Database Website client can update...

Report · May 12, 2006

I have an opportunity to do a database driven website. I have slowly been amassing the information I need - but have a question I need an answer too. This will be my first database driven site.

The client wants the ability to make changes to the data on the website - I mean the dynamic data. It's a paint web site and will be database driven.

As I create the initial database - I will do so using dreamweaver, php, and mySQL.

My question: is there a way for the client to update the site in a similar manner WITHOUT an Admin tool? I've seen it happen before using spreadsheets - but don't know if thats the way dreamweaver does it.

Any advice is helpful here.

Report · May 12, 2006

If the database is in MySQL then you'll need an Admin tool of somesort, as
that's where the data is, and not many other tools are going to be able to
edit it directly. (there are some, but would the customer be knowledgeable
enough to run them?)

Good luck.

"tiger2808" <webforumsuser@macromedia.com> wrote in message
news:e42q59$iqv$1@forums.macromedia.com...
>I have an opportunity to do a database driven website. I have slowly been
> amassing the information I need - but have a question I need an answer
> too.
> This will be my first database driven site.
>
> The client wants the ability to make changes to the data on the website -
> I
> mean the dynamic data. It's a paint web site and will be database driven.
>
> As I create the initial database - I will do so using dreamweaver, php,
> and
> mySQL.
>
> My question: is there a way for the client to update the site in a similar
> manner WITHOUT an Admin tool? I've seen it happen before using
> spreadsheets -
> but don't know if thats the way dreamweaver does it.
>
> Any advice is helpful here.
>
>
>

Report · May 12, 2006

There is no way to administer a database without an Administration page.
There are 10 different ways to administer your page, the data, or the
database, but you will need an interface for all of them. Be it store
bought or home rolled.

You can setup your administration page to do whatever you want, and look
however you want. YOu can make these pages look like a spreadsheet, a list,
or single-questions wizards that get all info before updating a database.

If you can setup a page to enter the data into a database, then you can
setup a page to *edit* that data as well.

Report · May 12, 2006

This just got infinitely more complicated! I think.

How do other small designers do it? Do they tell the customer - NO you can't do the updates yourself?

I can't imagine I am the only person to have ever been in this situation.

??

Report · May 12, 2006

> How do other small designers do it? Do they tell the customer - NO you
> can't
> do the updates yourself?

As crash said, if you're building a site that GETS the data out of the db,
you can certain add pages to PUT the data into the DB.

That is typically how all database driven sites are built.

The one exception would be if the data is coming from a pre-existing
database of some sort. In which case, you could possibly set up some import
script or access a web service of some type.

-Darrel

Report · May 12, 2006

Sorry, got in a hurry, sending this as is.

Get your database schema (this is the "map" of the database).

1. Setup the connection in DW
2. Create a recordset for the table to insert or edit data
http://cdcdigital.com/vids/DynamicContent/DynamicContent.html
3. Create a form for the data, putting a new field for every field in the
table in the database schema
4. Use the DW Behaviors and Insert Record Behavior
5. You should now be able to insert data into your database.

This is from an email I wrote a few days ago about creating an update form
for somebody that already had an entry form:

Re-use your form from your entry page. Save it as page-edit or whatever and
then remove the server behavior for insert record. Then apply the update
record field to it. You can redirect to whatever page you choose, I
typically have it redirect to the same page, in case I want to do multiple
updates.

Copy your edit recordset (calling it rsEdit) and rename it rsList. You will
use this recordset to feed the title and id of your documents to be edited
to your list, which will select which doc to edit.

Create a new form above your existing Update form. Insert a list. Feed the
rsList recordset into this, having it retain the ID and display the Title.
Put the form action to this page.

Change your insert rsEdit recordset to capture a variable from a form (the
ID would be the best).

Now, apply a show/hide behavior to your List. Show if rsEdit is empty
(which it will be until you feed it the variable from the form).

Apply a show/hide behavior to your Edit form. Show if rsEdit is NOT empty.

Let me know how that works. It's from memory and not a "walk-through" so it
might not be 100% accurate.

"tiger2808" <webforumsuser@macromedia.com> wrote in message
news:e42skn$luu$1@forums.macromedia.com...
> This just got infinitely more complicated! I think.
>
> How do other small designers do it? Do they tell the customer - NO you
> can't
> do the updates yourself?
>
> I can't imagine I am the only person to have ever been in this situation.
>
> ??
>
>
>

Report · May 12, 2006

> My question: is there a way for the client to update the site in a similar
> manner WITHOUT an Admin tool? I've seen it happen before using
> spreadsheets -
> but don't know if thats the way dreamweaver does it.

The first question to ask is 'where is the data origninating from'?

That typically helps you answer the second question...how to get the data in
there.

-Darrel

Report · May 12, 2006

Yes - the data would be primed - probably by me off of a spreadsheet using whatever tool dreamweaver has to do this.

But me adding to the database is not my client. I obviously don't understand enough about it at this stage.

If an admin tool is the easiest way to go about it - writing it myself - does dreamweaver contain the tools to help me do that?

I understand the logic more of displaying it (getting it out) than putting it in. Is there a good place to learn about creating admin tools?

Report · May 12, 2006

In theory, your client could export their offline data as CSV or XML. You
could then build a minimal admin area whereby the client could just upload
the files to populate the database. But, this is advanced stuff. There's
nothing in Dreamweaver to handle this, you'd have to code it all yourself.

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

Report · May 13, 2006

I think this would be very interesting for a lot of people how this is done.
Is there not some tutorials showing this and an example?

A lot of people crying for help to figure out how they could let their
customer update some changes without investing in expensive software.:-(

/Tine

"Julian Roberts" <nospam@charon.co.uk> skrev i en meddelelse
news:e4370i$42s$1@forums.macromedia.com...
> In theory, your client could export their offline data as CSV or XML. You
> could then build a minimal admin area whereby the client could just upload
> the files to populate the database. But, this is advanced stuff. There's
> nothing in Dreamweaver to handle this, you'd have to code it all yourself.
>
> --
> Jules
> http://www.charon.co.uk/charoncart
> Charon Cart 3
> Shopping Cart Extension for Dreamweaver MX/MX 2004
>
>
>
>