I need this page to dispay the names begining with the letter they select, can any one help?




The Page -

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

The Code -

<?php
$sql = "SELECT * FROM adddb ORDER BY nameof";
$result = mysql_query($sql, $conn) or die(mysql_error());
while ($newArray = mysql_fetch_array($result)) {
$nameof = $newArray['nameof'];
$why = $newArray['why'];


echo "
<b>Name:</b><br>$nameof<br><br><b>Because:</b><br>$why<br><br><hr>";
}
?>


Thanx

Jamie

Hmmmm right then.

For a start, lets use a Query string taken from the link pressed on (i'm assuming all the letters are linked, so we'd have something like http://www.mysite.com/names.php?letter=A).

so:

PHP Code:

$LetterPrefix = $_GET['letter']; 


Now we can simply use a SQL query to find anything in the database beginning with the letter given to us.

$sql = "SELECT * FROM 'adddb' WHERE 1 AND 'nameof' LIKE '$LetterPrefix%' ORDER BY 'nameof'";

and hey presdo! Should do it, message back if it works or don't work

Sorry forgot to explain something, i added a WHERE LIKE command, it's pretty simple and can be investigated further on the official SQL site. But the % you see after $LetterPrefix is a wildcard, so basically it's going to search for any name in the database starting with that letter, and does not concern itself with anything after that

Originally Posted by leavethisplace

Hmmmm right then.

For a start, lets use a Query string taken from the link pressed on (i'm assuming all the letters are linked, so we'd have something like http://www.mysite.com/names.php?letter=A).

How would i do that bit?

Sorry

Jamie

For the letter index, write your links with the letters on the end, as 'get' variables:

<a href="http://www.mysite.com/names.php?letter=A">A</a>
<a href="http://www.mysite.com/names.php?letter=B">B</a>
<a href="http://www.mysite.com/names.php?letter=C">C</a>
...
<a href="http://www.mysite.com/names.php?letter=Z">Z</a>

Then in names.php or whatever filename you point the links at, you can determine which letter was clicked on by looking in the $_GET array that PHP provides you:

PHP Code:


<?php

$clickedletter = $_GET['letter'];
//'letter' is the same name as you used for the variable in the links
echo "You clicked on letter ". $clickedletter;

?>

That make sense?

You can then use the knowledge of what letter was clicked to run a MySQL query to find only the things that start with that letter:

PHP Code:


$result = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM adddb WHERE nameof LIKE '$clickedletter%'"); 


The % sign indicates '0 or more characters, so $clickedletter% will match up with anything in nameof that starts with the clicked letter.

PHP Code:

<?php include("includes/dbconnect.php"); ?>

<a href="http://www.site.com/index.php?letter=A">A</a>
<a href="http://www.site.com/index.php?letter=B">B</a>
<a href="http://www.site.com/index.php?letter=C">C</a>

<?php

$firstLetter = $_GET['letter'];
$sql = "SELECT * FROM adddb WHERE  " .$nameof. " LIKE " .$firstLetter. " ORDER BY 'nameof'";
$result = mysql_query($sql, $conn) or die(mysql_error());
while ($row = mysql_fetch_assoc($result)) {
    $name = $row["nameof"];
    $why = $row['why'];


    echo "<b>Name:</b><br>" .$name. "<br><br>";
    echo "<b>Because:</b><br>" .$why. "<br><br><hr>";

}
?>

still stuck, any ideas, thats what i have got now?

Thanx for your help guys

PHP Code:

$sql = "SELECT * FROM adddb WHERE  " .$nameof. " LIKE " .$firstLetter. " ORDER BY 'nameof'"; 


There is no need for the " . $value . " thing here man, take that out, SQL statement will work even if you just have the variable name without " . . "

So

PHP Code:

$sql = "SELECT * FROM 'adddb' WHERE 1 AND 'nameof' LIKE '$LetterPrefix%' ORDER BY 'nameof'"; 


If that don't work try adding values in manually to check that the SQL statement is working correctly, so try something like

PHP Code:

$sql = "SELECT * FROM 'adddb' WHERE 1 AND 'nameof' LIKE 'A%' ORDER BY 'nameof'"; 


Also, do a if ($isset($_GET[letter])) { statement to check that the letter is present in the URL.

Also, whats with copying exactly what I said Oberon??

Oh sorry - I didn't fully read your post where you explained the SQL - i just saw the request to clarify what a query string was, then I went on to the other parts of the code. Didn't realise you'd already done it.

What exactly do you need the WHERE 1 for?

errr... cant actually explain why i put that there.. ignore it! It's really just a trick of the eeeeyyyeeee

ahhhhhhhhhhhh this does not want to work lol

Ok then dude, copy the code out below EXACTLY how it looks, dont change one thing, not even a little bit, don't even take one tiny bit oh whitespace out! Copy and paste it, and try it out, it should work, if not it should throw up an error!

PHP Code:

<?php include("includes/dbconnect.php"); ?> 

<a href="http://www.site.com/index.php?letter=A">A</a> 
<a href="http://www.site.com/index.php?letter=B">B</a> 
<a href="http://www.site.com/index.php?letter=C">C</a> 

<?php 

if (isset($_GET['letter'])) 
    {
 
    $firstLetter = $_GET['letter'];

    $sql_query = "SELECT * FROM adddb WHERE '$nameof' LIKE '$firstLetter%' ORDER BY 'nameof'";
 
    $result = mysql_query($sql_query)
        or die("Query failed: " . mysql_error());


    while ($row = mysql_fetch_assoc($result)) {
 
        $name = $row['nameof']; 
        $why = $row['why']; 

        if ((!isset($name)) || (!isset($why))) {
            die("PHP Error: Variable 'name' or 'why' not set");
        } else {

                echo('<b>Name:</b><br>' . $name . '<br><br>
                      <b>Because:</b><br>' . $why . '<br><br><hr>'); 
        }
    } 
?>

that didnt work so i tried this and now im alot closer-

abc.php

PHP Code:

<?php
$link = "list.php?alphabet";

echo "<a href='$link=a'>A</a> | <a href='$link=b'>B</a> | " ;
?>

list.php

PHP Code:

<?php
    
        $sql = 'SELECT * from adddb where nameof = "alphabet"';
$result = mysql_query($sql, $conn) or die(mysql_error());
while ($newArray = mysql_fetch_array($result)) {
     
    $nameof = $newArray['nameof'];
    $why = $newArray['why'];

    echo "  
    <b>Name:</b><br>             
    $nameof<br><br>
    <b>Why:</b><br>  
    $why<br><hr>";
}
?>

Any ideas?

Why are u using $conn in mysql_query($sql, $conn) whats it for?

i was using it b4 to see if i could find the error, but didnt help.

Ok, i dont think it's needed. I know the SQL is correct because it works on my own scripts.

What exactly happens? Does it return anything? Also, dump your SQL data and structure here, maybe the problem is fair deep.

all i need is the bit so it only looks up the first letter of name $nameof

that's what 'LIKE' is for - look back at the previous posts, it's been explained twice already (I didn't see the first time!)

oh right, can see the error in your coding now, even though i've corrected it loads. The mySQL statement is incorrect, musta copied it wrong or something

PHP Code:

$sql = "SELECT * from adddb where nameof LIKE '$alphabet%'"; 


You must use %, it's a wildcard. You must also use LIKE, cause i said so

Also, make sure you wrap the variable value in ""

Try that

Hurray it works, lol

Thanx alot guys for all your help

Thank You Thank You Thank You Thank You

well actually i was expecting a big kiss too, but thank you is enough

It's cool dude, good luck with the rest of your coding!