Thread: How Do I create a searchable database?

I refer people to treatment. I would like to create a search where it would be a two drop down menu with the first selection being the type of treatment they are looking for and then the city where they want to go, returning the results based on those selections.

What would I use? and where would I start?

anyone?

Originally Posted by cmoretti

I refer people to treatment. I would like to create a search where it would be a two drop down menu with the first selection being the type of treatment they are looking for and then the city where they want to go, returning the results based on those selections. What would I use? and where would I start?

Search, no.
Navigation, yes.

There are a couple of ways to accomplish the same without having to involve yourself with creating Databases and customized scripting ...

The more preferred and easiest to implement way is to use a "Drop-Down" Menubar to provide the first selection of "Sub-items" as treatments, and per selected Treatment additional "2nd Sub-items" that present to navigate directly to the page (or a BOOKMARK within a page) with the information requested. (You can add as many 'sub-sets' as required to deliver Visitors directly to the pages they need to find)
An simple example of this "Menubar Solution" can be seen here.

You need the so called "chained" dropdown lists.

A script you can use for this can be found at http://www.dynamicdrive.com/dynamici...ects/index.htm

However, for a database driven script and results, you will need Ajax.

Originally Posted by Vasili

Search, no.
Navigation, yes.

There are a couple of ways to accomplish the same without having to involve yourself with creating Databases and customized scripting ...

The more preferred and easiest to implement way is to use a "Drop-Down" Menubar to provide the first selection of "Sub-items" as treatments, and per selected Treatment additional "2nd Sub-items" that present to navigate directly to the page (or a BOOKMARK within a page) with the information requested. (You can add as many 'sub-sets' as required to deliver Visitors directly to the pages they need to find)
An simple example of this "Menubar Solution" can be seen here.

I already have everything through navigation bar and submenus but the Pages are becoming endless so I really need a results page that is specific for those search parameters. I really need to use a database at this point. I am looking at adding Southern California which adds a minimum of 10,000 more entries.

Originally Posted by navaldesign

You need the so called "chained" dropdown lists.

A script you can use for this can be found at http://www.dynamicdrive.com/dynamici...ects/index.htm

However, for a database driven script and results, you will need Ajax.

What is Ajax and where do I get it?

Google it ... it is a type of coding used for scripting, and not "something" you can learn overnight. It will have to be customized for you if you decide to use the Database method originally mentioned, and involve a significant cost to have it custom programmed for you. You might wish to first source a capable programmer ....