Most Efficient Way to Do this?

[Hartmann]

I have about 60 input boxes where the user can input a value 1 through 3. I am going to insert all of the values into a DB. When the administrator checks a certain persons values out, I need to make the places where the people put a 3 stand out.

Only certain fields need to be checked if they have a 3. How do I change the color of the output if the value is three without going through a bunch of if...else statements.

[aspen]

do it using CSS and outputting the variable twice.

In your header or your linked CSS document define a class called 3

.3 {text-decoration: none; color: red; etc etc}

Then in you're output do this (example is cold fusion, but can easily be adapted to any other language):

<CFOUTPUT QUERY = "Queryname">
<td class = "#field1#">#field1#</td>
<td class = "#field2#">#field2</td>
etc
etc
etc
</CFOUTPUT>

This method will of course also let you define the display values if the entry is 1 or 2, if you so desire.

[Hartmann]

So how could I do that in PHP? ereg()?

[aspen]

You just do it like I did it in ColdFusion. You define the CSS class then print the DB variable out twice for each cell, once as the actually info, once to define the class:

while ( $row = mysql_fetch_array($result) ) 
{    
print("
<td class = "$row[field1]">$row[field1]</td>
<td class = "$row[field2]">$row[field2]</td>
etc
etc
etc
");

}

[Hartmann]

I am still lost.

Say I have 2 input boxes, one named Name and the other Age. The user inputs 1 for name and 3 for age. Well on the administration page the admin can see the values that the user put in, if one of the values is 3 then the 3 is output with the color of red.

[Hartmann]

No one?

[aspen]

I take it you don't have much experience with CSS.

I guess you'll just have to trust me. Doing what I outlined will make all the 3's appear red, and it is the simplest and most efficient way to do it.

so again. put this in the head of your document:

<STYLE>
.3 {color: red;}
</STYLE>

Then when outputting the variables do what I outlined above and output the variable twice, once as the content, once as the class.

[Hartmann]

I have experience with CSS but I don't see where you are outputting the variable twice.

[aspen]

while ( $row = mysql_fetch_array($result) ) 
{    
print("
<td class = "$row[field1]">$row[field1]</td>
<td class = "$row[field2]">$row[field2]</td>
etc
etc
etc
");

}

The red text is where the variable is outputted the first time. This value will be 1, 2, or 3. If it is a 1 or a 2 nothing will happen since there is no class defined for 1 or 2. But if it is a 3 it will access the class that is defined for 3 and color the text in that cell red.

The blue text is the cell content. This is the second place where the variable will be outputted. And because of the reasons stated above, if this value is 3 it will be red.

[Kevin Yank]

Note that, to adhere to standards, the above code should be modified so that the CSS class name does not start with a numeral. This can cause problems in standards-sensitive browsers like NS6 and Opera (although I haven't tested this particular issue with those browsers).

[Hartmann]

Ok I got it now! And since it will only be used with IE5+ it should be ok right?

[Kevin Yank]

As long as you never plan to use JavaScript to alter the style definitions (which is impossible to do if those styles have a numerical name, since JavaScript can't handle this), you should be fine.

Making your page standards-compliant would require minimal effort, however:

<STYLE>
.a3 {color: red;}
</STYLE>

...

while ( $row = mysql_fetch_array($result) ) 
{    
print("
<td class = "a$row[field1]">$row[field1]</td>
<td class = "a$row[field2]">$row[field2]</td>
etc
etc
etc
");

}