Is this possible?

[Americankiwi]

Hi All,

Wondering: How can I take form data (either form data emailed to me, or form data from MySQL database), and post it into an organized table on a web page?

Would I need scripts of some sort?

Any advice appreciated as always,

TS

[Andy128]

Re: Is this possible?

Depends what you are trying to accomplish. If you want input from your customers to automatically appear on your website (much like a quest book type application) then yes- you are going to have to get scripts to do that.

If you want to take the data and post it- then no scripts would be necessary.

What are you trying to accomplish or do?

Andy

[Americankiwi]

Re: Is this possible?

Hi Andy,

Maybe if I describe the purpose to you it might help me explain better:

For the time being (while my site is still small and gaining input from users), I can have a simple format - I can use a form now, just like the email form using the php script Pablo(?) posted. The data being collected is basically a User's Nickname (forum name), a category they fall into (that they specify) - just another text field, and a third field in which they write a short review/comment of a game.
For that, I could just copy and paste data from the email.

But as the site grows and gains more input/users, I will need to automate this. So then I'll need to:
1. Ensure they are a registered member through the forum.
2. Put the information into a database, but also 'spit it back out' into a searchable table or set of tables, depending.
3. At that point I'd like to add a rating system, for example, the form lets users quickly rate a game's "graphics" or "playability" etc, using a 5-star system.

I know it will get a lot more complex than I currently understand...but knew asking in this forum would give me someone to point me in the right direction. :)

[Andy128]

Re: Is this possible?

1. It would seem that the forum itself should do this?
2. You can pull information out of your data base and display it in a variety
of ways. Really it depends what you wish to display.
3. Again- it appears that the forum should be able to handle this. For instance- make each game to be rated a Forum Category and then have a poll to which each user rates the game. The poll would appear on the top of the Forum category. It has been done on this (BV) Forum.

It appears that you are wanting to compile input from forum users in a medium outside the forum it's self. When, in reality, it would be better to handle all this inside the forum and have links from inside the site- point to this information in the forum. This would also encourage others to sign up to get that information and participate.

I am no forum expert- but on the forums I have frequented- all that you desire to do can be handled in the forum itself.

Hope that helps some

Andy

[Americankiwi]

Re: Is this possible?

I could use forums in one sense, but it wouldn't really accomplish what I'm hoping for...mainly because it would be more free-form.
I wouldn't just post names of games for them to vote on, but the form itself would allow them to review any game of their choice (they enter the game name in a field).

Imagine if you will: Say we have 5 game categories.. like genre, for instance (Action, Arcade, Sports, Racing, and Puzzle). We have one web page per category, with the Specific Category heading at the top. Each page has a table, the left column=user nickname (who reviewed it); the next column has Game names; the next column has their quick comments, next has a link to their full review, and so on.

Eventually I'd want them to have various options to search by username, organize alphabetically by game name, etc.

I don't necessarily want the data automatically entered and posted - what is preferable is that I can read the form data and approve it, then just click a button to post the entry/row into the table without having to do anything tedious at that point.

See what I mean? I know it's more complicated, so I'm wondering what direction I should start looking in as far as .. if there is a certain fantastico script that can do it, or if I need to learn php myself .. lol :)

[Andy128]

Re: Is this possible?

You have many dynamics going on there that are way above my capabilities at this time. Watdaflip has a scripting service that he as posted here on the BV forum. He would probably know best.

http://www.vodahost.com/vodatalk/free-classifeds/8122-form-scripting-service.html

Good luck,

Andy

[Americankiwi]

Re: Is this possible?

Thanks Andy, I still appreciate your input tho. And I am gonna need that good luck! lol :)

Will check out the service... thanks again...

Cheers
TS

[Aliens Anonymous]

Re: Is this possible?

Just to and to what andy said have a look here

http://www.phpbb-arcade.com/

[Americankiwi]

Re: Is this possible?

wow that's pretty cool.. i was looking to find out how they do it.. are those all done in php or something?

[Aliens Anonymous]

Re: Is this possible?

Hi AmericanKiwi
this can be add to a standard phpbb forum whitch can be download through cpanel. set up a test forum then add the mod just to make sure it's got all the thing you want. you can get all mod from

http://www.phpbbhacks.com/download/3312

if you have any problems adding the mod you could ask the star man. Racefan20

[Americankiwi]

Re: Is this possible?

I'm using vbulletin :/

Not sure I can use the arcade mod at this time regardless - but honestly I think it's really cool!
Might be fun to try adding in the site somewhere where it might be useful, once I'm done getting all the tough/important stuff done.. :)

Thanks Alien!