Anonymous Monk has asked for the wisdom of the Perl Monks concerning the following question:

I'd like to write a script that will create drop down lists (HTML selects) in HTML based on information stored in a database. In my db table i have 2 columns (option name and value) and there are 10 rows. the value column holds either a '0' or '1' which will determine wether or not 'on' or 'off' is selected in the html select fields. Can you guys help me out?

Replies are listed 'Best First'.
Re: drop down menus
by gregorovius (Friar) on Sep 21, 2000 at 11:39 UTC
    This would be the core of it if you're using Apache::ASP or Perlscript on IIS. You still need to put your table in the %vals hash (using DBI) and also do formatting and print the option names by each combo box. Doing it with CGI.pm should also be easy, so take a look at that module's documentation if you don't have ASP. 
    <% foreach (sort keys %vals) { %>
    <select name="<%= $_ %>">
      <option value="1"<%= ($vals{$_}) ? ' selected' : '' %>>On
      </option>
      <option value="0"<%= ($vals{$_}) ? ' selected' : '' %>>Off
      </option>
    </select>
<% } %>

    [download]
    You may also want to look at HTML::Embperl, which has a feature to automatically select combo box items (or fill in any other form elements) for you.
[reply]
[d/l]
Re: drop down menus
by Michalis (Pilgrim) on Sep 21, 2000 at 14:56 UTC
    If you use CGI.pm and IF you have assigned the values of the db in a hash named (for example) %myhash then what you want is : 
    start_form(-method=>'post', -action=>'youractionhere'),
popup_menu(-name=>'yournamehere', -values=>\%hash),
end_form;

    [download]
    you may also use a 'default' value. (man CGI.pm and look for popup_menu). Needless to say that the above code won't work on its own (it needs a new CGI and much more code, which I guess you know how to create).
[reply]
[d/l]
      -values needs an array reference (not an hash) so the right sintax is 
      -values=>[sort keys %hash]

      [download]
[reply]
[d/l]
        Sorry, you're simply wrong.. What he needs is a hash reference: I copy/paste from the CGI.pm documentation: (in http://stein.cshl.org/WWW/software/CGI/cgi_docs.html)
        If you pass a HASH reference, the keys will be used for the menu values, and the values will be used for the menu labels.
[reply]
Re: drop down menus
by cianoz (Friar) on Sep 21, 2000 at 15:38 UTC 
    
use CGI;

my $q= new CGI;

my Svalues = ['a', 'b', 'c'];
my $defaults = ['a','c'];
#i suppose you know how to fill these

print $q->start_form();
print $q->scrolling_list( 
                         -name=>'LIST',
                         -values=>$values,
                         -multiple=>1,
                         -defaults=>$defaults
                        );

print $q->end_form();

##you can fetch selected items with
## my @selected = $q->param('LIST');

    [download]
    update: i notice you asked for dropdown menu, not scrolling lists
    so you should write: 
    print $q->popup_menu( -name=>'LIST',
                      -values=>$values,
                      -default=>'single value'
                    );

    [download]
    remember if you use popup_menu you can select just a single item!
[reply]
[d/l]
[select]

Back to Seekers of Perl Wisdom