One form - multiple entries on two tables... yikes!

[turpentyne]

I'm rather new at this, so bear with me if this is obvious and simple. 

 

Now that many-to-many databases have sunk into my brain, I'm trying to build a form that puts multiple entries into two different 'link' tables for one item. One for its physical characteristics and one for its uses.

 

Last night I fairly quickly figured out the multiple table entry, by simply duplicating the Insert command.. Trying the same thing to enter into the same table didn't work. Here's a simple test code I've got so far.. The final will probably be check fields for each item that goes into the link table along with its item id. ( I took the code out I'd written to try and go into the same table.)

 

 

<?php

 

if (isset($_POST['submitted'])) {

$errors = array();

 

//I just add more descriptors here for new characteristics or uses listed in link table

 

$descriptor1 = trim($_POST['item_id']);

$descriptor2 = trim($_POST['characteristics_id']);

$descriptor3 = trim($_POST['use_id']);

if (empty($errors)) {

 

//this is my connection to database

require ('3_z_mysq1_c0nn3ct.php');

 

$query = "INSERT INTO item_characteristics_link(item_id, characteristics_id)

VALUES ('$descriptor1', '$descriptor2')";

 

$result = @mysql_query ($query);

 

//here I go into the second table - the next 5 lines are what I tried duplicating - didn't work.

if (isset($_Post['uses_id']))

 

$query = "INSERT INTO item_uses_link(item_id, uses_id)

VALUES ('$descriptor1', '$descriptor3')";

 

if ($result) {

 

echo 'your info has been added';

 

exit();

} else {

echo 'system error. No item added';

 

echo '<p>' . mysql_error() . '<br><br>query:' . $query . '</p>';

 

exit();

 

}

mysql_close();

} else {

echo 'error. the following error occured <br>';

foreach ($errors as $msg) {

echo " - $msg<br>\n";

}

 

} // end of if

 

} // end of main submit conditional

 

?>

 

<FORM style="border: 1px dotted red; padding: 2px" action="backToThisSameFile.php" method="post"><fieldset><legend><b>Enter your info here</b></legend>

 

 

<table bgcolor=#FFEC8B width=590>

<tr><td>

 

//in the final form, this will not be a dropdown, but a unique number passed from another form.

Item id field:<br><SELECT NAME="item_id" value="<?php if(isset($_POST['item_id'])) echo $_POST['item_id']; ?>" >

<OPTION SELECTED VALUE=""> </OPTION>

<OPTION VALUE="1">1

<OPTION VALUE="2">2

<OPTION VALUE="3">3

<OPTION VALUE="4">4

<OPTION VALUE="5">5

<OPTION VALUE="6">6

</select><br>

 

 

</td>

<td>

//in the final form, this will not be a dropdown, but a series of individual checkboxes/entries

characteristics field:<br> <SELECT name="characteristics_id" value="<?php if(isset($_POST['characteristics_id'])) echo $_POST['characteristics_id']; ?>">

<OPTION SELECTED VALUE=""> </OPTION>

<OPTION VALUE="1">1

<OPTION VALUE="2">2

<OPTION VALUE="3">3

<OPTION VALUE="4">4

<OPTION VALUE="5">5

<OPTION VALUE="6">6

</select>

<br>

another item/entry<br>

another item/entry

</td>

 

</tr></table>

 

<br><br>

 

<table bgcolor=#FFEC8B width=590>

<tr>

<td>

//in the final form, this will not be a dropdown, but a series of individual checkboxes/entries

uses field:<br> <SELECT name="uses_id" value="<?php if(isset($_POST['uses_id'])) echo $_POST['uses_id']; ?>">

<OPTION SELECTED VALUE=""> </OPTION>

<OPTION VALUE="1">1

<OPTION VALUE="2">2

<OPTION VALUE="3">3

<OPTION VALUE="4">4

<OPTION VALUE="5">5

<OPTION VALUE="6">6

</select>

<br>

</td>

 

</tr></table>

 

 

</fieldset><br><br>

<input type="hidden" name="submitted" value="TRUE">

<input type="submit" />

 

 

</form>

[turpentyne]

Hmmm... I might've found the code that will help me. I'll have to plug it in this evening, adapt the form and see if it works. Something like this, maybe:

 

INSERT INTO ''item_characteristics_link'' (''item_id'', [''characteristics_id''])

VALUES (''Item 1'', [''blue'']),

(''item 1'', [''circular''])

[turpentyne]

dang! didn't work.  I added the code in with checkboxes for one table, and it's not working. The first table updates, but the second one does nothing.