The mgiDynamicPopup Tag

Tag Behavior

Use the mgiDynamicPopup tag to dynamically build a popup menu (select) of unique values. Multiple sources of values can be used to build one popup menu.


Tag Syntax

The mgiDynamicPopup tag has five sources. Each source has different required and optional parameters. The sources of mgiDynamicPopup are:

  • postArguments - Dynamically creates a popup of unique values from post arguments.
  • pathArguments - Dynamically creates a popup of unique values from path arguments.
  • pageVariables - Dynamically creates a popup of unique values from page variables.
  • databaseField - Dynamically creates a popup of unique values from a database field.
  • string - Dynamically creates a popup of unique values from a delimited string of values.

PostArguments, PathArgument and PageVariable Sources

The postArguments, pathArgument and pageVariable sources of mgiDynamicPopup tag have two required parameters and three optional parameters. The tag form is:

<mgiDynamicPopup source="Source" name="Name" order="Order"
selectedItem="Item Name" selectedValue="Item Value">

Required Parameters:

  • source - The source is the location of the popup menu values. The "postArguments" source creates popup menu values from all post arguments. The "pathArguments" source creates popup menu values from all path arguments. The "pageVariables" source creates popup menu values from all page variables. Multiple source parameters may be included in one mgiDynamicPopup tag.
  • name - The name is the name of the popup menu (select) that is created.

Optional Parameters:

  • order - The order determines the ordering of the popup menu values. If the order parameter value is "alphabetical", then popup menu values are alphabetized from A to Z. If the order parameter value is "numerical", then the popup menu values are listed in ascending order from smallest to largest. When using the "numerical" order, all popup menu values must be numbers. If the order parameter value is "none", then the popup menu values are left in their original order. The default value is "None".
  • selectedItem - The initial item in the popup menu that will be selected by default.
  • selectedValue - The initial value in the popup menu that will be selected by default.

DatabaseField Source

The databaseField source of mgiDynamicPopup tag has four required parameters and six optional parameter. The tag form is:

<mgiDynamicPopup source="databaseField" name="Name" 
databaseName="Database" fieldName="Field" order="Order" 
odbcDatasource="Source Name" odbcUsername="Name" 
odbcPassword="Password" selectedItem="Item Name" 
selectedValue="Item Value">

Required Parameters:

  • source - The source is the location of the popup menu values. The "databaseField" source creates popup menu values from all values in a specified database field. Multiple source parameters may be included in one mgiDynamicPopup tag.
  • name - The name is the name of the popup menu (select) that is created.
  • databaseName - The databaseName is the name of the database that contains the field values to be included in the popup menu.
  • fieldName - The fieldName is the name of the database field that contains the values to be included in the popup menu. The database field must be a "text" type field.

Optional Parameters:

  • order - The order determines the ordering of the popup menu values. If the order parameter value is "alphabetical", then popup menu values are alphabetized from A to Z. If the order parameter value is "numerical", then the popup menu values are listed in ascending order from smallest to largest. When using the "numerical" order, all popup menu values must be numbers. If the order parameter value is "none", then the popup menu values are left in their original order. The default value is "None".
  • selectedItem - The initial item in the popup menu that will be selected by default.
  • selectedValue - The initial value in the popup menu that will be selected by default.
  • odbcDatasource (NT only) - The odbcDatasource is the name of datasource on the server that provides access information for an external ODBC database. If the odbcDatasource parameter is included, database information will be retrieved from the specified ODBC database rather than the internal MGI database. Inquire with the server administrator for additional information about the use of ODBC databases. If you include the odbcDatasource parameter, the odbcUsername and odbcPassword parameters are required.
  • odbcUsername (NT only) - The odbcUsername is the username required to access the ODBC datasource. The odbcUsername parameter is required if you include the odbcDatasource parameter.
  • odbcPassword (NT only) - The odbcPassword is the code required to access the ODBC datasource. The odbcPassword parameter is required if you include the odbcDatasource parameter.

String Source

The string source of mgiDynamicPopup tag has four required parameters and three optional parameters. The tag form is:

<mgiDynamicPopup source="String" name="Name" string="Text" 
stringDelimiter="Character" order="Order"
selectedItem="Item Name" selectedValue="Item Value">

Required Parameters:

  • source - The source is the location of the popup menu values. The "String" source creates popup menu values from all values in a specified string of characters. Multiple source parameters may be included in one mgiDynamicPopup tag.
  • name - The name is the name of the popup menu (select) that is created.
  • string - The string is the delimited text to use as the popup menu values.
  • stringDelimiter - The stringDelimiter is the character that separates each popup menu value in the string. To use escape characters such as carriage returns, line feeds, and tabs, use the appropriate Escaped String format.

Optional Parameters:

  • order - The order determines the ordering of the popup menu values. If the order parameter value is "alphabetical", then popup menu values are alphabetized from A to Z. If the order parameter value is "numerical", then the popup menu values are listed in ascending order from smallest to largest. When using the "numerical" order, all popup menu values must be numbers. If the order parameter value is "none", then the popup menu values are left in their original order. The default value is "None".
  • selectedItem - The initial item in the popup menu that will be selected by default.
  • selectedValue - The initial value in the popup menu that will be selected by default.


Example Usage and Output

PostArguments Source

<mgiDynamicPopup source="postArguments" name="Categories" 
order="Alphabetical">

In this example, categories from a form submission are ordered alphabetically and displayed in a popup menu.

PathArguments Source

<mgiDynamicPopup source="pathArguments" name="Quantity" 
order="Numerical" selectedItem="-- Number --">

In this example, available quantities are passed via path arguments and are used to create a popup menu with values in numerical order.

PageVariables Source

<mgiDynamicPopup source="pageVariables" name="Sizes"
selectedItem="-- Size --" selectedValue="none">

In this example, available product sizes from page variables are used to create a popup menu. The popup menu values are not re-ordered.

DatabaseField Source

<mgiDynamicPopup source="databaseField" fieldName="Jobs"
databaseName="JobDatabase" name="Positions" 
order="Alphabetical">

In this example, a list of jobs in a database are used to create a popup menu.

String Source

<mgiDynamicPopup source="string" stringdelimiter=","
string={mgiPostArgument name="Names"} name="Nominees">

In this example, a string of names delimited by commas from a form submission is embedded in the string parameter of mgiDynamicPopup to create a popup menu of names.

Multiple Sources

<mgiDynamicPopup source="postArguments" source="pathArguments" 
order="Alphabetical" name="Items">

In this example, values from post arguments and path arguments are used to create a popup menu.


Suggested Usage

  • Searchable Databases
  • Form Processing


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