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Re: Dynamic form generation [message #177681 is a reply to message #177642]

Fri, 13 April 2012 09:39

Erwin Moller
Messages: 228
Registered: September 2010

Karma:

Senior Member

On 4/12/2012 5:48 AM, Charles wrote:
> I'm working on a database application, and I'd like to write a function that takes the table structure from a MySQL database table and generates a fresh data entry form from it each time someone browses to it.
>
> That way I can have four functions that serve the four purposes of data entry, view/query, edit, and delete, instead of 4 scripts for each table (the application has 64 tables so far) that have to be editted every time the table changes.
>
> Is it possible to use PHP to generate data entry forms on the fly?
>
> Does anyone have any recommendation for a reference resource or some sample code to study for this?
>

Hi Charles,

I have written such a contraption for Postgres 8.1 a few years ago.
I don't think I am allowed to send you the code, but I can describe it
(translated to mysql).

The approach is really simple:

http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.0/en/getting-information.html

1) Figure out how you can get a listing of all your tables in the db.
('show tables' in mysql, I think)
2) List them all on the screen, and hyperlink to a details page.
3) Look up all the columns in use for that given table.
('describe table' I think)
4) Make a mapping for each datatype you want to support.
Don't try to support everything: BLOB makes no sense to edit in a html form.

For example:
$myMapping = [
"CHAR(x)" => "TS",
"VARCHAR(x)" => "TS",
"TEXT" => "TB",
"TINYINT" => "I",
etc...
];

TS meaning Texttype and small (Use INPUT type="text" in form)
TB meaning Texttype and big (Use textarea in form)
I meaning int.

You need a bit smarter code than plain matching, since CHAR(30) must match.
You can use a regular expression.

Now you can map every column to a suitable HTML form element.

You can also use that mapping to do the right casting before inserting
when you receive a new row.
for example: use mysql_realescape() on TS and TB.
Cast received integers to int.
Cast floats/doubles to... etc.

It isn't too difficult to write if you use a simple mapping array and
only support datatypes that make sense. I wrote a simple one in 1 day.
And it is fun. :-)

Hope this helps you going.

Good luck.
Regards,
Erwin Moller

--
"That which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without
evidence."
-- Christopher Hitchens

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[Message index]

		Dynamic form generation By: Charles on Thu, 12 April 2012 03:48
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Jerry Stuckle on Thu, 12 April 2012 04:03
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: The Natural Philosoph on Thu, 12 April 2012 04:46
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Michael Vilain on Thu, 12 April 2012 04:52
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Denis McMahon on Thu, 12 April 2012 12:42
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Charles on Fri, 13 April 2012 03:43
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Michael Vilain on Fri, 13 April 2012 04:55
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Denis McMahon on Fri, 13 April 2012 13:19
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Tony Marston on Fri, 13 April 2012 08:59
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Denis McMahon on Fri, 13 April 2012 13:22
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Thomas 'PointedEars' on Tue, 17 April 2012 12:49
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Jerry Stuckle on Tue, 17 April 2012 15:36
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Tony Marston on Wed, 18 April 2012 08:33
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Jerry Stuckle on Wed, 18 April 2012 11:59
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Tony Marston on Thu, 19 April 2012 08:56
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Jerry Stuckle on Thu, 19 April 2012 12:29
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Tony Marston on Fri, 20 April 2012 08:27
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Jerry Stuckle on Fri, 20 April 2012 11:47
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Tony Marston on Sat, 21 April 2012 11:22
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Jerry Stuckle on Sat, 21 April 2012 14:19
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Tony Marston on Sun, 22 April 2012 10:45
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Jerry Stuckle on Sun, 22 April 2012 14:09
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Tony Marston on Tue, 24 April 2012 17:21
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Thomas 'PointedEars' on Tue, 24 April 2012 18:56
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Tony Marston on Wed, 25 April 2012 08:23
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Jerry Stuckle on Tue, 24 April 2012 20:20
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Tony Marston on Wed, 25 April 2012 09:04
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Jerry Stuckle on Wed, 25 April 2012 12:29
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Tony Marston on Thu, 26 April 2012 11:45
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Thomas 'PointedEars' on Sun, 22 April 2012 17:21
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Tony Marston on Mon, 23 April 2012 12:50
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Thomas 'PointedEars' on Tue, 24 April 2012 09:10
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Tony Marston on Tue, 24 April 2012 16:11
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Thomas 'PointedEars' on Tue, 24 April 2012 16:54
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Tony Marston on Tue, 24 April 2012 17:55
		[OT] Was: Dynamic form generation By: Erwin Moller on Wed, 25 April 2012 11:22
		Re: [OT] Was: Dynamic form generation By: The Natural Philosoph on Wed, 25 April 2012 11:46
		Re: [OT] Was: Dynamic form generation By: Tony Marston on Thu, 26 April 2012 11:51
		Re: [OT] Was: Dynamic form generation By: Erwin Moller on Fri, 27 April 2012 08:26
		[OT] Yes-or-no questions (was: [OT] Was: Dynamic form generation) By: Thomas 'PointedEars' on Sat, 28 April 2012 05:56
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Peter H. Coffin on Sat, 14 April 2012 13:53
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Tony Marston on Sun, 15 April 2012 07:33
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Jerry Stuckle on Sun, 15 April 2012 12:51
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Tony Marston on Mon, 16 April 2012 08:31
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Jerry Stuckle on Mon, 16 April 2012 12:33
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Tony Marston on Mon, 16 April 2012 14:11
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Jerry Stuckle on Mon, 16 April 2012 15:18
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Tony Marston on Tue, 17 April 2012 08:18
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Jerry Stuckle on Tue, 17 April 2012 10:07
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Tony Marston on Wed, 18 April 2012 08:10
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Jerry Stuckle on Wed, 18 April 2012 12:09
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Tony Marston on Thu, 19 April 2012 08:27
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Jerry Stuckle on Thu, 19 April 2012 12:41
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Tony Marston on Fri, 20 April 2012 09:10
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Jerry Stuckle on Fri, 20 April 2012 12:09
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Tony Marston on Sat, 21 April 2012 09:35
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Jerry Stuckle on Sat, 21 April 2012 10:21
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Tony Marston on Sun, 22 April 2012 09:27
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Jerry Stuckle on Sun, 22 April 2012 14:43
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Tony Marston on Mon, 23 April 2012 14:23
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Jerry Stuckle on Mon, 23 April 2012 16:24
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Tony Marston on Thu, 26 April 2012 16:29
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: The Natural Philosoph on Mon, 23 April 2012 19:37
		What Jerry Stuckle thinks of PHP programmers By: Tony Marston on Mon, 23 April 2012 13:10
		Re: What Jerry Stuckle thinks of PHP programmers By: Paul Herber on Mon, 23 April 2012 13:22
		Re: What Jerry Stuckle thinks of PHP programmers By: M. Strobel on Mon, 23 April 2012 13:27
		Re: What Jerry Stuckle thinks of PHP programmers By: Jerry Stuckle on Mon, 23 April 2012 13:33
		Re: What Jerry Stuckle thinks of PHP programmers By: Tony Marston on Mon, 23 April 2012 14:26
		Re: What Jerry Stuckle thinks of PHP programmers By: Jerry Stuckle on Mon, 23 April 2012 16:25
		Re: What Jerry Stuckle thinks of PHP programmers By: Luuk on Mon, 23 April 2012 17:45
		Re: What Jerry Stuckle thinks of PHP programmers By: The Natural Philosoph on Mon, 23 April 2012 19:35
		Re: What Jerry Stuckle thinks of PHP programmers By: Thomas 'PointedEars' on Tue, 24 April 2012 17:45
		Re: What Jerry Stuckle thinks of PHP programmers By: Tony Marston on Sat, 28 April 2012 07:48
		Re: What Jerry Stuckle thinks of PHP programmers By: The Natural Philosoph on Sat, 28 April 2012 08:23
		Re: What Jerry Stuckle thinks of PHP programmers By: Jerry Stuckle on Sat, 28 April 2012 12:37
		Re: What Jerry Stuckle thinks of PHP programmers By: Thomas 'PointedEars' on Sat, 28 April 2012 12:46
		Re: What Jerry Stuckle thinks of PHP programmers By: The Natural Philosoph on Mon, 23 April 2012 19:31
		Re: What Jerry Stuckle thinks of PHP programmers By: Ross McKay on Tue, 24 April 2012 02:32
		Re: What Jerry Stuckle thinks of PHP programmers By: Tim Streater on Tue, 24 April 2012 18:32
		Re: What Jerry Stuckle thinks of PHP programmers By: Ross McKay on Wed, 25 April 2012 09:02
		Re: What Jerry Stuckle thinks of PHP programmers By: The Natural Philosoph on Wed, 25 April 2012 11:20
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Thomas 'PointedEars' on Sun, 22 April 2012 21:59
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Tony Marston on Mon, 23 April 2012 13:05
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Jerry Stuckle on Mon, 23 April 2012 13:35
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Thomas 'PointedEars' on Mon, 23 April 2012 13:41
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: The Natural Philosoph on Mon, 23 April 2012 19:39
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Jerry Stuckle on Mon, 23 April 2012 13:47
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Tony Marston on Wed, 25 April 2012 07:52
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Jerry Stuckle on Wed, 25 April 2012 12:34
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Tony Marston on Fri, 27 April 2012 08:52
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Tony Marston on Fri, 27 April 2012 13:16
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Tony Marston on Thu, 12 April 2012 09:52
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Erwin Moller on Fri, 13 April 2012 09:39
		Re: Dynamic form generation By: Jonathan Stein on Fri, 13 April 2012 13:27

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