Updating an HTML combo box from MySQL DB using PHP - php

Question

need some help here. It's a very simple web app i'm developing but just needed some help with something.
Here's what's setup. I have a html form with one combo box. All I need is to update this combo box with the entries from a mysql table named 'supplier'. The input to this table 'supplier' is via another form on my website which i've already setup. I need help in auto updating this combo box from the table 'supplier'. Please let me know the php code for it. I've included my code as well. Thanks in advance! I have included the html form as well.

Answer 1

replace your code
$result = mysql_query("SELECT supplier FROM supplier");
while($row = mysql_fetch_array($result))
{
/*echo '<form action="">';*/
echo "<select name='supplier'>";
echo "<option value = '$row[supplier]'>""</option>";
echo "</select>";
with
$result = mysql_query("SELECT supplier FROM supplier");
echo "<select name='supplier'>";
while($row = mysql_fetch_assoc($result))
{
echo "<option value = '".$row[supplier]."'>".$row[supplier]."</option>";
}
echo "</select>";

Answer 2

So,
what is the problem? Is your script not working or do you want a active Combobox on one screen to be updated, when on another screen a new entry for supplier is entered?
Ok, some hints:
The "select"-Tag should be placed outside the loop.
Put the column name in "
Add a display-Value for the options
So, without checking it:
/*echo '<form action="">';*/
echo "<select name='supplier'>";
while($row = mysql_fetch_array($result))
{
echo "<option value = '".$row["supplier"]."'>".$row["supplier"]."</option>";
}
echo "</select>";

Answer 3

Your problem is here:
$result = mysql_query("SELECT supplier FROM supplier");
while($row = mysql_fetch_array($result))
{
/*echo '<form action="">';*/
echo "<select name='supplier'>";
echo "<option value = '$row[supplier]'>""</option>";
echo "</select>";
You're creating the drop down box (the Select) inside of the mysql data loop. As #Hitesh has explained. You need to create this outside of the loop and only echo out the data results within. For example:
$result = mysql_query("SELECT supplier FROM supplier");
echo "<select name='supplier'>";
while($row = mysql_fetch_array($result))
{
echo "<option value=".$row['supplier'].">".$row['supplier']."</option>";
}
echo "</select>";
This will output your drop down box, with all your supplier names as the value and the displayed text options.
If you attempted to do the following:
$result = mysql_query("SELECT supplier FROM supplier");
while($row = mysql_fetch_array($result))
{
/*echo '<form action="">';*/
echo "<select name='supplier'>";
echo "<option value = '$row[supplier]'>""</option>";
echo "</select>";
}
You would just end up with as many drop down boxes as you had suppliers in your database. This is because you're creating a new Select box for each record found.
Also, without specifying the second $row['supplier'] between the option tags, you'd just end up with a blank (empty) drop down box.
Hope this helps.

Answer 4

Here is complete code:
PHP Code:
<?php
// select box open tag
$selectBoxOpen = "<select name='supplier'>";
// select box close tag
$selectBoxClose = "</select>";
// select box option tag
$selectBoxOption = '';
// connect mysql server
$con = mysql_connect("localhost","user","pass");
if (!$con) {
die('Could not connect: ' . mysql_error());
}
// select database
mysql_select_db("rtgs", $con);
// fire mysql query
$result = mysql_query("SELECT supplier FROM supplier");
// play with return result array
while($row = mysql_fetch_array($result)){
$selectBoxOption .="<option value = '".$row['supplier']."'>".$row['supplier']."</option>";
}
// create select box tag with mysql result
$selectBox = $selectBoxOpen.$selectBoxOption.$selectBoxClose;
?>
HTML Code:
<form action="ntxn.php" method="post">
<table>
<tr>
<td>Supplier Name:</td>
<td>
<?php echo $selectBox;?>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bill No. :</td>
<td><input type ="text" name="billno"/></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bill Date : </td>
<td><input type="date" name="billdate"/></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bill Amount : </td>
<td><input type="text" name="billamt"/></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>NEFT / RTGS No. :</td>
<td><input type="text" name="rtgs"/></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><input type="submit" name="Save"/></td>
</tr>
</table>
</form>