ASP Form then an update

Hi Jagc - thanks for the comments :)

I dont think I have explained my question very well (I never seem to put enough detail lol )

As the form elements and inputs are generated via a loop, there could be any number of elements.
I also only want to update the fields that have had a entry in..
See my screen shot image I have taken and this should give you a better idea...

http://www.stupot.co.uk/images/screenshot.jpg

Thanks again

PDM

Ah I see.

In that case we need to ensure that each text field has a unique ID so we can tell which record it is to update. Try this:

<input type="text" name="RA-<%=varReject_ID%>" value="" size="5" maxlength="5">
<input type="text" name="TQ-<%=varReject_ID%>" value="" size="5" maxlength="5">

This form can now be submitted. But of course we don't know how many text fields there are or what they are called. So we need to loop through all the form elements and get the ones beginning with "RA-" and "TQ-".

So, in your processing page (the one the form submits to) we need to go through the form, grabbing this info and process it. Many would tell you to open the database, then do your loop and execute the update but this means keeping the DB open for longer than neccesary. You could also create a recordset, enter all the info and update the database in one go. Another way is to build up an array of info then loop through that executing an UPDATE for each of them.

As we don't know how many items will be in the form, there is a way to go through the entire form. Try this:

<%
Dim sCurFormElement
For Each sCurFormElement in Request.Form()
  If Left(sCurFormElement, 3) = "RA-" Or Left(sCurFormElement, 3) = "TQ-"  Then
    response.write("<BR>" & sCurFormElement & " = " & request.form(sCurFormElement ))
  End If
Next
%>

This will loop through all of the submitted form items and display the ID of each form Item with an ID beginning with RA- or TQ- and display it's value.
Important: Form items are submitted in no particular order so don't assume that because you created them in some kind of order your processing page will have them in the same order.

It is up to you how you wish to process the info. As I mentioned you can write a recordset, create an array to store the info or open the DB and throw lots of updates at it.
The easiest method is to open the database connection before the loop and whenever you find a form element beginning with RA- or TQ- grab its ID from after the RA- or TQ- and its value and do teh update.

Hope this is enough info. Unfortunately I don't have time at the moment to throw a code example together. But if you get the loop example above working you should be able to see all the form info. You can then use string manipulation (lots of Left, Mid and InStr's :) to get the appropriate info and store it how you wish.

hi Jagc,
That is superb!   This is one area I have never been able to get my head around (producing and then updating a form dynamically).

As this form is not going to be used by very many users at all I think it maybe easiest to open a database connection and update the database that way.

I unfortunatly do not understand how to do this completely,  so if you dont mind, I will complete the code as I think it should be done and maybe you can help if it doesn't work?
If not, I tottally understand and I really appreciate the help and the explanation that you have given me.

Thanks very very much..

PDM

See my next post for my attempt....

Hi Jagc,

Yeah, I'm lost.. hehehe

I have looking at another form and update that I have done before (although different to this) I wondered if it could be doctored to work here...


Function UpdateForms()
                  
dim oRS6
Set oRS6=server.createobject("ADODB.recordset")
oRS6.open "HDTECHNICAL_LOGLIN", "dsn=HDSS;uid=*;pwd=*",1,3
oRS6.Addnew
oRS6.Fields("Ref")=varRef
oRS6.Fields("Type")=varType
oRS6.Fields("Sub_Type")=varSub
oRS6.Fields("DateTime")=varTimeStamp
oRS6.Update
oRS6.Close
set oRS6=nothing
                        
End Function

for i = 1 to request.form("RA-").count
varSub = request.form("TQ-")(i)

UpdateForms()
next