Hi, I'm new to php coding but have experience of html code, I was wondering if anyone could help me, basically I have a table that has a list of members in one column and a list of which new recruits each member has recruited in the second column.

I was wondering If anyone could tell me how I could possibly make an input filed for each column so that new names can be added while the table is live rather than having to edit the table offline and then upload it again. I have mySQL databases available if need be.

I was thinking along the lines of being able to edit an existing members name as well as just adding new names, but just adding new names would be a good start for me.

Thanks in advance for any help offered.

If you wish to see the existing table it is at www.hades-guild.co.uk/recruiters.php

You'll definitely want to use a mysql database if you are going to be having to edit tables all of the time. This is where PHP and MySQL are perfect - together they can rapidly retrieve vast amounts of data that you can insert, update, delete etc. using a web page interface (built yourself).

If I could suggest anything it would be to do a little reading on relational database theory http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relational_model . Only reason being, you will save yourself a lot of heart ache in the long run. For example, what you have told me so far would lead most beginners to do the following;

Members_table
column 1 `id`
column 2 `member`
column 3 `recruited member`

Imagine you had a `member` named `Jane Smith` who recruited 50 new `recruited members`. You would have `Jane Smith` repeated in column 2 of the table all over the place. What would happen when you want to change her name (she got married) or there is another `Jane Smith`?

Best bet would be to keep things separate and use three tables;

Members_table
column 1 `id`
column 2 `member`

Recruits_crossref
column 1 `member_id`
column 2 `recruit_id`

Recruits_table
column 1 `id`
column 2 `recruit`

Sound strange...? Go have a little read of that Wikipedia page. Or if that's too hard going and you are serious about learning php and mysql I'd suggest this book http://www.amazon.co.uk/Build-Databa...5817899&sr=8-1 . It was a really good starting point for me and is written with good humour all the way through.

Look for something called tablekit, here its on my dev server.

http://orfius.net/table/

Thanks for the help guys I'll give these a try.

I did borrow a book called "Sam's Teach Yourself PHP, MySQL and Apache in 24 Hours" but i took almost an hour to read each "lesson" so i gave up on that and am hoping to find a book thats easier reading as i'm not much of a reader (reading bores me, I'm a practically minded person)

Thanks for the heads up on Tablekit, might give it a try, it looks good.

Originally Posted by EdB

You'll definitely want to use a mysql database if you are going to be having to edit tables all of the time. This is where PHP and MySQL are perfect - together they can rapidly retrieve vast amounts of data that you can insert, update, delete etc. using a web page interface (built yourself).

If I could suggest anything it would be to do a little reading on relational database theory http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relational_model . Only reason being, you will save yourself a lot of heart ache in the long run. For example, what you have told me so far would lead most beginners to do the following;

Members_table
column 1 `id`
column 2 `member`
column 3 `recruited member`

Imagine you had a `member` named `Jane Smith` who recruited 50 new `recruited members`. You would have `Jane Smith` repeated in column 2 of the table all over the place. What would happen when you want to change her name (she got married) or there is another `Jane Smith`?

Best bet would be to keep things separate and use three tables;

Members_table
column 1 `id`
column 2 `member`

Recruits_crossref
column 1 `member_id`
column 2 `recruit_id`

Recruits_table
column 1 `id`
column 2 `recruit`

Sound strange...? Go have a little read of that Wikipedia page. Or if that's too hard going and you are serious about learning php and mysql I'd suggest this book http://www.amazon.co.uk/Build-Databa...5817899&sr=8-1 . It was a really good starting point for me and is written with good humour all the way through.

You're actually making assumptions here which might be unwise - that recruits aren't members and that future members aren't recuited.