PHP - My Blog, Finally Started It, Would Appreciate Any Opinions On My Logic

Hi guys,

I am new to php and mySQL.  I am trying to just learn how to input and output data to a mySQL database.

What I want to do is have a single page with a text area and button where a user can enter some text and then press a submit button.  When the button is pressed I want the text that the user typed to be entered in my database and then displayed below the text area.

If you have any questions about what I am trying to do please ask. 

Thank you for your help in advance!

Hello, I've just begun learning PHP and I've gotten a bit into it, but I'm nowhere near a pro. Now, I've decided to start a project that will, in my opinion, help me learn a lot. I'm just having a bit of trouble understanding exactly how to do a few things.

My goal is to take the PHP forum base found here and turn it into something similar to this.

I've made changes of my own to this forum base and have already finished the news posting section of it on the front page. (almost, one issue with that, more on that in a sec). I've also removed this portion:

if(!$action || !in_array($action,$actions_array)){
                    $sql1 = "SELECT * FROM `forum_cats` WHERE `admin` < ".$row['admin']."+1";
                    $res1 = mysql_query($sql1) or die(mysql_error());
                    
                    $i=1;
                    while($row2 = mysql_fetch_assoc($res1)){
                        echo "<div id=\"fcontent\">\n";
                        echo "    <div class=\"header\" id=\"header_".$i."\" onMouseOver=\"this.className='headerb'\" onMouseOut=\"this.className='header'\">".$row2['name']."</div>\n";
                        
                        $sql2 = "SELECT * FROM `forum_sub_cats` WHERE `cid`='".$row2['id']."' AND `admin` < ".$row['admin']."+1";
                        $res2 = mysql_query($sql2) or die(mysql_error());
                        
                        while($row3 = mysql_fetch_assoc($res2)){
                            echo "    <div id=\"content\">\n";
                            echo "    <a href=\"./index.php?act=forum&id=".$row3['id']."\">".$row3['name']."</a><br>\n";
                            echo "    " . $row3['desc'] . "\n";
                            echo "    </div>\n";
                        }
                        
                        echo "</div>\n";
                        $i++;
                    }
                }else {

from index.php so that instead of the links displayed as they would be on a forum, they can be displayed in a navbar off to the side as on the example site (this). That point leads me to my next point: the navigation bar. I'm looking to create the same sort of look (in terms of layout, not the whole.. dark design harry potter thing) as the example site, but I don't really understand how to make navbars on the sides of the whole.. news section.

I just need a basic explanation of how these things can be done, but please do not give things away. After all, it is a learning experience. All help is appreciated, though!

Also, let me know if you need any more information or if I was unclear.

Thanks,

Fae

I'm going to go for broke here as this is the last thing I can think of that is going to help me learn anything...

First things first. I have been reading tutorials and guides and all other things about PHP and playing around with all the codes from these tutorials and guides on my localhost. All work well. Yet, they haven't really taught me a great deal since all the code is already written and it's extremely hard to customize with the limited knowledge I currently have. I do not learn very well from sitting down and reading something that someone else has already written and then trying to work out what all the parts are.

When I look at some code - I can usually figure out what is happening and what the code is doing. But it doesn't really help me understand how to write the code myself...

So I thought if I made a topic where I get people to help ME write out a complete code.. I would actually learn something as I go along.. asking questions where I need to and building it exactly the way I want it. Note the 'ME' is capitalized. I don't expect everyone else to write it all down for me. I want to write it - have you guys give it the ok and we'll move on to the next bit. I know there will be parts where I am completely lost and I will need people to write down something to keep the whole thing moving. I would then ask questions untill I understood what you have provided.

The whole idea of this is to build a User Login/Management system. If anyone is up for supporting this idea and helping me start from scratch let me know. Otherwise I'm not sure what else I'm going to have to do.

I'm trying to learn how to create a simple API, possibly using REST. I found a lot of online tutorials on how to implement API's but how do I create my own for my own website?

The API I want to make is just for querying simple data and inserting data in the DB.

From what I learned, REST does HTTP requests from a XML or JSON file but is REST a script I have to download, I can't find a REST site. I'm confused.. 

Hi guys,

Just starting to play with PHP Domdocument, only to fail at the very first step:

<?php   

$html = 'test/php/somefile.html' ;

if(!empty($html)){  

      $dom_1 = new domDocument ; 
      $dom_1->loadHTML($html) ; 
      $links = $dom_1->getElementsByTagName('li') ;

      foreach ( $links as $link) {
			// echo $link ;
           echo $link->nodeValue, PHP_EOL;
      }  
}
?>

When I visit it in a browser I get a WSOD, what am I missing?

Hey Guys,

Im having a really frustrating problem with this set of PHP:

writeConversationFunctions.php
<?php
session_start();
the function writeMessage($message){
$_SESSION['messagetest'] = $message;
$chatLogFile = "log.txt";
$openChatLog = fopen($chatLogFile, 'w') or die("Failed to open Log File.");
if($message == "resetnow"){
$message = "";
fwrite($openChatLog, $message);
fclose($openChatLog);
$_SESSION['lastMessageSize'] = 0;
}
elseif($message == ""){
}
else{
$timestamp = date("h:i"); 
if(isset($_SESSION['username'])){
$username = $_SESSION['username'];
}
else{
$username = "Anonymous";
}
if($message[0] == "/"){
$commandString = stripslashes($commandString);
$commandString = htmlentities($commandString, ENT_QUOTES, 'UTF-8');
$commandString = substr($commandString, 1);
$command = explode(" ",$commandString);
switch ($command[0]){
case "slap":
$name = command[1];
$commandResponse = '<p class="commandText">' ."You slap " . $name . "across the face.</p>";
fwrite($openChatLog, $commandResponse);
fclose($openChatLog);
break;
}
}
else{
$message = stripslashes($message);
$message = htmlentities($message, ENT_QUOTES, 'UTF-8');
$message = preg_replace('@(https?://([-\w\.]+)+(:\d+)?(/([\w/_\.]*(\?\S+)?)?)?)@', '<a href="$1" target="_blank">$1</a>', $message);
$messageString = '
<p class="message">
<span class="timestamp">' .$timestamp . '</span>
<span class="username">' . $username . ': </span>' 
. $message .
'</p>';
fwrite($openChatLog, $messageString);
fclose($openChatLog);
}
}
}


writeMessage($_POST['message']);
?>

Simply, the session at the top will not be created for some reason.

The post data is sent from:

index.php
Code: [Select]
<?php
session_start();
?>
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" />
<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="styles.css" />
<title>Chatulo.us</title>
<script src="http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.4.2/jquery.js"></script>
<script>
var n = 0;
$(document).ready(function () {
    var focused = true;
    $(window).focus(function () {
        focused = true;
        f();
    });
    $(window).blur(function () {
        focused = false;
f();
    });
    var title = document.title;

    var f = function () {
        if (focused) {
            n = 0;
            document.title = "Chatulo.us / Home";
        }
        else { // none of that else if needed here, you're only checking is focused or not.
            if (n == 0) { // now you're checking if its zero, so ...
                document.title = "Chatulo.us / Home";
            } else { // you need ELSE here, otherweise you'll always use this next clause
                document.title = "(" + n + ") " + "Chatulo.us / Home";
            }
        }
    };

    function playSound(soundfile) {
        document.getElementById("dummy").innerHTML = "<embed src=\"" + soundfile + "\" hidden=\"true\" autostart=\"true\" loop=\"false\" />";
    }
    $.ajax({
        type: "POST",
        url: "loginHandlers.php",
        data: {
            required_function: "checkSession"
        },
        success: function (response) {
            $('#usernameBox').html(response);
        }
    });

    $("form#sendMessageForm").submit(function () {
        var message = $('#messageInputField').attr('value');
$('#messageInputField').val('');
        $.ajax({
            type: "POST",
            url: "writeConversationFunctions.php",
            data: {
                message: message
},
            success: function () {
                update();

            }
        });
        return false;
    });

    function update() {
        $.ajax({
            type: "POST",
            dataType: "json",
            url: "readConversationFunctions.php",
            data: {
                required_function: "readConvo"
            },
            success: function (message) {
                if (message.newmessage == true) {
                    $('#messageBox').html(message.message);
                    playSound('sounds/pop.mp3');
                    n = n + 1;
                    f();
              }
                else if (message.newmessage === false) {
                    $('#messageBox').html(message.message);
                }
            },
            complete: function () {
                setTimeout(update, 1000)
$("#messageBox").attr({
            scrollTop: $("#messageBox").attr("scrollHeight")
        });
            }
        });
    }
    $("form#getUsernameForm").live('submit', function () {
        var username = $('#usernameInputField').attr('value');
        $.ajax({
            type: "POST",
            url: "loginHandlers.php",
            data: {
                username: username,
                required_function: "usernameHandler"
            },
            success: function (response) {
                $('#usernameBox').html("Processing...");
                setTimeout(function () {
                    $('#usernameBox').html(response)
                }, 1000);
            }

        });
        return false;
    });

    $("span#logoutText").live('click', function () {
        $.ajax({
            type: "POST",
            url: "loginHandlers.php",
            data: {
                required_function: "removeSession"
            },
            success: function (response) {
                $('#usernameBox').html("Processing...");
                setTimeout(function () {
                    $('#usernameBox').html(response)
                }, 1000);


            }
        });
        return false;
    });
    update();
});
</script>
</head>

<body>
<form method="post" name="messageInput" id="sendMessageForm">
    <input name="message" id="messageInputField" type="text" autocomplete="off"/>
    <input name="submit" type="submit" value="Send"/>
    </form>
    <div id="messageBox">
    </div>
    <div id="usernameBox">
</div>
<span id="dummy"></span>
<img src="images/logo.png" width="175" height="50" alt="Logo" id="chatulouslogo"/>
</body>
</html>
Any help with this issue would be GREATLY appreciated!

Regards,
Cody

hey guys

i'am newb in php and i'am doing some algorithm in php, in some codes i need to use session but in that particular page the code does not know if session_start() has been called or not.
wonder to if there is anyway that i can get if session is started or not in my code?

thanks in advance

This topic has been moved to PHP Applications.

http://www.phpfreaks.com/forums/index.php?topic=332465.0

I have a file sharing script, where each file has a certain number of points. I need to subtract a set number of points from the total. I'm unsure about the logic of it.

This is how I total the number of points:
Code: [Select]
<?php
$fq = "SELECT * FROM `files` WHERE owner='$username' AND active=1";
$fw = $sql->query($fq);
$reward = 0;
while($fr = $fw->fetch_assoc()){
$reward = $fr['points'] + $reward;
}?>
I'm thinking I should use a loop, while a the number to subtract is greater than or equal than 0.

Can anyone help?

Logic problem:  Current directory listing at: http://www.nmlta.org...member_list.php shows the format I need.  The only way I have previously been able to accomplish that format is by running four separate queries in a loop, which I understand is not good.  Trying to simplify this, I need to explain my data. There are companies, and contact people at those companies, and some companies have branches, and most branches have contact people at them. There are four tables: company, co_contact, branch, br_contact. The company, co_contact and branch tables all have a field called “company_id” to match the ones that go together, and the branch table also has a “branch_id” field to match with the people in the br_contact table. I am successful with running separate JOIN queries for company/co_contact matching on “company_id”, and for branch/br_contact matching on “branch_id”, and have successful processes for listing the data properly. My problem is I can’t find the logic to run them all in one query or loop that will produce the desired output I’m getting with my current four-query mess. The process should go like this: List company1 info List all contacts at company1 List branch1 connected to company1 (if applicable) List all contacts at branch1 of company1 List branch2 connected to company1 (if applicable) List all contacts at branch2 of company1 Etc. until all branches are listed for company1 Start over with company2… Here is the code for my first attempt:

<?php

function listCompany($row) {
    echo $row['comp_name'],"<br />";
	if (!empty($row['comp_uw'])) {
	echo $row['comp_uw'],"<br />";}
	echo "</b>",$row['comp_street'],"<br />";
	if (!empty($row['comp_pobox'])) {
	echo $row['comp_pobox'],"<br />";}
	echo $row['comp_csz'],"<br />";
	echo $row['comp_ph'],"&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp;Fax: ",$row['comp_fx'],"<br />";
	if (!empty($row['comp_tfree'])) {
	echo "Toll Free: ",$row['comp_tfree'],"<br />";}
	if (!empty($row['comp_email'])) {
	echo "Email: <a href='mailto:",$row['comp_email'],"'>",$row['comp_email'],"</a><br />";}
	if (!empty($row['comp_web'])) {
	echo "<a href='http://",$row['comp_web'],"' target='_blank'>",$row['comp_web'],"</a><br />";}
	echo "</p>";
}

function listBranch($row2) {
	if (!empty($row2['br_name'])) {
	echo "<p>&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp;<b>",$row2['br_name'],"</b><br />";}
	echo "&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp;",$row2['br_street'],"<br />";
	echo "&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp;",$row2['br_csz'],"<br />";
	echo "&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp;",$row2['br_ph'],"&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp;",$row2['br_fx'],"<br /></p>";
}

function listContact($row) {
    if (!empty($row['cont_name'])) {
	echo "<p>&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp;<b>",$row['cont_name'],"</b>, ",$row['cont_title'],"<br />";}
	if (!empty($row['cont_email'])) {
	echo "&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp;Email: <a href='mailto:",$row['cont_email'],"'>",$row['cont_email'],"</a><br />";}
	echo "</p>";
}

function listBranchContact($row2) {
    if (!empty($row2['cont_name'])) {
	echo "<p>&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp;<b>",$row2['cont_name'],"</b>, ",$row2['cont_title'],"<br />";}
	if (!empty($row2['cont_email'])) {
	echo "&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp;Email: <a href='mailto:",$row2['cont_email'],"'>",$row2['cont_email'],"</a><br />";}
	echo "</p>";
}

// Connection to DB
$mysqli = new mysqli("localhost", "nmlta_admin", "trooper", "nmlta_agents");
if($mysqli->connect_errno > 0){
    die('Unable to connect to database [' . $db->connect_error . ']');
}

// Retrieve all the data from the "company" table for County and join matching people from the "co_contact" table
$query = "SELECT * FROM company LEFT JOIN co_contact ON company.company_id = co_contact.company_id WHERE comp_county = 'BERNALILLO' ORDER BY company.comp_name, co_contact.cont_rank"; 

$result = $mysqli->query($query) or die($mysqli->error.__LINE__);

// Initialize variable
$lastCompany = '';

// Start building the table to show results
echo "<table border='1' cellpadding='10' cellspacing='0' bgcolor='#f0f0f0' style='margin-left:100px; margin-bottom:20px'>";

// Begin the Company "while" loop for rows in the $result

while($row = $result->fetch_assoc()) { // Company - Loop 1

    // Check if this is a different company than the last one
    if ($lastCompany != $row['company_id']) { // New Company Check - Loop 2
    
    // If this is a different company - change the $lastCompany variable   
    $lastCompany = $row['company_id'];
    
    echo "<tr><td><p><b>";
    // List the company info only if it is not the $lastCompany
    listCompany($row);
	
    } // End New Company Check - Loop 2
    
	// List all Contacts in the Company
	
    listContact($row);
    
    if ($row[next($row['company_id'] != $lastCompany)]) {
		// Start Branch
		// Retrieve all the data from the "branch" table for County and join matching people from the "br_contact" table
$query2 = "SELECT * FROM branch LEFT JOIN br_contact ON branch.branch_id = br_contact.branch_id WHERE company_id = '".$row['company_id']."' ORDER BY branch.comp_name, branch.br_street, br_contact.cont_rank"; 

$result2 = $mysqli->query($query2) or die($mysqli->error.__LINE__);

// Initialize variable
$lastBranch = 'xxx'; //Initialize $lastBranch variable 

// Begin the Branch "while" loop for rows in the $result2
while($row2 = $result2->fetch_assoc()) { // Branch - Loop 1
	
   // Check if this is a different branch than the last one
    if ($lastBranch != $row2['branch_id']) { // New Branch Check - Loop 2
    
    // If this is a different branch - change the $lastBranch variable   
    $lastBranch = $row2['branch_id'];
    
    echo "<tr><td>";
    // List the branch info only if it is not the $lastBranch
    listBranch($row2);
	
    } // End New Branch Check - Loop 2
    
	// List all Contacts in the Branch
	
	listBranchContact($row2);
		
	} // End Branch - Loop 1

	}
		
	} // End Company - Loop 1
		
	echo "</td></tr>";

// Free result set
mysqli_free_result($result);

echo "</table>";

mysqli_close($mysqli);

?>

My first thought was to insert the "if ($row[next($row['company_id'] != $lastCompany)]) {" qualifier after listing the contact for the company being processed, that way when I know a new company is on the next row, I can pause and run my second query to find any applicable branches that match the current company_id.  The syntax must be wrong the way I have it, because I get an error with this, saying: "Fatal error: Only variables can be passed by reference in..." referencing that call in my code. I don't know if there is a syntax change that would make this work, or not.   I have thought about, and tried different ways to run a query using JOIN on all four of my tables, but the resulting rows do not correspond with the order in which I need to process them, if that makes sense.  I am not opposed to any suggestions that will make this work - I just can't seem to think it through and find the correct solution, if there is one. The difficulty seems to me to be that the process of listing company/contact info needs to know when it has reached the last row containing a contact tied to the company, so that the branch routine can be processed for the same company.  Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.  Thanks!

i have two multi-dimensional arrays that i'd like to manipulate to check a few things.

Their structures are different and i'm giving myself headaches trying to think through this.

I have a $sums array which has information on a product in a purchase order. The second array consists of items(products) that are going to update the purchase order. So the first array key of $sums correlates with the "order" of the $items array.

I'd like to write a function that:

1. Makes sure the first array key of $sums exists as an "order" value in the $items array.
2. Makes sure the $items price is greater than the $sums price

Code: [Select]
<?php
$sums['23']['collected']['price'] = 30;
$sums['73']['collected']['price'] = 60;
$sums['89']['collected']['price'] = 90;

$items['abc123']['order'] = '23';
$items['abc123']['price'] = 14;
$items['321cba']['order'] = '73';
$items['321cba']['price'] = 79;

function check_items($sums,$items)
{
$error = "";

//Makes sure the first array key of $sums exists as "order" value in the $items array.
//If not -> 
$error = "Item #".$key." is not found in the items array.";

//where $key is either the first array key of $sums or the "order" value in $items because they are the same thing

//if found in $sums
if($items[$hash]['price'] < $sums[$items[$hash]['collected']['price'] )
{
    $error = "Item #".$items[$hash]['order']."'s price must not be lower than ".$sums[$items[$hash]['order']]['collected']['price'];
}

return $error;
}

// $sums['23'] would cause an error because its price of 14 is less than 30
// $sums['73'] would pass because it exists in $items and its price of 79 is greater than the $sums price of 60.
// $sums['89'] would cause an error because there is no $item corresponding to it
?>
I just don't know where to put the foreach loops or where to even start really :/

Hi all, Its been a while since I looked at PHP and I have forgotten some basics
What I am trying to achieve is display category names, sub categories and results into a list

Code: [Select]
<ul id="nav">
<li><a href="#">Main Cat</a>
<ul>
<li><a href="#">Sub Cat 1</a>
<ul>
<li><a href="#">result</a></li>
<li><a href="#">result</a></li>

</ul>
</li>
                <li><a href="#">Sub Cat 2</a>
<ul>
              <li><a href="#">result</a></li>
              <li><a href="#">result</a></li>
        </ul>
</ul>
</li>

What would be the best way to organise my database? Have everything in one entry like:

main_id / sub_id / listing_id / listing_name

or separate them into a table for cats, one for sub cats and what parent it belongs to, then a table for the listings linking to the sub cat it belongs to?

I have confused myself no end on how then to display the results, so any help with would be gratefully received!

Thanks

Dave

I am trying to understand PHP While Loops.

For example.
$info=mysql_fetch_array($query);
will create an array of a mysql query.

how does while($info=mysql_fetch_array($query)
{
echo $info['1'];
}

ensure that each element of the array is echoed.  It seems that $info is a one time statement that grabs an array,
how does adding While make it capable of being extended into rows? To me this says While this is true, do this.
But if it is true once, how does PHP know when to stop?

I want to ask the user questions by using a form. I have a text field where the user inputs either 1 or 2 and then they press submit. I can get this to work but I need to keep asking them questions based off there last answer to the previus question.   I am making a game where you start with a number ex 5 and then you either choose to take away 1 or two from that number. so we take away 2 now the number is 3 and then the computer has his go using the same number. He chooses to take away 1 which makes the number 2. Now we take away 2 and win the game for being the first one to get the number down to 0. Its a very simple game that im trying to do just to brush up on my php skills.   my code so far....

<p> please enter a number to begin the subtraction game</p>
<form name="submit1" method="post">
	<input type="text" name="startingNumber">
	<input type="submit" name='submit1'>
</form>
<?php if (!empty($_POST['startingNumber'])) {?> 
		<p>your starting number is: <?php echo $_POST['startingNumber']?></p>
		<?php 
		while(!$_POST['startingNumber'] == 0){?>
		<p> Would you like to minus one or two from <?php echo $_POST['startingNumber'];
		?></p>
		<form name="submit2" method="post">
			<input type="text" name="oneOrTwo">
			<input type="submit" name='submit2'>
	    </form>
	    
<?php } }?>

As you can see i am no where near close to getting this right. Im thinking i have to use a while loop to keep asking the question minus 1 or 2 until they reach 0. Inside this while loop im thinking i need something like a waituntil user has clicked submit.   In fact i have written the same game in c++ so if it helps here is that. (it works just how i want it too)   the problem im having is that in c++ you can use cin to get a input from the user and it waits until the user types in a value but im struggling to find anything like  that in php. Any help would be greatly appreciated thank you.

#include <cstdlib>
#include <iostream>

using namespace std;

int main(int argc, char *argv[])
{   int number, oneOrTwo, remainder;
    cout << "please enter a number to begin the subtraction game";
    cin >> number;
    while (number != 0){
          cout <<"your turn, subtract 1 or 2 from " << number << endl;
          cin >> oneOrTwo;
          if (oneOrTwo == 1 || oneOrTwo == 2){
             number = number - oneOrTwo;
          }else{
            cout << "sorry you have entered a incorrect number. Please enter either 1 or 2" << endl;
            continue;      
          }
          if (number == 0){
             cout << "congratulations! you won the game"; 
             break;          
          }
          remainder = number % 3;
          if (remainder % 3 == 0){
             remainder = 2;              
          }
          cout << "now my turn im going to subtract " << remainder << " from " << number << endl;
          number = number - remainder;
          if (number == 0){
             cout << "sorry the computer won this time";      
          }
    }
    system("PAUSE");
    return EXIT_SUCCESS;
}

Edited by yacobm8, 16 May 2014 - 12:14 AM.

I'm trying to get code to work along the following logic (or something similar if this logic isn't PHP-friendly).

If a user inputs a URL with the http, I want the url left alone.
If the user inputs the URL starting with www, I want http:// added to the beginning.
If the user does anything else (in other words uses a relative link), I want the beginning of my url to be added on (because then I later check for it to open the website in a new window or not).

Code: [Select]
if (strpos($url, "http") == 0) { $url = $url; }
else if (strpos($url, "www") == 0) { $url = "http://".$url; }
else { $url = "http://www.mywebsite.com/".$url; };
Any suggestions?