asked on

Customized content at load time...Django? Or is there something better?

So, YEEEARS ago I worked on a project that used PHP to customize the appearance of a web page based on volatile information. We had snippets of functions with pieces of HTML code in them loosely in the format of...

function starttable(){
echo '<table>';
}

function endtable(){
echo "</table>"
}

function startcol(){
echo '<td>';
}

function endcol(){
echo '</td>';
}

function addimage(){
...yadda;
}

...ad nauseum. By using these snippets in conjunction with what was appearing in a database (if there was new data, make a table for it, if not don't) we were able to completely customize the layout and look of a webpage at load time.

The key being that there was not predefined format. Instead the code determined the shape of each page individually at runtime.

But the code was cumbersome and nightmarish.

I am assuming these is something out there that is better than this now. Django perhaps? Something else?

Does anyone have an suggestions/tutorials/ideas?

OH...P.s. It need to run on a linux/apache config :-)

Thanks!

Gary

lol
So you called a function to just write <table>
You just write the HTML in a loop

if (condition1=1){
    echo "<table">
    foreach ($x as $y){
        echo "<tr><td>".$y."</td></tr>";
    }
    echo "</table">
}

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Mike R.

ASKER

Hey Gary,

Thanks for the input. :-) Well, that wasn't exactly the code, it was just an example I pulled off the top of my head to make it clear what I was saying.

But it kind of wasn't really what I was asking.

My question is; I don't want to do anything in PHP because it's cumbersome and bulky. I was wondering what other frameworks are out there for responsize page design and/or on-the-fly modifications to a page payout that can do this in a far more streamlined manner than punching out a ton of PHP.

I've looked into CSS Grid Framework, Django...are there others?

Thanks!

Mike R.

ASKER

But, honestly, don't you think think the following is a boatload cleaner, more readable, and more reusable? ...

if (condition1=1){
    starttable();
    foreach ($x as $y){
	startcol();
        startrow(); 
		echo ".$y."
	endrow(); 
	endcol();
    }
    endtable();
}

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ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

Gary

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Mike R.

ASKER

Ya...that's part of the reason I'm trying to dump php altogether.

Mike R.

ASKER

I've requested that this question be deleted for the following reason:

Only one response.

(Edit: Off-topic remark removed - Modulus_Twelve)

Mike R.

ASKER

I apologize. I did not know the comment would be visible. Nonetheless, the commenter has not been addressing the actual question, directing me to information built on the platform I was trying to get away from, and making recommendations that don't apply. His tone also was unhelpful and condescending.

Because there have been no other responders, I think its just best to close the question.

Mike R.

ASKER

I've requested that this question be closed as follows:

Accepted answer: 0 points for rightmirem's comment #a39282070

for the following reason:

No other solution was provided

Mike R.

ASKER

Ive been trying to delete the question.

Mike R.

ASKER

I apologize for my breach of etiquette and have accepted a solution.