1. Dataface URL Protocols Steve Hannah Web Lite Solutions Corp. Steve@weblite.ca Steve Hannah Web Lite Solutions Corp. Steve@weblite.ca

2. Anatomy of a URL  URLs allow you to pass parameters to PHP scripts via GET variables eg: http://yourdomain.com/index.php?name=foo The above would pass the parameter “name” with value “foo” to the index.php script.  The question mark (‘?’) in a URL indicates that everything that follows are parameters.  Multiple parameters can be separated by an ampersand (‘&’): http://yourdomain.com/index.php?name=foo&size=10  URLs allow you to pass parameters to PHP scripts via GET variables eg: http://yourdomain.com/index.php?name=foo The above would pass the parameter “name” with value “foo” to the index.php script.  The question mark (‘?’) in a URL indicates that everything that follows are parameters.  Multiple parameters can be separated by an ampersand (‘&’): http://yourdomain.com/index.php?name=foo&size=10

3. Dataface URL Instructions  Parameters beginning with ‘-’ are instructions for Dataface: e.g. -action=list or -table=people To tell dataface to perform the ‘list’ action or to show the ‘people’ table.  Instructions are maintained between multiple requests. E.g. If you are in the ‘people’ table, all links in Dataface will include ‘-table=people’ so that the user will still be in the ‘people’ table when he clicks on one of the links.  Parameters beginning with ‘-’ are instructions for Dataface: e.g. -action=list or -table=people To tell dataface to perform the ‘list’ action or to show the ‘people’ table.  Instructions are maintained between multiple requests. E.g. If you are in the ‘people’ table, all links in Dataface will include ‘-table=people’ so that the user will still be in the ‘people’ table when he clicks on one of the links.

4. Dataface URL Metadata  GET parameters beginning with ‘--’ are metadata for the current request. E.g. --msg=Records%20Successfully%20Deleted Passes a message parameter to display in the Info dialog.  Metadata is not passed between requests. They are for one request only.  This convention is useful for custom actions when you want to pass special information to your action that shouldn’t persist across requests.  Why not just pass your parameters normally (without the prepended ‘--’? Answer: Next slide  GET parameters beginning with ‘--’ are metadata for the current request. E.g. --msg=Records%20Successfully%20Deleted Passes a message parameter to display in the Info dialog.  Metadata is not passed between requests. They are for one request only.  This convention is useful for custom actions when you want to pass special information to your action that shouldn’t persist across requests.  Why not just pass your parameters normally (without the prepended ‘--’? Answer: Next slide

5. Query Parameters  GET parameters not beginning with ‘-’ are considered to be search parameters.  LastName=Smith will filter the results to only show records where the LastName field contains the phrase ‘Smith’. This would match such names as ‘Smith’, ‘Smithy’, ‘Brownsmith’, etc…  If you need to pass parameters to your script that are NOT query parameters, you should prepend ‘-’ or ‘--’ to the parameter name so Dataface doesn’t confuse them for query parameters.  GET parameters not beginning with ‘-’ are considered to be search parameters.  LastName=Smith will filter the results to only show records where the LastName field contains the phrase ‘Smith’. This would match such names as ‘Smith’, ‘Smithy’, ‘Brownsmith’, etc…  If you need to pass parameters to your script that are NOT query parameters, you should prepend ‘-’ or ‘--’ to the parameter name so Dataface doesn’t confuse them for query parameters.

6. Query Parameter Fun I  FirstName=Bob Matches ‘Bob’, ‘bob’, ‘Bobby’, ‘cabob’, …  FirstName==Bob Matches ‘Bob’, ‘bob’, but not ‘Bobby’ or ‘cabob’  FirstName=>Bob Matches ‘Bobby’, ‘Carl’, ‘Doug’, but not ‘Adam’, ‘Ark’, ‘Bill’, or ‘Bob’. (I.e. matches any name coming after ‘Bob’ in the lexicographic alphabetical ordering).  FirstName=Bob Matches ‘Bob’, ‘bob’, ‘Bobby’, ‘cabob’, …  FirstName==Bob Matches ‘Bob’, ‘bob’, but not ‘Bobby’ or ‘cabob’  FirstName=>Bob Matches ‘Bobby’, ‘Carl’, ‘Doug’, but not ‘Adam’, ‘Ark’, ‘Bill’, or ‘Bob’. (I.e. matches any name coming after ‘Bob’ in the lexicographic alphabetical ordering).

7. Combining Parameters: AND  Putting multiple search parameters together is equivalent to performing an ‘AND’ on the parameters.  E.g. FirstName=Bob&LastName=Smith would match records with FirstName ‘Bob’ and LastName ‘Smith’. But ‘Bob McKenzie’ would NOT be matched.  Putting multiple search parameters together is equivalent to performing an ‘AND’ on the parameters.  E.g. FirstName=Bob&LastName=Smith would match records with FirstName ‘Bob’ and LastName ‘Smith’. But ‘Bob McKenzie’ would NOT be matched.

8. Exercise I

9. Bringing it together  Index.php?-action=list&-table=People&FirstName=Bob Will show the list view for the People table. Showing only results where FirstName contains ‘Bob’ (case insensitive).  Index.php?-action=edit&-table=People&UserID=10 Will show the edit form to edit the record from the People table with UserID=10.  Index.php?-action=view&-table=People&UserID=10&-- msg=Welcome+to+my+site Will show the view tab for the record from the People table with UserID=10. Will display an info message saying “Welcome to my site” along to top.  Index.php?-action=list&-table=People&FirstName=Bob Will show the list view for the People table. Showing only results where FirstName contains ‘Bob’ (case insensitive).  Index.php?-action=edit&-table=People&UserID=10 Will show the edit form to edit the record from the People table with UserID=10.  Index.php?-action=view&-table=People&UserID=10&-- msg=Welcome+to+my+site Will show the view tab for the record from the People table with UserID=10. Will display an info message saying “Welcome to my site” along to top.

10. Full-text Searching  Use the -search instruction to perform full- text search on all columns  -search=Bob+Smith Matches records containing both ‘Bob’ and ‘Smith’. Matches can occur on any text or varchar column in the record.  Use the -search instruction to perform full- text search on all columns  -search=Bob+Smith Matches records containing both ‘Bob’ and ‘Smith’. Matches can occur on any text or varchar column in the record.

11. Combining Parameters: OR  FirstName=Bob+OR+Carl Matches ‘Bob’, ‘Bobby’, ‘cabob’, ‘Carl’, ‘Carly’, ‘my carly’.  Currently no way to perform OR query over multiple columns. E.g. Cannot match records with FirstName Bob OR LastName Smith.  FirstName=Bob+OR+Carl Matches ‘Bob’, ‘Bobby’, ‘cabob’, ‘Carl’, ‘Carly’, ‘my carly’.  Currently no way to perform OR query over multiple columns. E.g. Cannot match records with FirstName Bob OR LastName Smith.

12. Query Parameter Fun II  FirstName=<Bob Matches ‘Adam’, ‘Bill’ but not ‘Bob’, ‘Carl’, ‘Derek’, etc… (I.e. matches names before ‘Bob’ in lexicographic alphabetical ordering).  FirstName=Bob..Carl Matches ‘Bob’, ‘Carl’, ‘Buster’, ‘Cam’, but not ‘Adam’ or ‘Carly’ (I.e. Matches names between ‘Bob’ and ‘Carl’ inclusive).  FirstName=<Bob Matches ‘Adam’, ‘Bill’ but not ‘Bob’, ‘Carl’, ‘Derek’, etc… (I.e. matches names before ‘Bob’ in lexicographic alphabetical ordering).  FirstName=Bob..Carl Matches ‘Bob’, ‘Carl’, ‘Buster’, ‘Cam’, but not ‘Adam’ or ‘Carly’ (I.e. Matches names between ‘Bob’ and ‘Carl’ inclusive).

13. Actions: the -action parameter  The -action parameter used to specify the action to perform.  Common Dataface actions: new : New record form edit : Edit an existing record view : View tab list : The list view find: The find tab delete: Deletes the current record related_records_list : Show the related records (requires -relationship parameter to be the name of the relationship to show).  The -action parameter used to specify the action to perform.  Common Dataface actions: new : New record form edit : Edit an existing record view : View tab list : The list view find: The find tab delete: Deletes the current record related_records_list : Show the related records (requires -relationship parameter to be the name of the relationship to show).

14. Exercise I  Form URLs to perform the following queries:  Create a new record in the ‘People’ table.  Edit record with UserID 10 in the ‘People’ table.  Show enrolled courses for the Person with FirstName ‘Grant’ and LastName ‘Drummond’ in the People table. Enrolled courses are represented by the relationship ‘courses’.  Show the edit form for the 12th record in the result set formed when searching for Country=Canada on the People table.  Form URLs to perform the following queries:  Create a new record in the ‘People’ table.  Edit record with UserID 10 in the ‘People’ table.  Show enrolled courses for the Person with FirstName ‘Grant’ and LastName ‘Drummond’ in the People table. Enrolled courses are represented by the relationship ‘courses’.  Show the edit form for the 12th record in the result set formed when searching for Country=Canada on the People table.

15. Accessing URL Parameters from PHP Steve Hannah Web Lite Solutions Corp. Steve@weblite.ca Steve Hannah Web Lite Solutions Corp. Steve@weblite.ca

16. Accessing Parameters Directly  Index.php?FirstName=Bob&-table=People $_GET[‘FirstName’] // ‘Bob’ $_GET[‘-table’] // ‘People’  This method is OK, but doesn’t take into account default parameters. (e.g. If user requests index.php with no parameters, then Dataface implies default values for -table, -action, etc… that won’t be accessible via $_GET array).  Index.php?FirstName=Bob&-table=People $_GET[‘FirstName’] // ‘Bob’ $_GET[‘-table’] // ‘People’  This method is OK, but doesn’t take into account default parameters. (e.g. If user requests index.php with no parameters, then Dataface implies default values for -table, -action, etc… that won’t be accessible via $_GET array).

17. Accessing Parameters from Application Object $app =& Dataface_Application::getInstance(); $query =& $app->getQuery(); // Returns associative array of query parameters with default values filled in. e.g. $query[‘-table’], $query[‘-action’], $query[‘-limit’], $query[‘-cursor’]. $app =& Dataface_Application::getInstance(); $query =& $app->getQuery(); // Returns associative array of query parameters with default values filled in. e.g. $query[‘-table’], $query[‘-action’], $query[‘-limit’], $query[‘-cursor’].