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User Interaction Question..

Posted: Mon Feb 17, 2003 9:48 am
by waskelton4
Hey Group!

I've got a question that really isn't related to the code side of programming but more so a user interaction question. I decided to put it here simply because this forum is the most active.

here goes....

The action i'm going for is..
having a user choose one or more items from a list in a multi select box but if the item(s) they want isn't/aren't in the list.. give them some text boxes to enter new items on that page and insert and select them for them.
my issue is that i don't want them getting lazy and not using the select boxes and simply typing the new items...

my question is, should I:

1) perform a javascript check against the options array for the selectbox and alert them that they've entered in an item already in the list and tell them to select it..

2) perform a javascript check to see if they've entered in an existing item and if they have simply select it in the list for them and move on.

3) pass all data to the php processing page and check the values in the database and return them to the previous page telling them to select the typed item that is already in the list from the list.

4) pass all data to the php processing page and check the values in the database and if the values are already there, don't insert them but get their id from the database and proceed as if they'd selected it fromt the select box on the previous page..

or

5) some brilliant idea that i haven't thought of yet..

I hope i didn't make that too confusing..

thanks for reading this..

I love PHP and coding but i'm still trying to get a handle on the most efficient ways to program and what's easiest for users..

Thanks group!!
Peace
Will


BAD SPELLERS OF THE WORLD UNTIE!!!

Posted: Tue Feb 18, 2003 2:05 am
by twigletmac
I've moved this topic to Miscellaneous because sometimes the most active forum isn't the most appropriate.

Mac

Posted: Tue Feb 18, 2003 8:47 am
by waskelton4
thanks Mac..

sorry for the mispost...

anybody out there with any ideas???

Thanks
Will