Any good examples of querystring parsing and data input?

[Fulltimer]

I would like to send by the URL get method a string that contains client information and have the following actions take place conditionally.

Data sent = company,city,state

querystring = ?co="ABC Company"&city="Toledo"&st="Oh"

I need to search my CLIENT table and determine if this company etc already exists in my files. If not found, then ADD this info to my records.

If FOUND simply update a date field that a inquiry was just made.

I'm hoping that such a routine scenario may already be available and someone can point me to that link.

It is important to note that in my case, I can not use POST. My data must be included in the URL request.

Since I'm fairly new, I'm struggling with the actual tools (grids, dialogs etc) that must be used to accomplish this. BTW, there is no real VISUAL component to this operation. It just needs to happen as a background task.

thanks!

[Steve Wood]

Re: Any good examples of querystring parsing and data input?

The process would be simplified if you create a new calc field in your table called (e.g.) findkey = alltrim(co) + alltrim(city) + alltrim(st).

Index that field, call it findkey.

Then,

The URL would look like this:

...mypage.a5w?co=ABC Company&city=Toledo&st=Oh

The mypage.a5w might look like this (swap out all the "my" values for your own):

if eval_valid("co + city + st")
 tofind = alltrim(co) + alltrim(city) + alltrim(st)
  if exists(tofind,"[PathAlias.ADB_Path]\mytable","findkey")
   record_update("mytable","findkey="+quote(tofind),"mydatetime="+now())
  else
  st = "company =" + quote(co)   + crlf() + \
       "city ="	+ quote(city) + crlf() + \ 
       "state="	+ quote(st)   + crlf() + \
       "mydatetime" = now()
  record_add("mytable",st)
else
 msg = "Parameter missing, cannot search" ' you can post a msg or use response.redirect() to go to a new page, or ignore, etc.
 ? msg ' display if appropriate
end if

[Fulltimer]

Re: Any good examples of querystring parsing and data input?

Your suggestion seems like a real tight and elegant way to solve my problem but I run into an error when I try to run the script.

Error: Function is not recognized.

It refers to my line of code that says: "If exists(......"

see below:

if eval_valid("co + city + st")
tofind = alltrim(co) + alltrim(city) + alltrim(st)
if exists(tofind,"[PathAlias.ADB_Path]\mytable","findkey")
record_update("mytable","findkey="+quote(tofind),"mydatetime="+now())
else
....

I assume the culprit is the exist function. My A5W page has virtual nothing else in it.

Is there some kind of library call I need to make to allow this function to work. If so, what might it be called and how do I refer to it in a "almost virgin" A5w page.

Since the eval_valid and alltrim seemed to work I thought I was already getting some access to the A5 built-in functions.

[Steve Wood]

Re: Any good examples of querystring parsing and data input?

My fault, I always type exists, rather than just exist.

[Lenny Forziati]

Re: Any good examples of querystring parsing and data input?

You said you can't use POST here, but using a GET request to update data can be problematic and POST is intended for just this type of operation. If there's any possibility of switching to a POST, I strongly recommend you do so. Here's a pretty good discussion of why: http://www.cs.tut.fi/~jkorpela/forms/methods.html

[Fulltimer]

Re: Any good examples of querystring parsing and data input?

You said you can't use POST here, but using a GET request to update data can be problematic and POST is intended for just this type of operation. If there's any possibility of switching to a POST, I strongly recommend you do so. Here's a pretty good discussion of why: http://www.cs.tut.fi/~jkorpela/forms/methods.html

Lenny,

I appreciate your comments and concerns on this matter however in my specific case, I'm trusting that my instincts will bare fruit.

The reason I can not use a Post is because I am not accessing this page from a "normal" web page. In fact the request is coming from a desktop app I wrote (using Visual Foxpro). It's purpose is to verify a company's VALID registration before it allows that desktop app to add new records.

In essence I can control the desktop app from an Internet "hook". I like this type of control. If a client does not pay thier subscription fee, I can prevent additional records from being added. This is done by having the "called" web page displaying a small unique code that the user must enter into the desktop app.

I create the needed URL through VFP code. That's fairly easy. I never tried to figure out whether I could parse a similar "POST" scenario.

If anyone has further thoughts on these issues, it would be appreciated.