database driven style sheet

[paulcj2]

I'd like to be able to manipulate style settings in a .css file using a PHP/MySQL database driven Content Management System. Is such a thing possible? I wouldn't think I would be able to run a query, fetch variables, etc. on a .css file like I can on a .php file.

html { 
        background-color : <?php echo $bgcolor;?> ;
        color: <?php echo $color;?> ;
    }

Yet I'd love to somehow control my style sheet settings via my CMS. Any thoughts on how to do this?

[r937]

i'm pretty sure it can be done, but as i don't write php, i can't tell you how

you either have to set the web server to parse .css files along with .php files, or set up a "404 handler" which takes over when the file isn't actually there (this is what i do on my web site with coldfusion)

yes you can pull from a database to generate the css file

[Dan Schulz]

Rudy's right. It can be done, but you'd probably have to declare a variable for every selector you're going to use in the stylesheet, then match it against the properties and values in those selectors.

Sounds like a lot of hard work to me though. I'd prefer to just write it in the stylesheet and be done with it.

(Though I do see the value of doing this for people who don't have experience with CSS.)

[paulcj2]

Thanks guys. It just occurred to me that instead of fiddling around making a .css file parse PHP, I can just set up my styles within a .php include to embed them in the head area of my top.php file. Much as I like using an external .css file, I think this is a simpler solution. Yes?

[paulcj2]

I set up an include within the head section of my top.php file thus:

<?php require_once("styles_basic_default.inc.php"); ?>

And set up the include styles_basic_default.inc.php with an include of its own to query the database thus:

<?php require_once "site_info.php";//queries the database and fetches variables for values to plug into the selector properties thus:
html { 
    background-color : <?php echo $body_bg_clr;?>; 
    }

Works great!

[paulcj2]

Actually the include was:

<?php require_once "site_info.php";

<style type="text/css">
<!--
html { 
    text-align : center;
    background-color : <?php echo $body_bg_clr;?>; 
    color: #000000;
    }
etc...
 -->
</style>