testing for no data in a string

**AqD** · Sep 18 '08, 01:35 AM

Re: testing for no data in a string

On Sep 18, 8:56 am, JRough <jlro...@yahoo. comwrote:

How do I test for no data in a string? I tried if !(isset($data)) and
$data =="" and neither one returns the message when there are no
records found. Or is it a better idea to do the test at the query
level and not let the user get a worksheet with no records? The thing
is a user could click the button for excel output even if there are no
records on the web page, so I would think in that case they would
expect a blank worksheet anyways.

$data === "" or strlen($data) == 0 should work for you; isset is only
to check if the variable exists (set by you).

But there seems to be a problem in your design. If the page queries
and displays records from DB and provides a button to export excel,
usually the export action should do the queries again (un-optimized
method).

>
$data .= $header;
if ($data == "") {
$data = "\n(0) Records Found!\n";}
header("Content-type: application/xmsdownload");
header("Content-Disposition: attachment; filename=".
$file_name.=now ().".xls");
header("Pragma: no-cache");
header("Expires ; 0");
print "$header\n$data ";
>
the other question is how do I get it to print the date on the
filename in excel?

you need to use date() with custom format. Don't rely on the default
date/time format, even if it works for now.

>
tia,
>
------------
>
this is the function for $data
>
function makexcldata($xc lfields, $result){
>
$str1 = '';
for($i=0; $i < sizeof($xclfiel ds); $i++){
$str1 .= $xclfields[$i];
$str1 .= "\t";
}
$str1 .= "\n";
>
while($row = mysql_fetch_row ($result)) {
$line = '';
foreach($row as $value)
{
if ((!isset($value )) OR ($value == "")) {
$value = "\t";
} else {
$value = str_replace('"' , '""', $value);
$value = '"' . $value . '"' . "\t";
}
$line .= $value;
}
$data .= trim($line)."\n ";
>
}
>
$data = str_replace("\r ","",$data) ;
$data .= $str1;
>
return $data;
>
>
>
}

**Curtis** · Sep 18 '08, 01:45 AM

Re: testing for no data in a string

JRough wrote:

How do I test for no data in a string? I tried if !(isset($data)) and
$data =="" and neither one returns the message when there are no
records found. Or is it a better idea to do the test at the query
level and not let the user get a worksheet with no records? The thing
is a user could click the button for excel output even if there are no
records on the web page, so I would think in that case they would
expect a blank worksheet anyways.
>
$data .= $header;
if ($data == "") {

Just

if (!$data) {

will suffice. It's better to test for empty vars specifically with:

empty($var);

$data = "\n(0) Records Found!\n";}
header("Content-type: application/xmsdownload");
header("Content-Disposition: attachment; filename=".
$file_name.=now ().".xls");
header("Pragma: no-cache");
header("Expires ; 0");
print "$header\n$data ";
>
>
the other question is how do I get it to print the date on the
filename in excel?
>
tia,
>
------------
>
this is the function for $data
>
function makexcldata($xc lfields, $result){

At this point, check how many records exist in result set, if any:

if ( !mysql_num_rows ) {
return false;
}

$str1 = '';
for($i=0; $i < sizeof($xclfiel ds); $i++){
$str1 .= $xclfields[$i];
$str1 .= "\t";
}
$str1 .= "\n";
>
while($row = mysql_fetch_row ($result)) {
$line = '';
foreach($row as $value)
{
if ((!isset($value )) OR ($value == "")) {
$value = "\t";
} else {
$value = str_replace('"' , '""', $value);
$value = '"' . $value . '"' . "\t";
}
$line .= $value;
}
$data .= trim($line)."\n ";
}
>
$data = str_replace("\r ","",$data) ;
$data .= $str1;
>
return $data;
}

--
Curtis

**Curtis** · Sep 18 '08, 01:45 AM

Re: testing for no data in a string

Curtis wrote:

JRough wrote:

>How do I test for no data in a string? I tried if !(isset($data)) and
>$data =="" and neither one returns the message when there are no
>records found. Or is it a better idea to do the test at the query
>level and not let the user get a worksheet with no records? The thing
>is a user could click the button for excel output even if there are no
>records on the web page, so I would think in that case they would
>expect a blank worksheet anyways.
>>
>$data .= $header;
> if ($data == "") {

>
Just
>
if (!$data) {
>
will suffice. It's better to test for empty vars specifically with:
>
empty($var);
>

> $data = "\n(0) Records Found!\n";}
> header("Content-type: application/xmsdownload");
> header("Content-Disposition: attachment; filename=".
>$file_name.=no w().".xls");
> header("Pragma: no-cache");
> header("Expires ; 0");
> print "$header\n$data ";
>>
>>
>the other question is how do I get it to print the date on the
>filename in excel?
>>
>tia,
>>
>------------
>>
>this is the function for $data
>>
>function makexcldata($xc lfields, $result){

>
At this point, check how many records exist in result set, if any:
>
if ( !mysql_num_rows ) {
return false;
}

Sorry, brain fart.

if ( !mysql_num_rows ($result) ) {
return false;
}

> $str1 = '';
> for($i=0; $i < sizeof($xclfiel ds); $i++){
> $str1 .= $xclfields[$i];
> $str1 .= "\t";
> }
> $str1 .= "\n";
>>
>while($row = mysql_fetch_row ($result)) {
> $line = '';
> foreach($row as $value)
>{
> if ((!isset($value )) OR ($value == "")) {
> $value = "\t";
> } else {
> $value = str_replace('"' , '""', $value);
> $value = '"' . $value . '"' . "\t";
> }
> $line .= $value;
> }
> $data .= trim($line)."\n ";
>}
>>
>$data = str_replace("\r ","",$data) ;
>$data .= $str1;
>>
>return $data;
>}

>

--
Curtis

**JRough** · Sep 18 '08, 02:45 AM

Re: testing for no data in a string

On Sep 17, 6:39 pm, Curtis <dye...@gmail.c omwrote:

Curtis wrote:

JRough wrote:

How do I test for no data in a string? I tried if !(isset($data)) and
$data =="" and neither one returns the message when there are no
records found. Or is it a better idea to do the test at the query
level and not let the user get a worksheet with no records? The thing
is a user could click the button for excel output even if there are no
records on the web page, so I would think in that case they would
expect a blank worksheet anyways.

>

$data .= $header;
if ($data == "") {

>

Just

>

if (!$data) {

>

will suffice. It's better to test for empty vars specifically with:

>

empty($var);

>

$data = "\n(0) Records Found!\n";}
header("Content-type: application/xmsdownload");
header("Content-Disposition: attachment; filename=".
$file_name.=now ().".xls");
header("Pragma: no-cache");
header("Expires ; 0");
print "$header\n$data ";

>

the other question is how do I get it to print the date on the
filename in excel?

>

tia,

>

------------

>

this is the function for $data

>

function makexcldata($xc lfields, $result){

>

At this point, check how many records exist in result set, if any:

>

if ( !mysql_num_rows ) {
return false;
}

>
Sorry, brain fart.
>
if ( !mysql_num_rows ($result) ) {
return false;
>
>
>
}

$str1 = '';
for($i=0; $i < sizeof($xclfiel ds); $i++){
$str1 .= $xclfields[$i];
$str1 .= "\t";
}
$str1 .= "\n";

>

while($row = mysql_fetch_row ($result)) {
$line = '';
foreach($row as $value)
{
if ((!isset($value )) OR ($value == "")) {
$value = "\t";
} else {
$value = str_replace('"' , '""', $value);
$value = '"' . $value . '"' . "\t";
}
$line .= $value;
}
$data .= trim($line)."\n ";
}

>

$data = str_replace("\r ","",$data) ;
$data .= $str1;

>

return $data;
}

>
--
Curtis

thanks for your answers. Are you saying check for the empty variable
and if it is empty then check if (!mysql_num_row s) is false
Doing both or only one or the other?

**JRough** · Sep 18 '08, 02:55 AM

Re: testing for no data in a string

On Sep 17, 6:39 pm, Curtis <dye...@gmail.c omwrote:

Curtis wrote:

JRough wrote:

How do I test for no data in a string? I tried if !(isset($data)) and
$data =="" and neither one returns the message when there are no
records found. Or is it a better idea to do the test at the query
level and not let the user get a worksheet with no records? The thing
is a user could click the button for excel output even if there are no
records on the web page, so I would think in that case they would
expect a blank worksheet anyways.

>

$data .= $header;
if ($data == "") {

>

Just

>

if (!$data) {

>

will suffice. It's better to test for empty vars specifically with:

>

empty($var);

>

$data = "\n(0) Records Found!\n";}
header("Content-type: application/xmsdownload");
header("Content-Disposition: attachment; filename=".
$file_name.=now ().".xls");
header("Pragma: no-cache");
header("Expires ; 0");
print "$header\n$data ";

>

the other question is how do I get it to print the date on the
filename in excel?

>

tia,

>

------------

>

this is the function for $data

>

function makexcldata($xc lfields, $result){

>

At this point, check how many records exist in result set, if any:

>

if ( !mysql_num_rows ) {
return false;
}

>
Sorry, brain fart.
>
if ( !mysql_num_rows ($result) ) {
return false;
>
>
>
}

$str1 = '';
for($i=0; $i < sizeof($xclfiel ds); $i++){
$str1 .= $xclfields[$i];
$str1 .= "\t";
}
$str1 .= "\n";

>

while($row = mysql_fetch_row ($result)) {
$line = '';
foreach($row as $value)
{
if ((!isset($value )) OR ($value == "")) {
$value = "\t";
} else {
$value = str_replace('"' , '""', $value);
$value = '"' . $value . '"' . "\t";
}
$line .= $value;
}
$data .= trim($line)."\n ";
}

>

$data = str_replace("\r ","",$data) ;
$data .= $str1;

>

return $data;
}

>
--
Curtis

thanks for your answers it was helpful.
By the way, I did the queries twice once for the html part and once
for the part where the excel button is sent.
the code was really long so I didn't include it.
Are you saying check for the empty variable empty($var);
and if it is empty then do the check if (!mysql_num_row s) is false?
Doing both or only one or the other? Or is that mysql_num_rows check
for if I redid the queries? tia,

**Curtis** · Sep 18 '08, 07:15 PM

Re: testing for no data in a string

JRough wrote:

On Sep 17, 6:39 pm, Curtis <dye...@gmail.c omwrote:

>Curtis wrote:

>>JRough wrote:
>>>How do I test for no data in a string? I tried if !(isset($data)) and
>>>$data =="" and neither one returns the message when there are no
>>>records found. Or is it a better idea to do the test at the query
>>>level and not let the user get a worksheet with no records? The thing
>>>is a user could click the button for excel output even if there are no
>>>records on the web page, so I would think in that case they would
>>>expect a blank worksheet anyways.
>>>$data .= $header;
>>> if ($data == "") {
>>Just
>>if (!$data) {
>>will suffice. It's better to test for empty vars specifically with:
>>empty($var) ;
>>> $data = "\n(0) Records Found!\n";}
>>> header("Content-type: application/xmsdownload");
>>> header("Content-Disposition: attachment; filename=".
>>>$file_name.= now().".xls");
>>> header("Pragma: no-cache");
>>> header("Expires ; 0");
>>> print "$header\n$data ";
>>>the other question is how do I get it to print the date on the
>>>filename in excel?
>>>tia,
>>>------------
>>>this is the function for $data
>>>function makexcldata($xc lfields, $result){
>>At this point, check how many records exist in result set, if any:
>>if ( !mysql_num_rows ) {
>> return false;
>>}

>Sorry, brain fart.
>>
>if ( !mysql_num_rows ($result) ) {
> return false;
>>
>>
>>
>}

>>> $str1 = '';
>>> for($i=0; $i < sizeof($xclfiel ds); $i++){
>>> $str1 .= $xclfields[$i];
>>> $str1 .= "\t";
>>> }
>>> $str1 .= "\n";
>>>while($row = mysql_fetch_row ($result)) {
>>> $line = '';
>>> foreach($row as $value)
>>>{
>>> if ((!isset($value )) OR ($value == "")) {
>>> $value = "\t";
>>> } else {
>>> $value = str_replace('"' , '""', $value);
>>> $value = '"' . $value . '"' . "\t";
>>> }
>>> $line .= $value;
>>> }
>>> $data .= trim($line)."\n ";
>>>}
>>>$data = str_replace("\r ","",$data) ;
>>>$data .= $str1;
>>>return $data;
>>>}

>--
>Curtis

thanks for your answers it was helpful.
By the way, I did the queries twice once for the html part and once
for the part where the excel button is sent.
the code was really long so I didn't include it.
Are you saying check for the empty variable empty($var);
and if it is empty then do the check if (!mysql_num_row s) is false?
Doing both or only one or the other? Or is that mysql_num_rows check
for if I redid the queries? tia,
>

I was just explaining what empty did, it's not really necessary for
this specific case. mysql_num_rows( ) should be used in your function
that returns $headers. If the amount of rows in the result set from
your query is 0, or it returned false, then we just return false in
the function. You should test $headers, and if it evaluates to false,
then you don't have any results.

--
Curtis

testing for no data in a string

testing for no data in a string

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