What application(s) would you suggest?

[cdouesnard]

Hi!

I am totally new to dynamic web pages. I see that many applications exist but I am unable to find which one could help me achieve what I want for my web site.

Here is my situation. I have a list of local farmers and food producers and I want my web site visitors to be able to search that database with the options that suit them the most, regarding their needs. My list is in Excel and I am able to sort the data in many useful ways using Pivot tables. I would like to find a way to get the same kind of sorting in my web page.

My web site is promoting local farmers and food producers. I would like my visitors to be able to search my database in two ways. First, choose "including" criteria by clicking a check box (only organic products AND only products avalaible directly at the farm, for example). Then, sort the results by product category, or by producer, or by city...

Any idea how I could do that? What application I could use? If you give me a hint, I could then search the Web to learn how to do

Thanks!

[Jon Fritz]

You would be looking at using a database, something like mySQL and a server side scripting like PHP.

As far as I know, there really isn't anything out there that would allow you to do this type of thing in a dialogue window driven "click here for x setting" type of interface like DW's Design View. You're pretty much limited to hand coding.

Both of those technologies are very worthwhile to learn though and what you want to do isn't terribly complicated for them.

[cdouesnard]

MySQL and PHP, that's what I thought, but since I have to learn it from a to z, I was wondering if there would be an easier way. So Spry Data Set wouldn't do it?

Thank you for your answer.

[Jon Fritz · Accepted solution]

I've never actually used the Spry Dataset in DW, so I really have no idea what it does. Spry is no longer being developed or supported by Adobe, so I avoid all of it like the plague.

I do know that unless you want to get really complicated with how your info is presented, you'll only need the very basics of PHP and mySQL to get it done. The first couple chapters of any PHP/mySQL book will cover what you want and if you don't want to go any further, you won't need to.

[cdouesnard]

OK, so I'll do some reading!

Thank you very much.