Re: Question about creating php files from a form

On Thu, 2010-05-13 at 23:53 -0400, Kevin wrote: > Ashley Sheridan wrote: > > On Thu, 2010-05-13 at 23:07 -0400, Kevin wrote: > >> Hello All, > >> > >> I am trying to figure out how to create files when a user submits a form ... > >> I have seen something about '*fopen*' , is that the direction I should > >> be going? > >> > >> Here is what I am trying to accomplish: > >> > >> I am creating a program to keep track of recipes for my wife. I have > >> have page set up where she can put the name of the recipe, the > >> ingredients, and the amounts of each ingredient. > >> Then she clicks "Submit" > >> > >> I would like a html file with the name of the recipe to be created ie > >> *cookies.html *with a link to the cookies.html created on another page. > >> * > >> *I hope this makes sense, and thank you all for your time... > >> > >> - - Kevin > >> > >> > > > > It might sound overkill, but I'd use a database for this. All the > > recipes can be stored in a MySQL database, and then you can use a > > simple couple of queries to produce the recipe list and the recipe > > pages dynamically. This also has the advantage that it's very easy to > > search the recipe list when it becomes larger, and if you ever want to > > change the layout/presentation of the whole system you won't have to > > recreate all the recipe pages. > > > > The DB could have several columns labelled: id, name, ingredients, method > > > > So, the form page (lets assume it's called add.php) could submit to > > itself which then adds the recipe to the DB with a query like: > > > > INSERT INTO recipes(name, ingredients, method) VALUES($name, > > $ingredients, $method) > > > > This is only a very simple example which could be extended to use > > another table for ingredients for a recipe. Don't forget to sanitise > > any input coming from the form with mysql_real_escape_string() for > > inserting it into the DB. > > > > The list.php page could just use a simple query like: > > > > SELECT id, name FROM recipes > > > > And then create a link to each recipe in the form: > > recipe.php?recipe=id (where id is the numerical value used in the DB) > > and that would then use a query like: > > > > SELECT * FROM recipe WHERE id=$recipe > > > > MySQL is available on most hosting that you'll find has support for > > PHP, and every Linux distribution I've seen has it too. > > > > Thanks, > > Ash > > http://www.ashleysheridan.co.uk > > > > > Thank you Ash for the quick reply. > > I was actually looking at using a database too... and I am testing out a > few different ones (SQLite and MySQL) > I appreciate the extra information, it will be helpful in the future :-) > > /On a side note: > I am having some issues with connecting to a SQLite database right now > ... I'm getting the following error "Fatal Error: 'sqlite_open' is an > unknown function" > But I'm putting that on the side right now. > > /I wanted to try a different approach by just creating the recipes in > individual html files for the time being. > Do happen to know how to create html files from a php form? > > Thank you. > > To create files I'd probably just use fopen() and fwrite(). It's how I always do it. Thanks, Ash http://www.ashleysheridan.co.uk