; // Host name
$username="root "; // Mysql username
$password="root "; // Mysql password
$db_name="proje ctdb"; // Database name
$tbl_name="pers on"; // Table name

// Connect to server and select database.
mysql_connect(" $host", "$username" , "$password" )or die("cannot connect");
mysql_select_db ("$db_name") or die("cannot select DB");
// We preform a bit of filtering
$find = $_POST['find'];
$find = trim ($find);

$ddl = $_POST['field'];

// Retrieve data from database
if($ddl = 'FirstName')
{
$sql="SELECT * FROM $tbl_name where FirstName LIKE '%$find%'";
$result=mysql_q uery($sql);
}
elseif($ddl = 'LastName')
{
$sql="SELECT * FROM $tbl_name where LastName LIKE '%$find%'";
$result=mysql_q uery($sql);
}
else
{
$sql="SELECT * FROM $tbl_name where Age LIKE '%$find%'";
$result=mysql_q uery($sql);
}
// Start looping rows in mysql database.
while($rows=mys ql_fetch_array( $result))
{
?>
<table width="400" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="3" >
<tr>
<td width="30%"><? echo $rows['FirstName']; ?></td>
<td width="30%"><? echo $rows['LastName']; ?></td>
<td width="30%"><? echo $rows['Age']; ?></td>
</tr>
</table>
<?
// close while loop
}
//This counts the number or results - and if there wasn't any it gives them a little message explaining that
$anymatches=mys ql_num_rows($re sult);
if ($anymatches == 0)
{
echo "Sorry, but we can not find an entry to match your query<br><br>";
}
//And we remind them what they searched for
echo "<b>Searche d For:</b> " .$find;
}
?>

it is not executing both else loop.as we cut the else loop it run fine but as use else loop it gives error & also for switch statement.
Please go through this code and suggest me .As i am new for this php so please suggest me.
Thanks
punit

I do something like this, oce I have got the data in an associative array. For help on that please read the article on data abstraction layers.

[CODE=php]
// NOTE: $laResults is the associative array returned via data query
echo "<select name='list1' id='list1'>;
foreach($laResu lts as $lcDataLine)
{
echo "<option value=" ."'" . $lcDataLine['ID'] . "'" ;
if($lcDataLine['isDefault'])
// used to indicate a default selection, this is an item in my database
{
echo "selected='sele cted'";
}
echo ">" . $lcDataLine['description'] ."</option>";
}
echo "</select>";
[/CODE]

I hope this helps. It works for me, wven producing a country codes drop down list of all the countries in the world in no time at all.

Have a go and if you get stuck give me a shout.
nathj

[nathj]

[CODE=php]
<?php
....
// Retrieve data from database
if($ddl = 'FirstName')
{
$sql="SELECT * FROM $tbl_name where FirstName LIKE '%$find%'";
$result=mysql_q uery($sql);
}
elseif($ddl = 'LastName')
{
$sql="SELECT * FROM $tbl_name where LastName LIKE '%$find%'";
$result=mysql_q uery($sql);
}
else
{
$sql="SELECT * FROM $tbl_name where Age LIKE '%$find%'";
$result=mysql_q uery($sql);
}
....
?>
[/CODE]

Hi ,

I would try replacing the code snippet I quoted above with:

[CODE=php]
switch ($ddl)
{
case "1": // first name
$sql="SELECT * FROM $tbl_name where FirstName LIKE '$find'";
break;
case "2": // last name
$sql="SELECT * FROM $tbl_name where LastName LIKE '$find'";
break ;
case "3":// age
$sql="SELECT * FROM $tbl_name where Age LIKE '$find'";
break;
}

if !empty($sql)
{
$result=mysql_q uery($sql);
}
// if there is a result etc - you can carry on with the rest of your code.
}
[/CODE]

This is waht I would do. Now I'm not saying this will work first time but it's a slicker structure that you should be able to play around with a bit easier.

If you are not getting the desired results try putting 'echo' lines in the code to indeicate where you are. That way you will get output on the screen indicating where you are at.

Cheers
nathj

[punitshrivastava]

Thanks Nathj it works
Punit

Hi ,

I would try replacing the code snippet I quoted above with:

[CODE=php]
switch ($ddl)
{
case "1": // first name
$sql="SELECT * FROM $tbl_name where FirstName LIKE '$find'";
break;
case "2": // last name
$sql="SELECT * FROM $tbl_name where LastName LIKE '$find'";
break ;
case "3":// age
$sql="SELECT * FROM $tbl_name where Age LIKE '$find'";
break;
}

if !empty($sql)
{
$result=mysql_q uery($sql);
}
// if there is a result etc - you can carry on with the rest of your code.
}
[/CODE]

This is waht I would do. Now I'm not saying this will work first time but it's a slicker structure that you should be able to play around with a bit easier.

If you are not getting the desired results try putting 'echo' lines in the code to indeicate where you are. That way you will get output on the screen indicating where you are at.

Cheers
nathj

[nathj]

Thanks Nathj it works
Punit

That's great! All the best with the rest of your project, and remember if you have any more questions just post back here.

nathj