A-Z listing advice needed

[matthew stuart]

Hi, I need to create an A-Z listing of a members directory where I will have A, B, C and so on all the way to X, Y, Z. When a user clicks on B for example, I want it to take the user to a page where it filters out all surnames in the database other than those that begin with B.

I know I can build 26 pages, one for each letter in the alphabet, but that just seems uneconomical. I am certain it can be acheived with one page and I filter via a recordset, but I can't get my head around it!

I'm thinking I have to do a wild card selection along the lines of:

SELECT *
FROM members
WHERE surname is LIKE 'MM_Param'

and the parameter passed would be 'B%' when B is clicked.

But that means building 26 'Got to Detail Page' links doesn't it?

Is the answer as basic as having to build 26 different pages? That seems like a lot of effort for something that seems simple. Any advice would be great and if you know of any tutorials that would be even better.

Thanks

Mat

[Newsgroup_User]

> I'm thinking I have to do a wild card selection along the lines of:
>
> SELECT *
> FROM members
> WHERE surname is LIKE 'MM_Param'

That'll work.

> But that means building 26 'Got to Detail Page' links doesn't it?

Just set up a script to generate the links:

Here's some VB.net code I use to create 26 'filter by letter' links:

Function makeAlphabetFilter()
Dim intCount As Integer = 97 '97 = ascii 'a'
Dim strAlphaLinks As String
Dim qryStr_alphaFilter As String = Request.QueryString("alphaFilter")
While intCount < 123 '123 = ascii 'z'
strAlphaLinks = strAlphaLinks & _
"<a href='" & makeAlphabetLink(intCount) & "'>" & _
Microsoft.VisualBasic.Chr(intCount) & "</a>"
If intCount < 122 Then
strAlphaLinks = strAlphaLinks & " | "
End If
intCount = intCount + 1
End While
Return strAlphaLinks
End Function

Function makeAlphabetLink(ByVal intCharacter As Integer)
Dim newURL As String
newURL = "thisPage.aspx?alphaFilter=" &
Microsoft.VisualBasic.Chr(intCharacter))
Return newURL
End Function

-Darrel

[Newsgroup_User]

It'll be far easier to create 26 detail links than 26 detail pages.

--
Jules
http://www.charon.co.uk/charoncart
Charon Cart 3
Shopping Cart Extension for Dreamweaver MX/MX 2004

[Creativ_Technologies]

You are on the right track, but you don't have to use 26 "go to deatil page" SB's. Just use regular links. example:

<a href="details.asp?sortBy="A"">A</a>
<a href="details.asp?sortBy="B"">B</a>
and so on...

[Newsgroup_User]

http://www.tom-muck.com/extensions/help/RecordsetNavigationSuite/NavigationLettersHelp.cfm

the above might be of some use,

i have all of toms stuff and never had any problems


k





"matthew stuart" <webforumsuser@macromedia.com> wrote in message
news:f0lba3$mph$1@forums.macromedia.com...
> Hi, I need to create an A-Z listing of a members directory where I will
> have A,
> B, C and so on all the way to X, Y, Z. When a user clicks on B for
> example, I
> want it to take the user to a page where it filters out all surnames in
> the
> database other than those that begin with B.
>
> I know I can build 26 pages, one for each letter in the alphabet, but that
> just seems uneconomical. I am certain it can be acheived with one page and
> I
> filter via a recordset, but I can't get my head around it!
>
> I'm thinking I have to do a wild card selection along the lines of:
>
> SELECT *
> FROM members
> WHERE surname is LIKE 'MM_Param'
>
> and the parameter passed would be 'B%' when B is clicked.
>
> But that means building 26 'Got to Detail Page' links doesn't it?
>
> Is the answer as basic as having to build 26 different pages? That seems
> like
> a lot of effort for something that seems simple. Any advice would be great
> and
> if you know of any tutorials that would be even better.
>
> Thanks
>
> Mat
>