Question

I have 3 drop-down boxes, which work great. I’m able to choose the values from 3 different tables and submit/save to a summary table via the various table ID’s. However, I’d also like to be able to edit these values in the same drop down fields. I have an edit function that sends the summary table ID to a $_GET function to identify the row. The values currently show up in 3 text boxes, but I’d rather they populate into the same drop-down fields instead. I’m unable to get the options syntax correct.. I’m thinking I need a “selected” option in there somewhere. I only want the proj_hours column to be updated, but still want all 3 drop-down’s populated with values.

I hope that makes sense? I want to get rid of the text boxes.

Most recent code:

<?php

    // Connect to server and select database.
    $link = mysql_connect("$host", "$username", "$password")or die("cannot connect");
    mysql_select_db("$db_name")or die("cannot select DB");

    //grabs ID from the initial edit submit 
//grabs ID from the initial edit submit 
    if(isset($_GET['id']))
echo "<pre>Value of \$_GET:</br>";print_r($_GET);echo"</pre>";  
    {
        $summary_id = $_GET['summary_id'];
        $res = mysql_query("SELECT *
                    FROM summary S
                    JOIN projects P ON S.proj_id = P.proj_id
                    JOIN departments D ON D.dept_id = S.dept_id
                    JOIN hours H ON H.hours_id = S.hours_id
                    WHERE S.summary_id = '$_GET[id]'
                    ORDER BY D.dept_id
                    LIMIT 0 , 30");

        $rows = mysql_fetch_array($res);

//echo "<pre>Value of \$rows:</br>";print_r($rows);echo"</pre>";  //was using to check what's going on 
        }

//submits the edited values, does a join to find out what's what, and inserts the correct digits into the summary DB        
    if (isset($_POST['btnsubmit']))  
echo "<pre>Value of \$_POST:</br>";print_r($_POST);echo"</pre>";
    {
//echo "<pre>Value of \$_POST:</br>";print_r($_POST);echo"</pre>";
        $summary_id     = $_POST['summary_id'];     
        $nclarity_id    = $_POST['nclarity_id'];
        $nproj_hours    = $_POST['nproj_hours'];
        $ndept_name     = $_POST['ndept_name'];

        $sql1           = "UPDATE summary S
                            SET S.hours_id = (
                            SELECT H.hours_id  
                            FROM Hours H 
                            WHERE H.proj_hours = '$nproj_hours' )
                            WHERE S.summary_id = '$summary_id'" 
                            or die ("couldn't update".mysql_error());

//multiple queries to get the field edited - i know this can be done more efficiently and safely, but I'm not proficient enough                         
        $query1 = mysql_query($sql1);
        if ($query1)
{
echo "success_1!";
}
else
            {
        die('error inserting new record_1'.mysql_error());
    } // end of the nested if statement

}

 if (isset($_POST['btnnew']))  

    {
    //echo "<pre>Value of \$_POST:</br>";print_r($_POST);echo"</pre>";

        $nclarity_id    = $_POST['nclarity_id'];
        $nproj_hours    = $_POST['nproj_hours'];
        $ndept_name     = $_POST['ndept_name'];
        $proj_id        = $_POST['nclarity_id'];
        $hours_id       = $_POST['nproj_hours'];
        $dept_id        = $_POST['ndept_name'];

        $sql        = "INSERT INTO `summary` VALUES (null,'$proj_id','$hours_id','$dept_id',NOW(),null)" 
                            or die ("couldn't update".mysql_error());
        $query = mysql_query($sql);

        if ($query)
{
echo "success_2!";
}
else
            {
        die('error inserting new record_2'.mysql_error());
    } // end of the nested if statement
}

    $res = mysql_query("SELECT *
                    FROM summary S
                    JOIN projects P ON S.proj_id = P.proj_id
                    JOIN departments D ON D.dept_id = S.dept_id
                    JOIN hours H ON H.hours_id = S.hours_id
                    WHERE P.proj_status = 'open'
                    ORDER BY D.dept_id
                                        LIMIT 0 , 30"); 

?>

<table width="500" border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="0">
   <tr>
   <td>
   <table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="0">
   <tr>
   <td>&nbsp;</td>
   <td colspan="3"><strong>Update data in mysql</strong> </td>
   </tr>
   <tr>
   <td align="center">&nbsp;</td>
   <td align="center">&nbsp;</td>
   <td align="center">&nbsp;</td>
   </tr>
   <tr>
   <td align="center">&nbsp;</td>
   <td align="center"><strong>Clarity ID</strong></td>
   <td align="center"><strong>Hours</strong></td>
   <td align="center"><strong>Department</strong></td>
   </tr>
   </table>
   </td>
   </form>
   </tr>
   </table>

<table width="500" border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="0">

<form method="post" action="index.php">
<tr>
<td>&nbsp;</td>

<select name="nclarity_id">
<option name="">
<?php
$sql = "SELECT proj_id, clarity_id FROM projects WHERE proj_status='open'";

$rs = mysql_query($sql);

$id = -9999; // a value that cannot exist in your database
if(isset($_GET['proj_id'])) { // check if there is an id in the $_GET variable
    $id = $_GET['proj_id']; // if so, set the $id variable
}
while($row = mysql_fetch_array($rs))
{
    $selectedText = "";
    if($row['proj_id'] == $id) { // if this row id is the same as the post id
        $selectedText = ' selected="selected"'; // set some text to be included in the markup
    }
    echo "<option value=\"".$row['proj_id']."\"".$selectedText.">".$row['clarity_id']."</option>\n  ";
}
?>
</select>

<select name="nproj_hours">
<option name="">
<?php
$sql = "SELECT hours_id, proj_hours FROM hours";
$rs = mysql_query($sql);
$id = -9999; // a value that cannot exist in your database
if(isset($_GET['hours_id'])) { // check if there is an id in the $_GET variable
    $id = $_GET['hours_id']; // if so, set the $id variable
}
while($row = mysql_fetch_array($rs))
{
    $selectedText = "";
    if($row['hours_id'] == $id) { // if this row id is the same as the post id
        $selectedText = ' selected="selected"'; // set some text to be included in the markup
    }
    echo "<option value=\"".$row['hours_id']."\"".$selectedText.">".$row['proj_hours']."</option>\n  ";

}
?>
</select>
<select name="ndept_name">
<option name="">
<?php
$sql = "SELECT dept_id, dept_name FROM departments";
$rs = mysql_query($sql);
$id = -9999; // a value that cannot exist in your database
if(isset($_GET['dept_id'])) { // check if there is an id in the $_GET variable
    $id = $_GET['dept_id']; // if so, set the $id variable
}
while($row = mysql_fetch_array($rs))
{
    $selectedText = "";
    if($row['hours_id'] == $id) { // if this row id is the same as the post id
        $selectedText = ' selected="selected"'; // set some text to be included in the markup
    }
    echo "<option value=\"".$row['dept_id']."\"".$selectedText.">".$row['dept_name']."</option>\n  ";

}
?>
</select>
<td align="center">
<input type="submit" name="btnnew" value="Enter New Record">
<input type="submit" name="btnsubmit" value="Save Edited Record">
</td>
</tr>
</form>
</table>

<table width="700" border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="0">
<tr>
<td>
<table width="700" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="3">
<tr>
<td colspan="5"><strong>Project Information </strong> </td>
</tr>

<tr>
<tr>
<td align="center"><strong>Clarity ID</strong></td>
<td align="center"><strong>Estimated Hours</strong></td>
<td align="center"><strong>Department</strong></td>
<td align="center"><strong>Date Submitted</strong></td>
<td align="center"><strong></strong></td>
</tr>

<?php
while($row=mysql_fetch_array($res))
{

?>

<tr>
<td align="center"><?php echo $row['clarity_id']; ?></td>
<td align="center"><?php echo $row['proj_hours']; ?></td>
<td align="center"><?php echo $row['dept_name']; ?></td>
<td align="center"><?php echo $row['date_entered']; ?></td>
<td align="center"><a href="index.php?id=<?php echo $row['summary_id']; ?>">Edit</a></td>
</tr>

<?php
}

?>

</table>
</td>
</tr>
</table>


<?php
mysql_close();
?>

Answer 1

You can build the same options list, but check to see if the id is the same as the id you find in the $_POST or $_GET array.

EDIT: just realised that you speicifed $_GET – substitute $_POST with $_GET in the example below.

Something like:

$id = -9999; // a value that cannot exist in your database
if(isset($_POST['proj_id'])) { // check if there is an id in the $_POST variable
    $id = $_POST['proj_id']; // if so, set the $id variable
}
while($row = mysql_fetch_array($rs))
{
    $selectedText = "";
    if($row['proj_id'] == $id) { // if this row id is the same as the post id
        $selectedText = ' selected="selected"'; // set some text to be included in the markup
    }
    echo "<option value=\"".$row['proj_id']."\"".$selectedText.">".$row['clarity_id']."</option>\n  ";

}

Hope this helps.

EDIT to answer comment:

Hi Mike, I’ve checked your code again, there’s a bit of confusion with the $_POST and $_GET variables. You find the $_POST variables from your form when it is submitted. The $_GET variables are from the URL. When you click the “edit” link, you are redirecting to index.php, and you are passing a single variable, called “id”. At this point, your $_GET array will contain a single key/value pair, called “id” and its value. Yet, I notice in your code you are trying to get a variable called ‘summary_id’ from the $_GET array, which probably doesn’t exist. Also, before you construct each options list, you are looking for $_GET['proj_id'], $_GET['hours_id'] and $_GET['dept_id'], which again don’t exist. In summary, on the “edit” page, you are searching for variables which you haven’t passed in the URL. This is probably why your dropdown lists are not being populated. One solution would be to change your “edit” link so that you pass also the proj_id, dept_id and hours_id variables. Also, bear in mind that the $_POST array is only populated when the form is submitted, and is only available to the page specified in the “action” attribute of the form element. As soon as you navigate away from that page (even if you navigate to the same page, as you are doing with your “edit” link), the $_POST array is no longer populated.