Re: orderfile headers (was: 2nd Request for help/advice onvariable pricing)
This WebDNA talk-list message is from
2000
It keeps the original formatting.
numero = 34948
interpreted = N
texte = If you are associating a cart# with each user session anyway - then all you need to do is be within an ordefile context (you can wrap a whole page with one) and then the orderfile's headers (the orderfile with the same # as the cart # the user is lugging around) are available with a simple [headerN] (1-40), or else one of the predefined ones like [city]).(http://betadoc.smithmicro.com/OrderFileFormat.html)If you are on a page where the user got there at the same time you had him use a webcat shopping command (like add, showcart, purchase, remove,...) then you don't even have to bother with the explicit orderfile context - because you are already within an implicit one.So say the user comes to a form for the first time and one of the inputs is this- and say at that moment 'header14' has not yet been given a value in that orderfile. So then the HTML that is returned to the browser is- (since in orderfile contexts undefined headers act like variables assigned to the null string - same behavior as db fields with no value.)Which means the user sees an input with no predefined value. Perfect since this is his 1st visit.Now say he fills in the form and submits it so now he is on the next page where you do error checking. He goofed up something so you instruct him to go back and check his form values and submit the form again after he corrects his errors. He uses a link which goes back to that page where the form is, and now the HTML that is returned to his browser is-(if he had input yes for the 'whatever' text input-)See? The orderfile is essentially 2 databases (one for the header data and one for the lineitems) which webcat engineers have made extremely accessible to make your hassle as little as possible. You could write an ecommerce site with out every using a webcat orderfile - using all your own custom dbs etc... but why bother? Then everytime you wanted [whatever14] you would have to do this-[Search db=custom.db&eqKEYFIELDdatarq=[value]&max=1][FoundItems][whatever14][/FoundItems][/Search]Plus to get it in there in the first place you would have to use a [append] or [replace]... this is all done for you with webcat orderfiles.-John Steven Jarvis wrote:> John, > > I have some questions about something you said earlier, regarding orderfile > headers: > > >>> seems easier to me stick all the field values in orderfile headers so you > >>> can simply use imputs with predefined values equal to those headers. > >> > >> I'm not exactly sure what you mean by using inputs with predefined values. > >> Do you mean the input name equals a particular header? > > > > which will evaluate to- > > > > when Header14 has no value yet, but- > > > > when Header14 has a value of yes already > > What's the advantage of using orderfile headers over a separate database? I > guess I just don't see how using the headers would work for my application > here, especially after re-reading the Tea Room tutorial again. I'm sure that > the headers can be used to do all sorts of cool stuff, I just don't > understand how or why here? Can you elaborate some (I mean, without writing > for me or anything)? > > Thanks! > > Steve > > ------------------------------------------------ > Steven Jarvis > Web Developer > sjarvis@nwaonline.net > > Morning News of Northwest Arkansas > http://www.nwaonline.net > ------------------------------------------------ > > ------------------------------------------------------------- > This message is sent to you because you are subscribed to > the mailing list . > To unsubscribe, E-mail to: > To switch to the DIGEST mode, E-mail to > Web Archive of this list is at: http://search.smithmicro.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------- This message is sent to you because you are subscribed to the mailing list . To unsubscribe, E-mail to: To switch to the DIGEST mode, E-mail to Web Archive of this list is at: http://search.smithmicro.com/
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If you are associating a cart# with each user session anyway - then all you need to do is be within an ordefile context (you can wrap a whole page with one) and then the orderfile's headers (the orderfile with the same # as the cart # the user is lugging around) are available with a simple [headerN] (1-40), or else one of the predefined ones like [city]).(http://betadoc.smithmicro.com/OrderFileFormat.html)If you are on a page where the user got there at the same time you had him use a webcat shopping command (like add, showcart, purchase, remove,...) then you don't even have to bother with the explicit orderfile context - because you are already within an implicit one.So say the user comes to a form for the first time and one of the inputs is this- and say at that moment 'header14' has not yet been given a value in that orderfile. So then the HTML that is returned to the browser is- (since in orderfile contexts undefined headers act like variables assigned to the null string - same behavior as db fields with no value.)Which means the user sees an input with no predefined value. Perfect since this is his 1st visit.Now say he fills in the form and submits it so now he is on the next page where you do error checking. He goofed up something so you instruct him to go back and check his form values and submit the form again after he corrects his errors. He uses a link which goes back to that page where the form is, and now the HTML that is returned to his browser is-(if he had input yes for the 'whatever' text input-)See? The orderfile is essentially 2 databases (one for the header data and one for the lineitems) which webcat engineers have made extremely accessible to make your hassle as little as possible. You could write an ecommerce site with out every using a webcat orderfile - using all your own custom dbs etc... but why bother? Then everytime you wanted [whatever14] you would have to do this-[Search db=custom.db&eqKEYFIELDdatarq=[value]&max=1][founditems][whatever14][/FoundItems][/Search]Plus to get it in there in the first place you would have to use a [append] or [replace]... this is all done for you with webcat orderfiles.-John Steven Jarvis wrote:> John, > > I have some questions about something you said earlier, regarding orderfile > headers: > > >>> seems easier to me stick all the field values in orderfile headers so you > >>> can simply use imputs with predefined values equal to those headers. > >> > >> I'm not exactly sure what you mean by using inputs with predefined values. > >> Do you mean the input name equals a particular header? > > > > which will evaluate to- > > > > when Header14 has no value yet, but- > > > > when Header14 has a value of yes already > > What's the advantage of using orderfile headers over a separate database? I > guess I just don't see how using the headers would work for my application > here, especially after re-reading the Tea Room tutorial again. I'm sure that > the headers can be used to do all sorts of cool stuff, I just don't > understand how or why here? Can you elaborate some (I mean, without writing > for me or anything)? > > Thanks! > > Steve > > ------------------------------------------------ > Steven Jarvis > Web Developer > sjarvis@nwaonline.net > > Morning News of Northwest Arkansas > http://www.nwaonline.net > ------------------------------------------------ > > ------------------------------------------------------------- > This message is sent to you because you are subscribed to > the mailing list . > To unsubscribe, E-mail to: > To switch to the DIGEST mode, E-mail to > Web Archive of this list is at: http://search.smithmicro.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------- This message is sent to you because you are subscribed to the mailing list . To unsubscribe, E-mail to: To switch to the DIGEST mode, E-mail to Web Archive of this list is at: http://search.smithmicro.com/
John Butler
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