cross platform problem - advice needed

[Ian Davies]

Hello
I would appreciate some help from someone who has knowledge of working with
css, php javascript and how they interact.
Ive been working on a task for the last few days and have started to hit a
brick wall. I need general advice on whether I m tackling the problem the
correct way and some solutions for my current problems

Ive posted my project below where ive detailed the current problems im
having
http://www.iddsoftware.co.uk/test.php

in short im trying to allow my users to take their records from my database
and arrange them dynamically on a web page into custom reports. which they
can them print directly or download into something like Word

Hope you can help as that brick wall is looming

Ian

 

[J.O. Aho]

Hello
I would appreciate some help from someone who has knowledge of working with
css, php javascript and how they interact.
Ive been working on a task for the last few days and have started to hit a
brick wall. I need general advice on whether I m tackling the problem the
correct way and some solutions for my current problems

Ive posted my project below where ive detailed the current problems im
having
http://www.iddsoftware.co.uk/test.php

in short im trying to allow my users to take their records from my database
and arrange them dynamically on a web page into custom reports. which they
can them print directly or download into something like Word

Hope you can help as that brick wall is looming

Javascript ain't my strong point, so I will just think about php and css.

First of all you should have some default starting points, as you already
have. Store those into variables, as $xh1=40;, you will also need to check if
the page has been updated or show for the first time, you can add the

<input name="updated" type="hidden" value="1">

to your form

in your php you will need to make a check something like

if($_REQUEST['updated']==1) {
$xh1=$_REQUEST['xh1'];
} else {
$xh1=40;
}

Then you have your inputs in html

<input name="xh1" class="BodyText" value="<?PHP echo $xh1;>" size="1" type="text">

You should include the css code that handles the location of the text in the
php file, and with usage of php in the same manner that in the input tag, you
will dynamically change the coordinates in the css/style part of the code.



//Aho

 

[Andy Dingley]

I would appreciate some help from someone who has knowledge of working with
css, php javascript and how they interact.

They don't - or at least they shouldn't. As far as possible, keep them
separate -- life will be easier that way.

Avoid JavaScript. Just not needed, or useful.

Start by writing SQL to collect the data you're after. Doesn't need to
be done through the web yet, you can easily do this through a SQL
client tool.

Spew your report's content out crudely into some sort of text editor
(maybe copy-and-paste through the SQL client). Now make it into a HTML
document. Don't worry too much looks as yet, just get all the content
you need represented as good clean HTML with meaningful markup and no
attempt at presentation. You don't even need all the data - just a
page or so. Don't be afraid to include data you don't want to appear,
such as repeated header values for each section - we can always hide
them with CSS later.

Now add CSS. Take your boring pure HTML document and add a stylesheet
to it. Revise the HTML as needed, such as by adding classes to get the
presentation control you need. Classes such as "odd" and "even" are
well worth having on rows, even if you're not yet sure you need them.
Then do some little extras with a print media stylesheet to make sure
it prints well (text sizes in points, maybe some extra headers,
page-break-after: avoid; should already be in there).

Your report should now look and print perfectly. Work on it until it
does.

Only then, convert the HTML document to PHP that calls the SQL. You
should now have a dynamic document with live data and perfect
formatting. Make sure you call .HTMLEncode() where needed, in case
there are entity refeferences etc. needed between database and HTML.
Check that it works and debug as needed.

 

[Harlan Messinger]

Hello
I would appreciate some help from someone who has knowledge of working with
css, php javascript and how they interact.

PHP doesn't interact with either CSS or Javascript. To PHP, CSS and
Javascript are just strings being written out as part of the web page,
just as they HTML is. To CSS and Javascript, PHP doesn't exist, since
they operate only within the browser, and the browser only knows what's
on the HTML page it has been sent, and nothing about the programming
used to generate and send that page.

By the way, please do not post questions to six different groups. It
isn't necessary and annoys people who read multiple groups. One or two
of these would probably have been sufficient.

 

[Gleep]

Unless it's absolutley neccesary, don't bother giving this much contorl to users for a report.
Really think if is't worth the hassle.

I suggest give the users maybe 3 or 4 templates to pick from, possibly show a picture of example
report they pick the template then select and the data is 'replaced' with your template. Here is a
example of what I do.

first make your report templates - make it elaborate as needed with css whatever...
this is just one simple sample

save this as template1.html

<html>
<head></head>
<body>
Thank you for signing up, %%name%%! <br>
Company: %%companyName%% <br>
Email: %%email%% <br>
Phone: %%phone%% <p>
Event: %%title%%, %%grpdate%% <p>
Description: <br> %%data%% <p>
Time & Location: %%time%%, %%location%% <p>
Content goes here: %%content%% <p>
Sincerely,<br>
The Team<p>
</body></html>


on another page give them a choice to select a template and do a content replacement...

// after a user selects a template and submits form here is code replacement example...
if (isset($_POST["submit"]){
$report = $_POST['report'];
...... blah blah other code here as needed
// at this point generate the content variables with query
$name = $data['name'];
$companyName = $data['companyName'];
$password = $data['password'];
$email = $data['email'];
$phone = $data['phone'];
$data = $data['data'];

if($report=='1') $message = implode(file("template1.html"));
if($report=='2') $message = implode(file("template2.html"));
if($report=='3') $message = implode(file("template3.html"));

$message = str_replace("%%companyName%%", $companyName, $message);
$message = str_replace("%%name%%", $name, $message);
$message = str_replace("%%password%%", $password, $message );
$message = str_replace("%%phone%%", $phone, $message );
$message = str_replace("%%data%%", $data, $message );
}


the above is just an example to follow. From there you can email the entire doc, display on
screen, or make it a pdf doc look into html 2 pdf at sourgeforge

Note you don't have to use %%somevalue%% it can be anything
~somevalue~


Good Luck

 

[Ian Davies]

Some useful tips Gleep that I can use somewhere else
Unfortunately I do need this level of flexibility wher euser creates their
own report as there will be large variations between users.
Thanks for the feedback

Unless it's absolutley neccesary, don't bother giving this much contorl to users for a report.
Really think if is't worth the hassle.

I suggest give the users maybe 3 or 4 templates to pick from, possibly show a picture of example
report they pick the template then select and the data is 'replaced' with your template. Here is a
example of what I do.

first make your report templates - make it elaborate as needed with css whatever...
this is just one simple sample

save this as template1.html

<html>
<head></head>
<body>
Thank you for signing up, %%name%%! <br>
Company: %%companyName%% <br>
Email: %%email%% <br>
Phone: %%phone%% <p>
Event: %%title%%, %%grpdate%% <p>
Description: <br> %%data%% <p>
Time & Location: %%time%%, %%location%% <p>
Content goes here: %%content%% <p>
Sincerely,<br>
The Team<p>
</body></html>


on another page give them a choice to select a template and do a content replacement...

// after a user selects a template and submits form here is code replacement example...
if (isset($_POST["submit"]){
$report = $_POST['report'];
..... blah blah other code here as needed
// at this point generate the content variables with query
$name = $data['name'];
$companyName = $data['companyName'];
$password = $data['password'];
$email = $data['email'];
$phone = $data['phone'];
$data = $data['data'];

if($report=='1') $message = implode(file("template1.html"));
if($report=='2') $message = implode(file("template2.html"));
if($report=='3') $message = implode(file("template3.html"));

$message = str_replace("%%companyName%%", $companyName, $message);
$message = str_replace("%%name%%", $name, $message);
$message = str_replace("%%password%%", $password, $message );
$message = str_replace("%%phone%%", $phone, $message );
$message = str_replace("%%data%%", $data, $message );
}


the above is just an example to follow. From there you can email the entire doc, display on
screen, or make it a pdf doc look into html 2 pdf at sourgeforge

Note you don't have to use %%somevalue%% it can be anything
~somevalue~


Good Luck

 

[Ian Davies]

Thanks for your response Aho

First of all you should have some default starting points, as you already
have. Store those into variables, as $xh1=40;, you will also need to check if
the page has been updated or show for the first time, you can add the

<input name="updated" type="hidden" value="1">

to your form

How will this value =1
remain. wont it disapear when the browser is closed. meaning that if the
user visits again it will not remember him? or have I missuderstood?

in your php you will need to make a check something like

if($_REQUEST['updated']==1) {
$xh1=$_REQUEST['xh1'];
} else {
$xh1=40;
}

Then you have your inputs in html

<input name="xh1" class="BodyText" value="<?PHP echo $xh1;>" size="1" type="text">

You should include the css code that handles the location of the text in the
php file, and with usage of php in the same manner that in the input tag, you
will dynamically change the coordinates in the css/style part of the code.

This last bit sounds interesting, but Im not clear what you mean? Do you
know how to retreive the coordinates of the position the user dragged the
text to and put them in the text boxes? The drag bit of the code I used was
taken from elswhere and my java script isnt up to much. What I really whish
to do is to have the text boxes update continuously as te text is dragged so
that it is constantly displaying the new coordinated.

 

[Ian Davies]

By the way, please do not post questions to six different groups. It

I know
but is wasnt a specific question so the greater the postings in relevant
groups would increase the chanceof a solution.

isn't necessary and annoys people who read multiple groups. One or two

They'll live

 

[Andy Dingley]

save this as template1.html

<html>
<head></head>
<body>
Thank you for signing up, %%name%%! <br>
Company: %%companyName%% <br>
Email: %%email%% <br>
Phone: %%phone%% <p>
Event: %%title%%, %%grpdate%% <p>
Description: <br> %%data%% <p>

Please don't do this.

1. The HTML markup is poor. No DTD and it's not even valid HTML.

2. There's no need to do this. Half-decent HTML and CSS will provide
just as much flexibility, without having to change the page generation
at all.

3. If you must use templating in HTML, then you can do better markers
than "%%title%%"

 

[Jerry Stuckle]

I know
but is wasnt a specific question so the greater the postings in relevant
groups would increase the chanceof a solution.





They'll live

But many of them won't answer your questions.

--
==================
Remove the "x" from my email address
Jerry Stuckle
JDS Computer Training Corp.
(e-mail address removed)
==================

 

[Harlan Messinger]

And you'll live if people choose not to answer your questions, if that's
how you want to play the game.

 

[Ian Davies]

Another thing that is annoying when you open a reply to your post eagerly
thinking someone has answered your question, only to find it is just someone
moaning about something. That actually wastes time and is probably even more
annoying.

 

[Miguel Cruz]

By the way, please do not post questions to six different groups. It
isn't necessary and annoys people who read multiple groups. One or two
of these would probably have been sufficient.

He crossposted properly; something is wrong with your newsreader if you
are seeing the question more than once.

Still 6 groups does seem like overkill.

miguel

 

[Jerry Stuckle]

Another thing that is annoying when you open a reply to your post eagerly
thinking someone has answered your question, only to find it is just someone
moaning about something. That actually wastes time and is probably even more
annoying.

Not nearly as annoying as opening a message thinking you could help them
and finding it posted to umpteen different newsgroups - and the question
not even being applicable to many of those newsgroups (including the one
you're looking at it from).

You go ahead and keep posting to all kinds of newsgroups. Watch your
responses drop to zero.

A friendly suggestion - do a little homework. Find 2 or 3 newsgroups
which are appropriate to your question and post in those.

--
==================
Remove the "x" from my email address
Jerry Stuckle
JDS Computer Training Corp.
(e-mail address removed)
==================

 

[axlq]

Another thing that is annoying when you open a reply to your post eagerly
thinking someone has answered your question, only to find it is just someone
moaning about something. That actually wastes time and is probably even more
annoying.

Then don't use usenet as your tech support service if you don't like
the fact that anybody can post anything in a public forum. Go to a
moderated newsgroup, or hire a consultant and you'll get more direct
answers.

-A

 

[axlq]

3. If you must use templating in HTML, then you can do better markers
than "%%title%%"

For templating, personally I'm a big fan of smarty -- see
http://smarty.php.net

CSS lets you separate styling from markup.

Smarty lets you go further, separating php scripts from HTML
content.

The HTML content is all in templates and the php scripts perform
all the logical operations, set the smarty template variables to be
filled in, etc. The smarty templates have directives to include
other templates, if/elseif/then logic, math and logic operators,
etc.

-A

 

[Harlan Messinger]

> Another thing that is annoying when you open a reply to your post eagerly
> thinking someone has answered your question, only to find it is just someone
> moaning about something. That actually wastes time and is probably even more
> annoying.

Top-posting is another annoying thing.

So is ignoring the fact that someone did in fact provide a valid answer
to your question, as I did.

But beyond that, one of the most annoying things is someone who solicits
help but then, when someone explains posting etiquette to him, gives a
response like "they'll live", showing a puzzling disregard for the very
people whose assistance he's hoping to enlist.

 

[Harlan Messinger]

He crossposted properly; something is wrong with your newsreader if you
are seeing the question more than once.

Granted that he crossposted rather than multiposting.

Still 6 groups does seem like overkill.

Yes. In fact, I think six is the maximum my news provider will allow me
to post to, reflecting their enforcement of Usenet etiquette.

 

[Andy Mabbett]

even more annoying

Not as annoying as top-posting.

A: Because it messes up the order in which we read text
Q: Why is top posting such a bad thing?
A: Top posters
Q: What's the most annoying thing on usenet?

FU set

 

[Ian Davies]

Top-posting is another annoying thing.

So is ignoring the fact that someone did in fact provide a valid answer
to your question, as I did.

But beyond that, one of the most annoying things is someone who solicits
help but then, when someone explains posting etiquette to him, gives a
response like "they'll live", showing a puzzling disregard for the very
people whose assistance he's hoping to enlist.

I make a great point of thanking those who provided me with useful
information even if it couldnt help me. Check back over the previous posts
(about first 3 except yours) and you will quickly realise my gratitude.

PHP doesn't interact with either CSS or Javascript. To PHP, CSS and
Javascript are just strings being written out as part of the web page,
just as they HTML is. To CSS and Javascript, PHP doesn't exist, since
they operate only within the browser, and the browser only knows what's
on the HTML page it has been sent, and nothing about the programming
used to generate and send that page.

Your response, I feel wasnt that valid really, much of this I already knew I
was, like most on these forums looking for something a little more specific
that addresses the problems I was having. I was going to say that your info
was as useless as a one legged man in an arse kicking competition, but I
detect a lack of sense of humour, as you took too very seriously the
following

"they'll live "

note the bit