editing/inserting records in database

[rkayd]

I am new to php but have some scenarios in which I want to use it. Since I am new I know I need to do a lot of studying but for now, before I delve into it too much just to find out something isn't possible, I would like to know if something like this is possible. You don't need to spend a lot of time giving me all the code but if I could get some ideas or where and how to search for what I need would be great.

I found a good thread that explained half my question but I want to add to it. I want to be able to search for a specific record (only one at a time) and if it is available, then edit it but if it is not available then I want to insert it. For example, I work with Work Order numbers. If a certain WO is already in the database I want to edit it, but if the WO isn't found, I want to insert a new record using the number I used to search. I'm thinking I would somehow input my WO number into a variable and then first check to see if it is in the database. If it does exist I would populate my form with that record and edit what I need. If it didn't exist I would go to a different part of code somehow and use that variable to populate the form for a NEW record and finish entering what I need and then insert the new record. Or is there a shortcut to all this that it would automatically know to insert if it doesn't already exist? I do not want to be able to insert the same WO number more than once.

I've worked with local databases before and I think this would be possible but would like some input. Like I said, you don't need to supply me with the whole code, but maybe if I could get some php commands that would be necessary so I can study up on them.

Thank you

Yes this is possible.

A simnple solution would be:

If resultsdet of query = 0, create form with a field with the WO number (a locked textbox or a hidden field), else enter the data into a form.

[jkon]

There could be many ways to it, and I will share with you one of the simplest. As I understood you have three steps. Lets say that the table has only tree fields ID,WORK_ORDER and NAME. The first step is a simple form with a text input lets call it workOrder where the user enters the WORK_ORDER to search and posts it to the second page.

The second page first declare empty variables $id , $workOrder , $name ($id = "") . If isset $_POST["workOrder"] then we will search for it. Make a select and if you have any results put them in $id,$workOrder and $name. Than create a form that submits to the third page. Put the id in a hidden field with value $id , workOrder in a text field with value $workOrder (before closing the input tag you could add a check that if $workOrder isn’t "" then add readonly='readonly' to lock it) and a text field for name with value $name.

So in the third page you know if you should insert or update . If $_POST["id"] isn’t "" then you will update using that ID else you will insert.

Of course you could do all that in two steps and even in one. But I explained a really simple solution and of course there are many thing out there for security and generally what you want to do.