Re: Displaying information from table graphically

Please keep the discussion on-list. On 22 Nov 2008, at 13:40, dzenan.causevic@wise-t.com wrote:

The second approach is I believe exactly what I need. I dont actually have to make sophisticated graphics at all. Just a simple graphical representation of a room and beds inside in different colors indicating whether they are occupied, free, or reserved. So I believe <DIV>s would be definitelly the right approach for the scope of this project. Now the question would be how DIV's are supported by IE and Mozzila Firefox (I could specify this as a restriction in terms of usage)

You should be fine with any Firefox and IE7, but you may have issues with IE6. Best advice is to test everything thoroughly. I'll probably get lynched for saying this, but you could avoid most compatibility issues by using a table to put the images together instead of divs.

Also what does the KISS principle mentioned below stands for please?

KISS === Keep It Simple, Stupid http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KISS_principle -Stut -- http://stut.net/ >> On 21 Nov 2008, at 17:55, dzenan.causevic@wise-t.com wrote: >>> I have a PHP application that accesses data from MySQL. There is >>> table >>> called "rooms", and table called "beds". There is another table >>> called >>> "patients". Patients are being placed into beds, and beds are in the >>> rooms. PHP application currently displays all information in textual >>> mode >>> via regular HTML tags. But I would like to have that information >>> displayed >>> in graphical mode instead of textual mode. >>> >>> Is there a way to display this information from the database >>> graphically. >>> Graphic would represent a room, and it would contain beds inside. >>> You >>> would be able to see visually which beds are occupied and which are >>> free >>> by looking at the graphics. >>> >>> User of the system wants pictures instead of text displayed via HTML >>> tables as a list of entries. >> >> There's a couple of ways you can do this with differing qualities. >> >> 1) Use GD or ImageMagick to composite images together to represent >> the >> room. This would allow you to create the best looking images. You can >> either store images for rooms with 1, 2, 3, 4, ..., n beds and >> overlay >> markers to indicate occupied beds, or you could composite the whole >> thing. >> >> 2) Slice images up such that you can build a room using positioned >> divs. This would be a lot easier but you'd be limited in what type of >> textures and looks you can give the rooms. On the other hand this >> could turn out to be more flexible as you could arrange it to allow >> rooms of any dimensions with any number of beds. >> >> Personally I'd opt for 2 based on the KISS principle, but you could >> potentially run into browser compatibility issues depending on your >> target platforms. >> >> -Stut >> >> -- >> http://stut.net/ >> >> -- >> PHP General Mailing List (http://www.php.net/) >> To unsubscribe, visit: http://www.php.net/unsub.php >> > >