Inserting multiple selections from list/menu

Hi,
I'm creating an items_Insert page for an online clothes store. I want the customer to be able to search for clothes by occasion. I've created a table called Occasions with 2 fields (OccasionID and OccasionName) and a dynamic list/menu that allows multiple selections (one item may be suitable for working wardrobe or smart/casual for example). I want the OccasionName(s) to be inserted into the items table under 'ItemOccasion' as a comma separated list. Could you let me how I need to adjust the insert code to all for this.

first, make sure the name of the select list ends with "[]", for example:
name="select[]"

When you bind the column to the select list, DataAssist will add code similar to:

<?php echo((isset($_POST["select[]"]))?$_POST["select[]"]:"") ?>

change that to use the implode() function to convert the array to a coma separated list:

<?php echo((isset($_POST["select"]))?implode(", ", $_POST["select"]):"") ?>

Thats great - thank you for that. Just one other thing - on the update page is there a way to bring the list up preselected, otherwise if you don't reselect the items it knocks them out of the database.

This is a bit more difficult.


When it comes out of the recordset, you will need to convert the coma separated list back into an array using the explode() function, and use the in_array() function to determine in the checked value for each check box is in the array.


For example:

<input type="checkbox" name="CheckboxGroup1[]" value="1" id="CheckboxGroup1_0" <?php if(isset($row_RecordsetName['ColumnName']) && is_array($row_RecordsetName['ColumnName'])) {
  if(in_array("1", $row_RecordsetName['ColumnName'])) echo("checked=\"checked\"");
}
?> />

OK - I'm struggling with this a bit. On my update page I've got a series of checkboxes created dynamically for the rsOccasions recordset. I've mimicked your code as follows:

<input type="checkbox" name="Occasions[]" value="<?php echo $row_rsOccasions['OccasionName']; ?>"
<?php if(isset($row_rsOccasions['OccasionName']) && is_array($row_rsOccasions['OccasionName'])) {
if(in_array($row_rsOccasions['OccasionName'], $row_rsOccasions['OccasionName'])) echo("checked=\"checked\"");
}
?>

Could you let me know if this is correct and what code I need for the explode function and where to put it.
Thanks.

change this peace:
in_array($row_rsOccasions['OccasionName'], $row_rsOccasions['OccasionName'])


to:
in_array($row_rsOccasions['OccasionName'], explode(", ", $row_rsOccasions['OccasionName']))

I think I must have a syntax error somewhere as I'm getting this error message:

Parse error: parse error, unexpected T_ECHO in C:\wamp\www\okeefe\public_html\admin\items_Update.php on line 296

The code I've got is as follows:

<input type="checkbox" name="Occasions[]" value="<?php echo $row_rsOccasions['OccasionName']; ?>"
<?php if(isset($row_rsOccasions['OccasionName']) && is_array($row_rsOccasions['OccasionName'])) {
if(in_array($row_rsOccasions['OccasionName'], explode(", ", $row_rsOccasions['OccasionName'])) echo("checked=\"checked\"");
}
?> />

try this code:
<input type="checkbox" name="Occasions[]" value="<?php echo $row_rsOccasions['OccasionName']; ?>"
<?php if(isset($row_rsOccasions['OccasionName']) && is_array($row_rsOccasions['OccasionName'])) {
if(in_array($row_rsOccasions['OccasionName'], explode(", ", $row_rsOccasions['OccasionName']))) echo("checked=\"checked\"");
}
?> />

Thats got rid of the error code - sorry that was me being a bit dim. Update page still doesn't come back with the relevant check boxes checked through. Is there anything else I might be missing?

My turn to be a bit dim.


I forgot to explode the recordset into an array in the is_array() check.


Third times a charm, try this code:

<input type="checkbox" name="Occasions[]" value="<?php echo $row_rsOccasions['OccasionName']; ?>"

<?php if(isset($row_rsOccasions['OccasionName']) && is_array(explode(", ", $row_rsOccasions['OccasionName']))) {

if(in_array($row_rsOccasions['OccasionName'], explode(", ", $row_rsOccasions['OccasionName']))) echo("checked=\"checked\"");

}

?> />