PHP Mysql query - allow user to filter results

Question

I have a webpage setup with php and mysql. I've figured out how to run a query which pulls from mysql and prints the results in a table on the webpage.

Now I want to allow the user to filter the results 1 column at a time. No typing in needed, a pull down menu which shows options from the database would be fine. Eg in my code below, they can filter either by name, date, or state. Initially the webpage shows all results.

Filtering multiple columns at a time would be nice, but not required. Ideally I envision dropdowns for each column where when the user selects the option, the results update. I would also prefer to not have to create separate webpages, but if I need to that's fine.

My question is: What should I use to accomplish this as simply and as easily as possible? I am hoping there is a development tool which makes this an easy task. Should I just use HTML get/post forms? Or Ajax? Or Javascript? RubyonRails? Or? Any specific advice on what features within these resources I should use would be helpful also, because I am not familiar with Javascript / Ajax / Ruby, but I am open to diving into it if it has some good built in functionality to do this with.

Below is a sample of my code. The query is filtering results because I was testing to make sure I could execute a query with a variable, but initially it should just do a simple select * from table.

    <?php 
    print "Filter Results by Name, Date or State";

    $connection = connectdb("mysql");

    $state = "Kentucky";    

    $querytext = sprintf("SELECT * FROM tablename
        WHERE state = '%s'
        ",
        mysql_real_escape_string($state));

    $queryresult = getqueryresult($querytext,$connection);

    $tableid = "mytablestyle";

    printqueryresult($tableid,$queryresult);

    //close connection
    mysql_close($connection);
    ?>

Answer 1

Because you are returning all of the rows and then you want to filter the table you will have to do it with Javascript. However, if you do not know JavaScript and need a quick solution I would recommend you use JQuery and a plugin-in like this: http://www.picnet.com.au/picnet-table-filter.html

If you look at the demo there is a list drop down like the one you described. Good luck!

Answer 2

If I understand correctly, you would like that when the value of the dropdown list changes then it would update filtered data according to the selected value? For this you would want to use javascript, onchange event. You can use vanilla javascript, of course, but I (and probably any other developer) prefer jQuery .

I've put up a little example at jsFiddle :

$(function(){
    $("#my-select").change(function(){
        //$("form").submit();
        alert("submitting the form now!");
    });
});

<form>
    <select name="something" id="my-select">
            <option value="one">One</option>
            <option value="two">Two</option>
    </select>
</form>

Answer 3

You have numerous options, each with their own advantages and disadvantages.

1 Would be regular html forms with get/post. This would be the simplest to set up if you have no js knowledge, but would require a page refresh each change

2 Would be to use ajax to do the same without page reload. your php would be pretty much identical to solution one.

3 Would be to load all the data (select *) into a js variable on page load, and sort it as needed with js. This would mean you only make one database call, but would be unsuitable if a lot of data is returned