Topic awaiting preservation: Database manager using browser (Page 1 of 1)

Hi there,
I'm trying to build a database manager, where I can edit and update my database using a web interface. Something like this http://www.edatanew.com/images/edit.gif .
Are there any references that you can point me to?
Thanks!

shattered: It depends the DB you are working on and the server-side language you are using. I doubt it is usually necessary to build one of your own as there are probably an awful lot of scripts out there to do this.

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Emps

FAQs: Emperor

Hi Emperor,
I'm using PHP and mysql.
Can you point me to a simple one that you know?
Thanks!

whew you're doing PHP and mysql and you haven't gotten to the part about phpmyadmin yet?





.:[ Never resist a perfect moment ]:.

Yeah...deifnatley remote access phpMyAdmin...a great tool. It does exactly what you want, a visual reference and editing tool of MySQL databases.

shattered: Yep what he said ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

There are a number of database managers like this that just happens to be the most famous. Most good hosts that offer PHP/MySQL provide access to a phpMyAdmin interface (RunningWolf does as do a number of others I've dealt with). I'd recommend phpMyAdmin but if you want to look around see:
www.hotscripts.com/PHP/Scripts_and_Programs/Database_Tools/

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Emps

FAQs: Emperor

We're using phpmyadmin right now for our project, but for the ease and convenience for our administrator, we thought we'd like to implement a simple form so that they or just anyone who has no prior knowledge of computers can just edit data from there.
But I "persuaded" my group leader to drop that anyway, since I think it's pretty redundant because the administrator can use phpmyadmin anyway, since it's so simple.
But thank you for your prompt responses guys!

shattered: Ah well that is another thing entirely - I'm all in favour of form-based editting of the database as it can make working with complex database structures much simpler. Its just what you showed in the example was doing a more complex function.

___________________
Emps

FAQs: Emperor

Yup, form based admin pages are a must IMO.

The abilty to populate drop down menus with various options drawn from the DB and send them back without having to look up or memorize ID numbers and the like, and to give limits to what gets edited/added/deleted is a godsend.

If you're already working with PHP/MySQL, there's really not all that much to it. Of course, it's always got to be specific to your needs and your database, so it's not usually something you would do with a prefab script.

What part of it do you need help on in particular - the forms themselves, or the communication with the DB?

I need help more on interacting with the datbase... getting the data from the database to show up on the internet browser... How I can get the datas from the right field to appear in the right textbox so that the admin can edit it easily...

Well, that's still a bit vague.

Are looking for the actual code to run a DB query and get back the results, or are you talking about feeding that info back to the form?

If the former, take a look through this tutorial at the Gurus Network - http://www.gurusnetwork.com/tutorials/php/dynamic_php_mysql_1.html

If the latter, well, it depends on a lot of things of course, but here's the basic idea -

1) If there is a large database with various sections to be edited, obviously there needs to be a page with a list of options.

2) A query needs to be run on the DB to get the current info that is to be edited. If there is date that relates to more than one table, that is a good time to pull out a select box and populate it with options from the 2nd table (for instance if there is a field in table1 that specifies the data in the column as being a product from table2, the product_id and product_name can be pulled from table2. The product_name can be filled in on the select box, but the select box sends the value of the product_id to the DB..hopefully that makes sense).

3) The form fields are populated by the current info via a variable that is set during the SELECT function, with the variable being set as the 'value' of the input.

4) After editing an UPDATE is sent to the DB, with the variables from the form again being sent as the VALUES for the query.

I know that may sound a bit jumbled and vague, becuase...well...it is.

The MySQL and PHP manuals will be a great help in the specifics of this of course.

Is that any help at all?