Sorting two tables from MYSQL-query

[stirrah]

Hey!

 

I have two querys that are fetching data. Each query is populating a html-table.

 

I want to be able to order this data if i click on the header. I've managed to get this to work, BUT I want the first table to "remember" its sorting even if I sort the other table.

 

Look at the attached picture.

 

This is the code for the link:

<th><?php echo "<a href='my_projects.php?order=" . 'projectId' . "'>" . 'ID' . "</a>"; ?></th>

This is the code for GET value:

$order = $_GET["order"];
if (empty($order)) {
  $order = 'projectId';
}

So I think my problem is that every time I reload the page, the value gets resetted to 'projectId'...how can I make the page remember?

Edited January 6, 2014 by stirrah

[iRoot121]

Hmm, is it an option to use cookies?

[stirrah]

I guess so? I'm don't really know what that would mean. What's the drawback?

[iRoot121]

I don't think there is one. Except that the table needs to be sorted again after a cache clean.

[Ch0cu3r]

HTTP is stateless protocol nothing is remembered during HTTP requests. You'd use a cookie (or a session) to remember what table column to sort by.

 

Something like

// default order
$order = 'projectId';

// is order set in cookie?
if (isset($_COOKIE['order')) {
  // use order in cookie
  $order = $_COOKIE['order'];
}
// get order from url?
elseif(isset($_GET['order']) {
  // get order from url
  $order = $_GET['order'];

  // remember the column to order the results by.
  setcookie('order', $order, (time()+3600*24*365)); // Max lifspan 1 year
}

[Barand]

Check if the $_GET value is set before checking for the $_COOKIE value otherwise the user can't change it once the cookie is set.

[Ch0cu3r]

@Barand good catch 

 

Code amended

// default order
$order = 'projectId';

// get order from url?
if(isset($_GET['order']) {
  // get order from url
  $order = $_GET['order'];

  // remember the column to order the results by.
  setcookie('order', $order, (time()+3600*24*365)); // Max lifspan 1 year
}
// is order set in cookie?
elseif (isset($_COOKIE['order')) {
  // use order in cookie
  $order = $_COOKIE['order'];
}

[mac_gyver]

or you could just use $_GET parameter(s), a separate one for each different filter/sort input.