Learning WML -Scripting Tips And Integration With PHP

August 30, 2002
By Steve Schafer

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Project Description

In our last article we implemented a simple phone list using PHP and MySQL. The basic premise was to give salespeople access to a central contact database without the need of synchronizing their phones/PDAs. The script pulled contact data from a database, displayed the records, and dialed the selected record. This project will expand on that example, adding the following features:

The contact database will include address information.
There will be more contacts, requiring the list to be displayed a few records at a time.
A search feature will be added.

Because there will be more than one feature (list and search), we will also need a menu so the user can choose what feature he or she wants. Each screen will also need a way to return to the menu.

PHP Script Outline

The project will use one PHP script and a controlling variable ($cmd) that tells the script card that it is supposed to display. The script recursively calls itself with the proper value of $cmd, matching the function it is supposed to perform next. The script's functionality resembles the following:

   If $cmd is empty, set it to "Menu"

   If $cmd is set to "Menu," display the Menu card
   If $cmd is set to "List," display the List card
   If $cmd is set to "Display," 
         display the Display card, with the appropriate record
   If $cmd is set to "Search," display the Search card
   
   When a function is chosen, 
        set $cmd appropriately and recursively call self.

The search function will search through the database looking for first or last names that meet the text entered in the search card. The list function will display five records at a time and will include options for moving to the next set of five records or returning to the home menu. Each option (record or link) will have a quick key. Essentially, the list will resemble the following:

<DB record>
<DB record>
<DB record>
<DB record>
<DB record>
[Next 5 link]
[Home link]

Selecting a record results in displaying all of the data associated with the record, along with "dial" and "home" links.

The Contact List

Our contact database will contain the following data:

Related Articles What is BREW? WML Scripting Tips and Integration with PHP The M-Business Evolution Learning WML - Variables and Scripting What Is Bluetooth? Learning WML - Navigation, User Input, and Graphics First Name	Last Name	Phone	Address	City	State	Zip	Last Update
Jack	Hampton	317-555-2200	213 Main St	Indianapolis	IN	46222	2002-08-22
Samuel	Marks	317-555-8764	2 Northridge Dr	Fishers	IN	46203	2002-08-22
Sally	Nash	317-555-8765	644 Innovation Pl	Ft Wayne	IN	46875	2002-08-22
Bill	Haskins	317-555-8766	201 W 103rd	Indianapolis	IN	46240	2002-08-24
Jill	Payton	317-555-0098	55 W 96th St	Westfield	IN	46222	2002-08-22
Mary	Martinez	317-555-7544	9433 E. 75th Ave	Greenwood	IN	46784	2002-08-22
Ned	Tanner	317-555-9877	77 E Marchen	Ft Wayne	IN	46875	2002-08-23
Bruce	Wilten	317-555-1111	3 Prospect	Indianapolis	IN	46038	2002-08-22
Naomi	Waters	317-555-4323	1121 Central Pl	Westfield	IN	46055	2002-08-22
Angela	Renault	317-555-0988	5674 E 6th Ave	Noblesville	IN	46234	2002-08-22
Markus	Elliot	317-555-3232	9755 Carter	Indianapolis	IN	46250	2002-08-22
Steve	Albert	317-555-5444	95 Crescent Dr	Indianapolis	IN	46250	2002-08-26
Martin	Rolfsen	317-555-6767	5678 E 7th Ave	Indianapolis	IN	46234	2002-08-22
Lisa	Biggins	317-555-3644	7732 Allisonville	Indianapolis	IN	46240	2002-08-22
Eric	Gonday	317-555-0500	9466 Pike Plaza	Greenfield	IN	46533	2002-08-22
Douglas	Poser	317-555-0123	55 Tower Pl	Noblesville	IN	46234	2002-08-24
John	Palmer	317-555-4444	12433 N Cumberland	Fishers	IN	46038	2002-08-22

The database will also contain an "ID" field as a primary key (integer). That will serve as a unique key into each record. To create the data in MySQL, the following commands should be used:

CREATE DATABASE customers;

USE customers;

CREATE TABLE Phone (
  Id int(11) NOT NULL auto_increment,
  FirstName varchar(30) default NULL,
  LastName varchar(30) default NULL,
  Phone varchar(12) default NULL,
  Address varchar(30) default NULL,
  City varchar(30) default NULL,
  State char(2) default NULL,
  Zip varchar(5) default NULL,
  LastUpdate date default NULL,
  PRIMARY KEY  (Id)
) TYPE=MyISAM;

INSERT INTO Phone VALUES (1,'Jack','Hampton','317-555-2200',
'213 Main St','Indianapolis','IN','46222','2002-08-22');
INSERT INTO Phone VALUES (2,'Samuel','Marks','317-555-8764',
'2 Northridge Dr','Fishers','IN','46203','2002-08-22');
INSERT INTO Phone VALUES (3,'Sally','Nash','317-555-8765',
'644 Innovation Pl','Ft Wayne','IN','46875','2002-08-22');
INSERT INTO Phone VALUES (4,'Bill','Haskins','317-555-8766',
'201 W 103rd','Indianapolis','IN','46240','2002-08-24');
INSERT INTO Phone VALUES (5,'Jill','Payton','317-555-0098',
'55 W 96th St','Westfield','IN','46222','2002-08-22');
INSERT INTO Phone VALUES (6,'Mary','Martinez','317-555-7544',
'9433 E 75th Ave','Greenwood','IN','46784','2002-08-22');
INSERT INTO Phone VALUES (7,'Ned','Tanner','317-555-9877',
'77 E Marchen','Ft Wayne','IN','46875','2002-08-23');
INSERT INTO Phone VALUES (8,'Bruce','Wilten','317-555-1111',
'3 Prospect','Indianapolis','IN','46038','2002-08-22');
INSERT INTO Phone VALUES (9,'Naomi','Waters','317-555-4323',
'1121 Central Pl','Westfield','IN','46055','2002-08-22');
INSERT INTO Phone VALUES (10,'Angela','Renault','317-555-0988',
'5674 E 6th Ave','Noblesville','IN','46234','2002-08-22');
INSERT INTO Phone VALUES (11,'Markus','Elliot','317-555-3232',
'9755 Carter','Indianapolis','IN','46250','2002-08-22');
INSERT INTO Phone VALUES (12,'Steve','Albert','317-555-5444',
'95 Crescent Dr','Indianapolis','IN','46250','2002-08-26');
INSERT INTO Phone VALUES (13,'Martin','Rolfsen','317-555-6767',
'5678 E 7th Ave','Indianapolis','IN','46234','2002-08-22');
INSERT INTO Phone VALUES (14,'Lisa','Biggins','317-555-3644',
'7732 Allisonville','Indianapolis','IN','46240','2002-08-22');
INSERT INTO Phone VALUES (15,'Eric','Gonday','317-555-0500',
'9466 Pike Plaza','Greenfield','IN','46533','2002-08-22');
INSERT INTO Phone VALUES (16,'Douglas','Poser','317-555-0123',
'55 Tower Pl','Noblesville','IN','46234','2002-08-24');
INSERT INTO Phone VALUES (17,'John','Palmer','317-555-4444',
'12433 N Cumberland','Fishers','IN','46038','2002-08-22');

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