help with dynamically populated dropdown

[mac007]

Hello, all: I need some help with a dynamically populated dropdown menu...

 

I have managed to dynamically populate the dropdown menu from my item_categories table, and it works fine, EXCEPT once I have entered an item and want to bring it back into the form to UPDATE it, how do I make it so the category for the item is remembered and automatically appears as "selected"???

 

Basically there are 2 tables:

 

the "item_category" table that hold the list of categories with their respective ID's, like this:

category_id      category_name

1                        art

2                        clothing

3                        misc

 

 

and second "item" table  that hold the products, and is related to the "item_category" table thru the category ID's like this:

item_id            title          category

109                  painting        1

110                  drawing        1

111                  hat                  2

 

So, as you see in the 'select" form drop down menu below, the categories are pulled from the 'item_categorty" table, BUT how do i make it so when I bring up, let's say, item #111 the right category appears as selected???

 

Appreciate any help!!

 

thanks!

 

 

I <SELECT name="category" id="category"> <?php

 

$query=("select * from item_category order by category_name, category_name desc");

 

$result=mysql_query($query) or die ("Unable to Make the Query:" . mysql_error() );

 

while($row=mysql_fetch_array($result)){

 

echo "<OPTION VALUE=".$row['category_name'].">".$row['category_name']."</OPTION>";

}

?>

</SELECT>

[moselkady]

 

When you create <option> inside while loop, check if the category in the option is equal to the category of the selected item. If so, you add SELECTED top the option tag. Below I assume the selected item, e.g. #111,  is in variable $item:

 

<SELECT name="category" id="category">
<?php
$query="select category_name from item_category, item where item.item_id=$item and item.category=item_category.category_id";
$result=mysql_query($query) or die ("Unable to Make the Query:" . mysql_error() ); 
$row=mysql_fetch_array($result);
$select_category = $row['category_name'];
$query="select * from item_category order by category_name, category_name desc";
$result=mysql_query($query) or die ("Unable to Make the Query:" . mysql_error() ); 
while($row=mysql_fetch_array($result)){ 
  $selected = ($select_category == $row['category_name']) ?" selected" :"";
  echo "<OPTION VALUE=".$row['category_name'].$selected.">".$row['category_name']."</OPTION>";
}
?>
</SELECT>

 

[mac007]

Hi, moselkady:

 

I tried to apply you code below but it doesnt seem to be doing it... could it be there's a missing character somewhere? or maybe wrong variable??  not sure why you are calling the $item variable or how it's being referred back in the script..

 

anyways, maybe I missed a step?

 

Thanks a lot for your reply...!

 

anymore ideas?