[WEB4LIB] Re: Modified "get" action for forms?

[Araby Greene]

The ASP script is processed on the server, not on the client. While you can
write ASP scripts in JavaScript or Perl, I use VBScript because it's easier
for me. The client doesn't have to support it. My intent was just to suggest
conditionally including fields in the SQL query string, which should be
do-able in PHP, and one of the other responses seemed to address that.

-araby

----- Original Message -----
From: "Chris Shaffer" <shaffer at uic.edu>
To: "Multiple recipients of list" <web4lib at webjunction.org>
Sent: Wednesday, November 08, 2000 10:35 AM
Subject: [WEB4LIB] Re: Modified "get" action for forms?


> Unfortunately, this solution uses client side scripting (VBScript), which
I
> do not want to use.  I should have been more clear when I said "does not
> use javascript" -- I really meant "does not use client side scripting."
>
> Chris Shaffer
> shaffer at uic.edu
>
> At 11/7/00 05:55 PM, you wrote:
> >Yes, you can generate a query that uses only fields with input from a
search
> >form. I had to muddle through that same question recently for a search
form
> >that uses 3 fields and the option of and/or with a second search term for
> >the first two fields. Search results are a list of titles with agency,
> >links, and callnumber from our (uncataloged) Nevada docs database. The
query
> >string includes only those fields that have input. It uses ASP and
VBScript,
> >though the same idea should work for PHP and mySQL.
> >
> >Conceptually, it's simple: use IF statements to test for input that <>
"",
> >then concatenate the fields that pass the test to the sql query string.
> >Getting the syntax exactly right is the only tricky part.
> >
> >To keep it simple, the script first tests for a blank search form (i.e.,
> >each input field = "") and requires that the user enter at least one
search
> >term. A blank title field is allowed so that the user can search for ALL
> >titles, limited by agency or callnumber (because the database is small,
only
> >about 2300 records). This also allows easy coding of the first condition
in
> >the WHERE statement which matches either a blank title or title search
> >term(s). Wildcards are at both ends of the title search term.
> >
> >After that, use:
> >If [field] <> "" Then
> >strSQL = strSQL & " AND (condition) "
> >End If
> >If [field] <> "" Then
> >strSQL = strSQL & " AND (next condition) "
> >End If
> >and so on
> >Concatenate the ORDER BY part at the end.
> >
> >Then loop through the recordset for results.
> >
> >The URL is
>
>http://www.library.unr.edu/depts/bgic/guides/government/nevada/nevada.html
> >
> >Hope this helps.
> >-araby
> >________________________
> >Araby Greene
> >araby at unr.edu
> >Web Development Librarian
> >Getchell Library/322
> >Univ. of Nevada, Reno
> >http://www.library.unr.edu/
> >
> >----- Original Message -----
> >From: "Chris Shaffer" <shaffer at uic.edu>
> >To: "Multiple recipients of list" <web4lib at webjunction.org>
> >Sent: Tuesday, November 07, 2000 2:22 PM
> >Subject: [WEB4LIB] Modified "get" action for forms?
> >
> >
> > > I have a database search form with many input fields, only a few of
which
> > > are used in the average search.  I'd like the search logic to be
embedded
> > > in the URL so that search results pages can be bookmarks or
> > > favorites.  However, action="get" puts all the fields in the URL,
which
> > > results in a very long URL.  I'd like to generate a URL that only
includes
> > > non-null input fields.  Is there any way to do this that 1) does not
use
> > > javascript and 2) does not disable the browser back button via
redirect?
> > >
> > > FYI, our web server is Unix, Apache, PHP, MySQL.
> > > -----
> > > Chris Shaffer, Technology Coordinator
> > > National Network of Libraries of Medicine, Greater Midwest Region
> > > Library of the Health Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago
> > > shaffer at uic.edu     http://www.nnlm.nlm.nih.gov/gmr/
> > > 312-996-2464 (voice)     312-996-2226 (fax)