PHP and how to sort a HTML header by clicking on it

Hi there,

I'm not exactly sure what you're wanting to do, but I think I have an idea. Are you talking about where you see:

Web Design Talk: Web Design Forums > Web Design Forums > Programming > PHP and how to sort a HTML header by

Is this what you're talking about ?

ok i kinda didnt get what u want

but

this might be healpfull

$sql = "SELECT * FROM `users` ORDER BY `id` DESC";

will order them like

4
3
2
1

or

$sql = "SELECT * FROM `users` ORDER BY `id` ASC";

will sort them in to

1
2
3
4

Hi folks,

this is correct, I exactly want to implement what I can find here in this forum by going to
-> Web Design Forums
-> Web Design Forums
-> Programming.

Being on that page, I do have the entire content of the forum in front of me and I can click on any entry of the TABLE HEADER and the entire table gets sorted by this HEADER entry (e.g. let's say you click on REPLIES or VIEWS or RATING, the table gets sorted by THIS ENTRY and it gets sorted ASC or DESC.

Since I usually don't use a forum this might look a bit confusing to you .... but I'm sure I'll make it soon .

By the way (Adam_UK), I made it already to select the apropriate fields from the table (i.e. using the SELECT you are proposing). This all works fine. But think about the situation where you want to sort the HTML-table by a different column and also "flipping" the sort order from ASC to DESC and vice versa, depending on what's already selected.

And - you guys are fast in answering - amazing.

You can do this using the query string. You'll probably need a few if statements or a switch statement and possibly a while loop or two depending on how you choose to do it and such.

You could so something like:

if ($action == 'desc') {
$sql = "SELECT * FROM `users` ORDER BY `id` DESC";
} elseif ($action == 'asc') {
$sql = "SELECT * FROM `users` ORDER BY `id` ASC";
} else {
Some other sql statement or code
}

Then you can print out your links like

<a href="/page.php?action=asc">Sort by ascending</a>

That's just an example and would take a bit more than that I'm sure, but should give you an idea.

There's many possibilities, you could use a switch statement or while loop or both etc. You can take a look at some examples here on using the query string. http://www.webdesigntalk.net/showthread/t-495.html

Originally posted by deadserious
You can do this using the query string. You'll probably need a few if statements or a switch statement and possibly a while loop or two depending on how you choose to do it and such.

You could so something like:

if ($action == 'desc') {
$sql = "SELECT * FROM `users` ORDER BY `id` DESC";
} elseif ($action == 'asc') {
$sql = "SELECT * FROM `users` ORDER BY `id` ASC";
} else {
Some other sql statement or code
}

Then you can print out your links like

<a href="/page.php?action=asc">Sort by ascending</a>

That's just an example and would take a bit more than that I'm sure, but should give you an idea.

There's many possibilities, you could use a switch statement or while loop or both etc. You can take a look at some examples here on using the query string. http://www.webdesigntalk.net/showthread/t-495.html

Click to expand...

on think i will add to that code if u want at the top of it (if thats the correct code add this

$action = $_GET['action'];

Hi deadserious and adam_uk,

thanks for your input. I'll check it out today and respond to your input.

As it looks to me there is no chance for me to "steal" the PHP-code that is used in this forum and which allows the table-header sorting (well, that's life).

Talk to you soon ....

Here is the content of the PHP-file I talk abou. I paste the code below, but I seem to fail to do this in the proper or required way .... sorry for this, it doesn't look really fency.

PHP:
<?php

// THIS FILE IS FOR DEMO PURPOSES ONLY. I'VE REMOVED ALL CSS-STUFF AND ANY
// FORMATTING TO REDUCE THE TEST.PHP TO IT'S MINIMUM CONTENT.

// The table "USER" which I use in the MySQL-DB "TEST" does have these fields:
// id -> smallint(6) <--- AUTO INCREMENT
// lastname -> varchar(30)
// firstname -> varchar(30)
// userid -> varchar(30)


$DB_HOST = "localhost";
$DB_USER = "root";
$DB_PASS = "";
$DB_NAME = "test";
$DB_USER_TABLE = "user";

$DB_CONNECT_ERROR = "<b>Can't connect DB.</b>";
$DB_SELECT_ERROR = "<b>DB not found.</b>";

MYSQL_CONNECT("$DB_HOST","$DB_USER","$DB_PASS")or die($DB_CONNECT_ERROR);
MYSQL_SELECT_DB($DB_NAME)or die($DB_SELECT_ERROR);

// === Here I usually insert the HEADER ------------------------------------ ->
// include("includes/incl_header.php");


// How to sort, ASC or DESC? -------------------------------------------------->
// --> INTERESTING IS THAT THIS WORKS FINE, I CAN SORT ASC OR DESC DEPENING ON
// --> WHAT WAS USED RIGHT BEFORE I CLICK AGAIN ON THE HEADER TO SORT AGAIN.
$SortByOrder = $_REQUEST['SortByOrder'];
if ($SortByOrder == "desc")
{
$SortByOrder = "asc";
}
else
$SortByOrder = "desc";


// Which TABLE FIELD do I use to SORT? ---------------------------------------->
// --> HERE I DO HAVE A REAL PROBLEM. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO
// --> MANAGE TO CHECK OUT WHICH FIELDS IS USED (either User Id, Last Name,
// --> First Name or ID. I JUST LEAVE THIS CODE BECAUSE IT IS THE LAST ONE
// --> I USED AND WHERE IS STUCK NOW.)
$SortByField = $_REQUEST['SortByField'];
if ($SortByField == "User ID")
{
$SortByField = "userid";
}
elseif ($SortByField == "Last Name")
{
$SortByField = "lastname";
}
elseif ($SortByField == "First Name")
{
$SortByField = "firstname";
}
elseif ($SortByField == "ID")
{
$SortByField = "id";
}
else $SortByField = "id";


$SELECT_ALL_RECORDS=MYSQL_QUERY("SELECT * FROM $DB_USER_TABLE ORDER by $SortByField $SortByOrder");


// ========================================================================= -->
// START THE CONTENT OF THE SITE. ------------------------------------------ -->
echo "<table>n";
echo "<tbody>n";

// Make the table header "sortable". Just click on any header in the table and
// the table gets sorted again.
// I made it to pass the "SORT-ORDER" (ASC or DESC) along, but I fail to pass along
// the "SORTBY" information.
// QUESTION: HOW would a WORKING LINK look like? I STUCK HERE ................
echo "
<tr>
<th><a href='test.php?SortByOrder=".$SortByOrder."?SortByField=".$SortByField."'>ID</a></th>
<th><a href='test.php?SortByOrder=".$SortByOrder."?SortByField=".$SortByField."'>Last Name</a></th>
<th><a href='test.php?SortByOrder=".$SortByOrder."?SortByField=".$SortByField."'>First Name</a></th>
<th><a href='test.php?SortByOrder=".$SortByOrder."?SortByField=".$SortByField."'>User ID</a></th>
<th>Edit</th>
</tr>n";

while($DISPLAY_RECORD=MYSQL_FETCH_ROW($SELECT_ALL_RECORDS))
{
echo "
<tr>
<td>$DISPLAY_RECORD[0]</td>
<td>$DISPLAY_RECORD[1]</td>
<td>$DISPLAY_RECORD[2]</td>
<td>$DISPLAY_RECORD[3]</td>
</tr>n";
}

echo "</tbody>n";
echo "</table>n";
echo "<p>n";


// --- Here usually I insert the FOOTER ------------------------------------ -->
// include("includes/incl_footer.php");
?>

Problem is solved ...

Hi all,

I found a solution for my problem. Thanks fo any help I received from you guys.....