Referenced Select Input [closed] - php

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I have a web application which has a select input with over 100 options. All of these options are hard-coded into the html and I have to update this list regularly. Is there a way where I can have this list automatically updated by connecting to a database?
I haven't tried anything yet. I am just wondering where to start.

Answer 1

Well, 100 choices is a "lot" of options.
but, you would use some kind of "data aware" control to do this.
However, some kind of "drill down" or organizing the choices would make a LOT of sense here.
I can't recall EVER being on a page with 100+ choices. So, some kind of "re-think" of what the whole business process and goal is about here I think is warranted.
Software "solutions" start out with some kind of scope. So, "more" then just tossing up 100 choices is the whole problem in the first place.
So, we need two things:
The data base table "list" of choices.
the database table that "saves" + "stores" the user selecitons.
Now, of course, since over time the list of choices will and can, and should be able to change. Thus, we need to ALSO normalize the data (if we don't, then we in for a VERY difficult ride and will have to write ever mode code).
So, we will assume say:
MyTripPlanner - a record to describe the trip, and let me choose place(s) I want to visit.
MyTripHotels - a child table that lists out the "many" selections.
MyHotels - a table from which the choices come from.
So, our markup will look like this:
<div id="TripRecord" style="float: left">
<h3>Trip Details</h3>
<div style="float: left">
<h3>TripDate</h3>
<asp:TextBox ID="txtTripDate" runat="server"
TextMode="Date" f="TripDate">
</asp:TextBox>
</div>
<div style="float: left; margin-left: 35px">
<h3>Notes</h3>
<asp:TextBox ID="txtNotes" runat="server"
TextMode="MultiLine"
f="Notes" Height="139px" Width="469px"></asp:TextBox>
</div>
</div>
<div style="clear: both"></div>
<h3>Pick Hotels</h3>
<asp:CheckBoxList ID="CKHotels" runat="server"
DataValueField="ID"
DataTextField="HotelName" CellPadding="8"
CellSpacing="5" RepeatColumns="10"
RepeatDirection="Horizontal">
</asp:CheckBoxList>
Note how there is NOT much markup.
Our code to load is this:
Protected Sub Page_Load(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Me.Load
If Not IsPostBack Then
LoadTrip()
LoadHotels()
LoadMyChoices
End If
End Sub
Sub LoadTrip()
End Sub
Sub LoadHotels()
Dim strSQL =
"SELECT ID, HotelName FROM tblHotels where HotelName is not null
ORDER BY HotelName"
CKHotels.DataSource = Myrst(strSQL)
CKHotels.DataBind()
End Sub
Sub LoadMyChoices()
' get list of current user hotel choices, and "check" the boxes in the list.
Dim UserID = 123 ' faking user id since we don't have logon's setup yet
Dim rstMyHotels As DataTable =
Myrst($"SELECT ID, Hotel_ID, UserID FROM tblMyHotelChoices WHERE UserID = {UserID}")
' now check the checkboxes
For Each OneCheckItem As ListItem In CKHotels.Items
Dim SearchRows As DataRow() = rstMyHotels.Select($"Hotel_ID = {OneCheckItem.Value}")
If SearchRows.Length > 0 Then
OneCheckItem.Selected = True
End If
Next
End Sub
And now our results for 98 choices is this:
So, note how very little markup we required.
That is due to using a database to "drive" the choices, and the number of check boxes we have.
So, if tomorrow you add 5 more hotels, then they will "just" show up in the list, since the check box list is not hard coded, but has a datasource based on the Hotels table.
this approach ALSO means that you can add more hotels, users can choose out of that list, and ZERO changes are required to the code logic.
Now, I don't have a submit button, but it would simple "reverse" the code that picked up the ones I have already selected (from the database).