PHP, MySQL and HTML help

[Acid Burn]

Hello... I'm a nOob. Sorry if this is in the wrong forum or if it's been asked... I did search but couldn't find anything.

I have a job between hands I don't know if I can handle to be honest.

I have to redesign this website: www.tiendaxtienda.com (in spanish). As you see, you have 2 drop down menus that are divided in "store types" and "ctities". If you select, say, "Academies in Madrid Capital" a 2nd page opens with a table with the results.

For the new design the idea is for a completely new window to open that is divided in 4. On the top part will be the websites' logo, on the bottom there'll be sponsors logos, to the left there'll be the results's table (that right now shows up in a second page, centered) and on the right there'll show information on an academy when you click on the academy's name (on the left side of the screen) -that happens now but it opens a 3rd page, leaving the results table behind-.

Is that even possible? How would I go about "embedding" the PHP form/results on the 2nd page?.

If someone can help me I'll be forever greatful!!!! *bows*

PS: If you need more info about the website or its files, let me know!

[Fungus1487]

you could use html frameset this would keep any information you have active without clearing it as you would not need to refresh the page with the tables in.

google html frameset for more info or if you r having trouble let us know.

by the way alot of developers claim frames = bad. they are so only if you treat them badly.

[cleibesouza]

Is that the kind of thing you're looking for?
http://www.ithacasamba.com/members/
Let me know and I can send you the script.

[Acid Burn]

Fungus, how would I go about using the .php file within the leftFrame one? (I know what they say about frames, but I don't care, I feel comfy with them)

Cleibesouza, that's sort of what I'm looking for, although the first page has a "search" function that would end up in a 2nd that would be like the one you showed. And the table to the left is a result of that search. So it wouldn't be THAT simple hehehe.

Anyone?

[sagedavis]

Cleibesouza,
looked at your source, you're using some AJAX... that's my next venture in web programming, and learning as we speak.

Acid, when you call your frameset, they may need to be somewhat dynamic as well.
For instance, you would call
index.php?variable=name
into the frame.
Of course, this assumes the use of the Get method on your php page.

There are several other ways to accomplish what you are looking to do.

for instance, you could just make your output from the form information into a variable of your own.

$myvariable = 'the code to process the form and so on';

and then where the content should end up on the first page use

<? echo $myvariable; ?>

this could be a way around frames.

I fall on the other side of the argument where frames are concerned. I know, many people think "oh it's just hooey that frames are bad", but seriously many people actually turn frames off.

When you use a frame, you force the user to use right clicking in order to browse backwards.

A user can not easily bookmark the content which he has been looking at, because of the frames.

You are better off using IFrame, than flat out frames, but, even that can be weird if the user has a lower screen resolution than you were thinking of.

Unfortunately for you though, if you aren't that well versed in PHP you might have a hard time learning this quick enough to get it off the ground, so, frames just might be the only way for you to go right now untill you get a grasp of the PHP stuff.
Sage

[jbennet]

yes, dont use frames, just use PHP. Frames are BAD

[Fungus1487]

frames are a tool for web development. Depending upon your profficiency and ability using frames is a far easier learning curve than AJAX which requires at least a moderate knowledge of javascript. Server side includes are another option but again. higher learning curve. If you have the time to learn then try one of these options. Albeit an AJAX solution is just as bad as a frameset as this reuqires the user to run javascript.

as sagedavis has pointed out you can use the GET method to pass a variable i.e. an id number or the value of the select html form object to your frame which then when ran on the server you can check to see if this variable is set and return appropriate data accordingly.

This seems the 'easiest' approach.