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how to add an extra (non-db) selection to a dynamically driven drop-down menu in CFML
I have a search box/form that I am using to search through a query. I have a way of moving forward with the way that I want to do - but I feel like I may be stuck with a small problem.
The Page is going to submit to itself, and the search parameters are going to be stored as session variables. All the search criteria/selectors come from db fields themselves, so that they can be changed through the db/an administration interface.
After submitting the search criteria, the page will be populated with the appropriate results, and the search box (on the top of the page) will display the items and essential structure/form of the previous search. For instance, there is a drop down menu called 'titles' that is a part of the search box. If a title is selected as "pastor" then all pastors will be displayed in the search results, and the search box will be defaulted to the existing search variable which will be titles = 'pastors'. The menu will have all the other titles from the db, and it does have a section of id="0" which is for 'no title'. But I need a selection to be in the search menu for titles, that is not just set to "0" but rather instead for just nothing, so that when the 'blank' selection is used, it just does not search only for users that have 'no title' - but will be set to null so the the logic (that I will build) will not run the query for titles against the db for anything, either "0" ('No Title') or any other numbers ("2" = 'pastors,' for example). Essentially I have 'name,' 'title,' and 'authority' search descriptors - and the title and authority are drop down menu, db-populated. I know that I could put a 'null' value in the db - but then I'd have to go back into all the other sections, and rewrite the queries so that they don't pull the 'null' value, because there is where I specifically set the users as having 'No Title".
does this make any sense?
it seems that it ought to be very very easy to add 'hardcoded' selections to a db-populated menu list.
thanks!
The Page is going to submit to itself, and the search parameters are going to be stored as session variables. All the search criteria/selectors come from db fields themselves, so that they can be changed through the db/an administration interface.
After submitting the search criteria, the page will be populated with the appropriate results, and the search box (on the top of the page) will display the items and essential structure/form of the previous search. For instance, there is a drop down menu called 'titles' that is a part of the search box. If a title is selected as "pastor" then all pastors will be displayed in the search results, and the search box will be defaulted to the existing search variable which will be titles = 'pastors'. The menu will have all the other titles from the db, and it does have a section of id="0" which is for 'no title'. But I need a selection to be in the search menu for titles, that is not just set to "0" but rather instead for just nothing, so that when the 'blank' selection is used, it just does not search only for users that have 'no title' - but will be set to null so the the logic (that I will build) will not run the query for titles against the db for anything, either "0" ('No Title') or any other numbers ("2" = 'pastors,' for example). Essentially I have 'name,' 'title,' and 'authority' search descriptors - and the title and authority are drop down menu, db-populated. I know that I could put a 'null' value in the db - but then I'd have to go back into all the other sections, and rewrite the queries so that they don't pull the 'null' value, because there is where I specifically set the users as having 'No Title".
does this make any sense?
it seems that it ought to be very very easy to add 'hardcoded' selections to a db-populated menu list.
thanks!
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