That's a little vague. Why not merge the forms and set the column name with a session variable, then it will only have to be chosen once. Sent from my all-powerful iPhone 4, Keith Davis 214-906-5183 On Sep 30, 2010, at 1:40 PM, "Bill Mudry" <billmudry@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > A few weeks ago I was able to get a simple search engine working > in my "TAXA" project and very glad for it. All the pages are dynamically > formed, so the search code has to be able to extract answers from > the 'species' table. At first, the search method was hard wired to provide answers > on a common name basis for different woods. > > I realized that I should be able to expand this to allow users to first > choose by which column to do the search. I chose to list common names, > botanical names, genus, location and description. This form is working just > fine by itself. > > The rest of the code for the search is still working great ---- when I hard wire > which column to use. However, I can't seem to get the user chosen parameter > ($searchtype) or its corresponding actual column name ($searchfield) to carry > through once a user finally enters a search string and presses the submit button. > Mind you, I can see that any output parameters from the first form gets wiped out > every time the form cycles back to the same page. > > I have tried adding a hidden field to preserve the $searchfield value. That didn't > work. I have tried adding a $_GET statement to bring back that value but that > did not work either. I just tried to change the second form action from > action=\"search.php\" to action="<?php echo $_SERVER['PHP_SELF']; ?>" > and that didn't help either. > > What is the proper code to carry over $searchfield so it can be used by the second form? Because of numerous decode statements I put in and because > hard wiring a column name makes the search engine work just fine, I know that > once that value can be used by the second form, I will have a search function > that will allow users to search by numerous choices. That would be one more > giant leap for my project. > > Perhaps one answer would be to merge both forms into one but I am hoping > I can keep then separate so a user doesn't have to choose the method of > search for multiple queries. > > I always appreciate the fine help you have all supplied. It has meant the difference > between accomplishing my goals or not > > Bill Mudry > Mississauga, Ontario > > The running code can be seen and tried out at: > http://www.prowebcanada.com/taxa/search.php > > Here is the complete code for that page: > ======================================================== > <!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd";> > <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml";> > <head> > <!--- > This page contains the major search functions for The TAXA Wood Knowledge Base. > It is called from the main menu. > Important parameters include: > $searchtype - is the method users choose to do a search as the English words > $searchfield - Each method translates into the actual field in the 'species' table > used to complete the query > $querystring - is the actual query string submitted by the user. > > > > ---> > > <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /> > <title>TAXA: Search by Common Name</title> > <style type="text/css"> > <!-- > body { > font: 100% Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; > background: ivory; > margin: 0; /* it's good practice to zero the margin and padding of the body element to account for differing browser defaults */ > padding: 0; > text-align: center; /* this centers the container in IE 5* browsers. The text is then set to the left aligned default in the #container selector */ > color: #000000; > } > > */ > .oneColElsCtrHdr #container { > width: 146em; /* this width will create a container that will fit in an 800px browser window if text is left at browser default font sizes */ > background: #FFFFFF; > margin: 0 auto; /* the auto margins (in conjunction with a width) center the page */ > border: 1px solid #000000; > text-align: left; /* this overrides the text-align: center on the body element. */ > } > .oneColElsCtrHdr #header { > background: #DDDDDD; > padding: 0 10px 0 20px; /* this padding matches the left alignment of the elements in the divs that appear beneath it. If an image is used in the #header instead of text, you may want to remove the padding. */ > } > .oneColElsCtrHdr #header h1 { > margin: 0; /* zeroing the margin of the last element in the #header div will avoid margin collapse - an unexplainable space between divs. If the div has a border around it, this is not necessary as that also avoids the margin collapse */ > padding: 10px 0; /* using padding instead of margin will allow you to keep the element away from the edges of the div */ > } > .oneColElsCtrHdr #mainContent { > padding: 0 20px; /* remember that padding is the space inside the div box and margin is the space outside the div box */ > background: #FFFFFF; > } > .oneColElsCtrHdr #footer { > padding: 0 10px; /* this padding matches the left alignment of the elements in the divs that appear above it. */ > background:#DDDDDD; > } > .oneColElsCtrHdr #footer p { > margin: 0; /* zeroing the margins of the first element in the footer will avoid the possibility of margin collapse - a space between divs */ > padding: 10px 0; /* padding on this element will create space, just as the the margin would have, without the margin collapse issue */ > } > p.webnote {margin: 20; font: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:small; > text-align: left; > }; > .tabledata {font: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:small; text-align: left;}; > > > --> > </style> > <!----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------> > <!--------------------------------------- END OF STYLE LISTING --------------------------------------> > <!----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------> > > > <meta name="search_engine_author" content="Steve R, http://www.designplace.org/";> > > </head> > > <!--- > ------------------------------------ START OF THE BODY ----------------- > ---> > > > <body > > > <hr /> > > > <p class="webnote"> > This section is under development and will not work well until it is finished. It will > expand the number of choices by which a person can do a search in the species table > (such as by species, common name, origin and so on). > </p> > > <!--- > This section allows users to choose by what field in the species file to search from > ---> > <hr /> > <h2 align="center">Search TAXA</h2> > > > Choose first by which means you wish to search.<br /> > > > <FORM name="choose_search" id="choosesearch" method="GET" action="<?php echo $_SERVER['PHP_SELF']; ?>" > > > <TABLE align="center" border=0 bgcolor='ivory' cellpadding=10> > <TR> > <TD class="tabledata"> > <B>Common names</B> > <Input type='radio' value='common names' name="searchtype" /> > </TD> > <TD class="tabledata"> > <B>Botanical names</B> > <Input type='radio' value='botanical names' name="searchtype" /> > </TD> > <TD class="tabledata"> > <B>Genus</B> > <Input type='radio' value='genus' name="searchtype" /> > </TD> > > <TD class="tabledata"> > <B>Location</B> > <Input type='radio' value='location' name="searchtype" /> > </TD> > <TD class="tabledata"> > <B>Description</B> > <Input type='radio' value='description' name="searchtype" /> > </TD> > </TR> > <TR> > <TD align="center"> > <?PHP > echo "<input type='hidden' name='species_name' value='{$species_name}' />"; > ?> > <Input type='submit' value='Submit Search Method' /> > </TD> > </TR> > </TABLE> > </FORM> > > <!--- ---------------------------------------- End of form ------------------------------------- ---> > > <?php > // Get the search variable from URL > > $searchtype = @$_GET['searchtype'] ; > $searchtype = trim($searchtype); //trim whitespace from the stored variable > > If (isset($searchfield)) { > echo "Searching by - $searchtype"; > }; > //echo "Line 149 - \$searchtype is - $searchtype<br />"; > > $searchfield = ""; > switch ($searchtype) { > case "common names": > $searchfield = "species_commonname"; > //Echo "<br>common names <br>\n"; > break; > > case "botanical names": > $searchfield = "species_name"; > //Echo "<br>botanical names - $searchfield <br>\n"; > break; > case "genus": > $searchfield = "genus_name"; > //Echo "<br>genus - $searchfield <br>\n"; > break; > case "location": > $searchfield = "location"; > //Echo "<br>location - $searchfield <br>\n"; > break; > case "description": > $searchfield = "species_description"; > //Echo "<br>description - $searchfield <br>\n"; > break; > default: If (!isset($searchfield)) { > echo "Please choose a search type first"; > } > > } > > //echo "Line 180 - \$searchtype is - $searchtype<br />"; > > //Echo "Chosen search field (\$searchfield) is $searchfield <br /><br />"; > > echo "<h3 align='center'>Searching by $searchtype</h3>"; > > > > echo "</div>"; > echo "<div id='mainContent'>"; > echo "Line 190 just before the query form - \$searchtype is - $searchtype<br />"; > ?> > > > <form name=\"form\" action="<?php echo $_SERVER['PHP_SELF']; ?>" method=\"get\"> > <?php > //echo "<form name=\"form\" action=\"search.php\" method=\"get\">"; > echo "<input type=\"text\" name=\"querystring\" />"; > // echo "<input type='hidden' name=\"species_name\" value=\"{$species_name}\" />"; > // echo "<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"search_type\" value=\"$searchtype\" />"; > // echo "<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"search_field\" value=\"{$searchfield}\" />"; > echo "<input type=\"submit\" name=\"Submit\" value=\"Search\" />"; > echo "</form>"; > echo "Line 199 just after the query form - \$searchtype is - $searchtype<br />"; > echo "</div>"; > > > $searchtype = @$_GET['searchtype'] ; > > $searchtype = trim($searchtype); > > > $searchfield = @$_GET['searchfield'] ; > > $searchfield = trim($searchfield); > > > $querystring = @$_GET['querystring'] ; > > $querystring = trim($querystring); > > /* > Development debug statement: > */ > Echo "Line 209 - \$searchfield chosen by user is - $searchfield <br />"; > > > // rows to return > $limit='100'; > > // check for an empty string and display a message. > > > if ($querystring == "") > { > echo "<p>Please enter a search...</p>"; > exit; > } > > > // check for a search parameter > if (!isset($querystring)) > { > echo "<p>We do not seem to have anything to search for!</p>"; > exit; > } > > //Echo "Line 212 - \$searchfield chosen by user is - $searchfield <br />"; > > > /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// > // CONNECT TO THE DATABASE > /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// > > include ("connecttotaxa.php"); > $connection = mysql_connect($hostname, $username, $password) > or die("Unable to connect to database server"); > > $db = mysql_select_db($dbname, $connection) > or die("Unable to connect to database"); > > // Building optional search fields. Pegged to species common names at first > > //Echo "Line 253 - \$searchfield chosen by user is - $searchfield <br />"; > > /* > Debug method: hard wire the searchfield at first to only common name searches to allow > */ > //$searchfield="species_commonname"; > //Echo "Line 253 - \$searchfield is hard set temporarily to $searchfield<br />"; > Echo "Line 260 - \$searchfield is chosen as $searchfield<br />"; > Echo "Line 261 - \$querystring is user entered as $querystring<br />"; > > // Build SQL Query > $query = "select * from species where $searchfield like \"%$querystring%\" > order by $searchfield"; > > $numresults=mysql_query($query); > Echo "On line 268 \$numresults is - $numresults"; > $numrows=mysql_num_rows($numresults); > > if ($numrows == 0) > { > echo "<h3>Search Results by $searchtype</h3>"; > echo "<p>Sorry, your search: "" . $querystring . "" returned zero results</p>"; > > //echo "<p>Sorry, your search: "" . $trimmed . "" returned zero results</p>"; > } > > // next determine if s has been passed to script, if not use 0 > if (empty($s)) { > $s=0; > } > > // get results > $query .= " limit $s,$limit"; > $result = mysql_query($query) or die("Couldn't execute query"); > echo "<hr>"; > > // display what the person searched for > echo "<p>You searched for: "" . $querystring . ""</p>"; > > // begin to show results set > $count = 1 + $s ; > Echo "<div align = 'center'>"; > > /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// > // Format the data with a double table and display the data > /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// > > echo "<table border=3 bgcolor='EECCAA' width=820>"; > echo "<tr>"; > echo "<td cellpadding='10'>"; > > echo "<table border=0 bgcolor='white' width=800>"; > echo "<tr>"; > echo "<td colspan=4 cellpadding=5 bgcolor=#F0E8E0 align=center>"; > echo "<h3 align='center'>Results by Common Name</h3>"; //The data title > echo "</td>"; > echo "</tr>"; > echo "<tr>"; > echo "<td cellspan=1 cellpadding=5 bgcolor=#FFFFFF class=>"; > echo "<h4 align=center>#</h4>"; > echo "</td>"; > echo "<td cellspan=1 cellpadding=5 bgcolor=#FFFFFF>"; > echo "<h4 align=center>Common Name</h4>"; > echo "</td>"; > echo "<td cellspan=0 cellpadding=5 bgcolor=#FFFFFF>"; > echo "<h4 align=center>Botanical Name</h4>"; > echo "</td>"; > echo "<td cellspan=0 cellpadding=5 bgcolor=#FFFFFF>"; > echo "<h4 align=center>Location</h4>"; > echo "</td>"; > echo "</tr>"; > > echo "<div id='resultsdata' class='tabledata'>"; > > // now you can display the results returned > while ($row= mysql_fetch_array($result)) > { > extract($row); //At this point, the search data is ready for display > //echo $row; > > echo "<tr>"; > > $title1 = $row["species_commonname"] ; > > $title2 = $row["species_name"]; > > $title3 = $row["location"]; > > echo "<td>"; > echo "$count"; > echo "</td>"; > > echo "<td nowrap>"; > echo "$title1"; > echo "</td>"; > > echo "<td nowrap>"; > echo '<a href="displayspecies.php?&species_name='.$species_name.' ">'; > echo "$title2"; > echo"</a>.<br>\n"; > > echo "</td>"; > > echo "<td>"; > echo "$title3"; > echo "</td>"; > > echo "</tr>"; > > > // echo "$count. $title<br />" ; > > $count++ ; > } > > echo "</table>"; > > echo "</td>"; > echo "</tr>"; > echo "</table>"; > echo "</div>"; > > $currPage = (($s/$limit) + 1); > Echo "</div>"; > //break before paging > echo "<br />"; > > // next we need to do the links to other results > if ($s>=1) { // bypass PREV link if s is 0 > $prevs=($s-$limit); > print " <a href=\"$PHP_SELF?s=$prevs&q=$var\"><< > Prev 10</a>  "; > } > > // calculate number of pages needing links > $pages=intval($numrows/$limit); > > // $pages now contains int of pages needed unless there is a remainder from division > > if ($numrows%$limit) { > // has remainder so add one page > $pages++; > } > > // check to see if last page > if (!((($s+$limit)/$limit)==$pages) && $pages!=1) { > > // not last page so give NEXT link > $news=$s+$limit; > > echo " <a href=\"$PHP_SELF?s=$news&q=$var\">Next 10 >></a>"; > } > > $a = $s + ($limit) ; > if ($a > $numrows) { $a = $numrows ; } > $b = $s + 1 ; > echo "<p>Showing results $b to $a of $numrows</p>"; > > Echo "<hr>"; > $searchtype = ""; > $querystring = ""; > > ?> > > </div> > </div> > </body> > </html> > > ======================================================== This message (including any attachments) may contain confidential or otherwise privileged information and is intended only for the individual(s) to which it is addressed. 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