Approach to an html form element generating class

[davidannis]

Long ago I started with a php function that generated an html select list from a mysql table. Over time, I've needed versions that did various things differently (two fields displayed between the <option> and </option> or a div displayed based on the selected value) so I've kept building new versions. Every time I build a new version I think "boy I should make a class and extend it to do things the new way" but I never have and now I must have half a dozen versions of the code. Today I sat down and started coding my class and quickly realized that I need to actually figure out what I put in the parent class and where I draw the line and create another class based on the first. Mostly I code procedural and I could really use some help thinking this through.  Here's what I have in terms of permutations that I want to accomplish:

 

1. Build an SQL select
   1. set a where clause
   2. set an order by
   3. select multiple columns to concatenate as labels (for example: <option citycode='$cid'>$city, $state, $country</option> )
2. Build html
   1. Allow list to start with value ='' (eg <option value=''>Choose a state</option> <option value='AK'>Alaska...)
   2. set a selected= value (or values for multiples)
   3. <div> s
      1. No <div> display
      2. Display of a <div> if other is selected
         1. input type=text
         2. textarea
      3. Display of a <div> for each value seected
   4. Types
      1. Select list
         1. single or multiple
      2. Radio
      3. checkboxes

So, do I create a class with methods for each type of html list and a child class for the divs? A parent with the divs and children where I override the method that created the html for radio and checkboxes, something else entirely?

 

Thanks,

David