Searchable Dynamic Web Pages - Principles & Method ?

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Hi,

Would anyone please be able to assist in providing a summary of the principles and methods associated with creating dynamic web pages that can search a back end database and return the query results to a query output web page?

I hope to be able to set up a smallish database using either SQLite3 or MySQL and get some web pages created that will allow users to select values from drop down lists or enter free text and run a query on the database. The query could be activated by a button on the web page where the user selects the query parameters and once the data set has been obtained it should be displayed onscreen in a tabular layout.

I am familiar with the principles and methods to do similar stuff using an access database on a local PC using queries, forms, reports etc but when it comes to an online implementation along similar lines I just don't know where to start. I do not have the skills to do the online implementation so will need to hire someone to do it for me. However, before I look for a coder I just wish to understand what the principles are behind the process.

It is for an interest group associated with a hobby rather than a corporate work requirement if that makes any difference to the level of security and complexity of the need.

Any advice most appreciated.


Rgds
Binty
 
The principles behind something like that would be the following:

A HTML based web form on a page sending the arguments via POST(hidden data transfer) or GET(data transferred at the end of the URL) to a PHP based server. The PHP server would take those arguments, interact with the database and then create a new web page based on the results.

Alternatively you could use Javascript and request the information via AJAX(it's a way to access another web/server page from the current web page you are on) from a PHP based server. This would mean the web page wouldn't have to re-load a new page, but the data would have to be processed in javascript and populate the table on the fly rather than being previously constructed by the previous method.
 
Create, Retrieve, Update, Delete. CRUD. Would be a bit easier if you gave a more specific example of what you're after. A single button that says "Get All"? Or a box where the user enters information to search etc.

Just browse a MySQL tutorial. You'll get an idea. Then if you want to look a step further try a PHP/MySQL tutorial to retrieve results from a DB.
 
Create, Retrieve, Update, Delete. CRUD. Would be a bit easier if you gave a more specific example of what you're after. A single button that says "Get All"? Or a box where the user enters information to search etc.

FabienO,

I thought that I had indicated that it was to retrieve data sets based on the user entering or selecting values that are then used to query the database and return the query result??

I hope to be able to set up a smallish database using either SQLite3 or MySQL and get some web pages created that will allow users to select values from drop down lists or enter free text and run a query on the database. The query could be activated by a button on the web page where the user selects the query parameters and once the data set has been obtained it should be displayed onscreen in a tabular layout.

Am I missing something, the user selects the query parameters from either drop down box lists or free text entry into boxes, after selecting the filters the user clicks a button and retrieves a table of the query result. There is only R from CRUD involved, no creation of new records, no updating of existing records, no deleting of existing records, just a retrieval based on the filters entered by the user in the boxes.



Rgds
 
Well your basically executing a remote query on a server from parameters provided by your html form.

You will need a server side scripting language, PHP/ASP .net/Coldfusion/Java Server Pages etc. to actually initiate the query with the parameters with the database. The database will then return a result set (if any of your query matches) in differing formats depending on your server language, but most commonly an associative array.

It's really quite straightforward and you should expect a coder to be able to do it with no fuss.
 
Thank you all for your help.

If I could just ask for clarification on a couple more points, would I look to get a fixed price from a coder for the job based on a specification? Or, look to hire a coder on an hourly rate? I really have no idea which approach I should take for web development. I have a good idea of the queries I wish to make available so am in a position to provide a reasonable specification.

Also, on the assumption that I need 10 HTML forms developing each one capable of running a separate query what ball park figure should I be looking to pay? I have the database setup on a local PC, all it needs is uploading to the web server then the HTML forms can be created.


Rgds
Binty
 
Make sure you have a concise specification before you seek a quote.

Also remember to include whether you'll be using the access database as is or converting it to MySQL/SQLite.
 
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