Create a link that searches a recordset

[aspenjian]

Newbie here. I have an MYSQL database where each item has a "category" column. I am trying to have a page that lists all of the possible categories, and when you click on one of the links, it takes your to a page with a recordset that is filtered for that category. I know how to filter my recordset by category but my question is how do I make a link that will instruct the server to filter the recordset based on the selected category? Thanks for any help somebody can offer.

[David_Powers]

Moved to the Dreamweaver Application Development forum, which deals with PHP/MySQL and other server-side issues.

The way to handle this issue is to use a query string at the end of the URL. A query string consists of a question mark followed by one or more name/value pairs. If there is more than one name/value pair, separate each pair with an ampersand. So, to select your category you would create something like this:

<a href="details.php?category=software">See software details</a>

You filter the recordset in details.php using a URL parameter to set the value of the category column to software.

If you are creating a page to build these links automatically, you need to create a recordset of all the categories, and loop through a repeat region using the recordset value:

<a href="details.php?category=<?php echo $row_recordsetName['category']; ?>">
See <?php echo $row_recordsetName['category']; ?> details</a>

[Guest]

Assuming in that item table, the category value is

1. Integer

   <a href="details.php?id=<?php echo $row_getItems['category']; ?>">Click Here</a>

Then in your browser the URL will be

www.yoursitename.com/details.php?id=1

2. String

   <a href="details.php?id=<?php echo $row_getItems['category']; ?>">Click Here</a>

Then in your browser the URL will be

www.yoursitename.com/details.php?id=technology