How to avoid re-inventing the wheel

I'm working on a project where I would like to some information in a
table (database entries) but I would like to have some of the commonly
associated functionality like being able to sort by column, etc..

It seems ridiculous to re-invent all of this functionality. I know
there are Java Scripts out there that will turn an HTML textbox into a
WYSIWYG editor, etc.. Does anyone make a class of for lack of a
better term "Widgets" for use on the web. Similar to wxWindows for
GUI programming for example?

It seems that there should be a class that you can simply feed a PHP
array and will produce a nicely formated output with the expected
results. Maybe this is asking too much but even better if it
integrated some AJAX to provide smoother functionality.

Thanks,

Steven Potter

Re: How to avoid re-inventing the wheel

Steve Potter wrote:
> I'm working on a project where I would like to some information in a
> table (database entries) but I would like to have some of the commonly
> associated functionality like being able to sort by column, etc..
So, you want a framework with basic CRUD?

I recommend symfony (www.symfony-project.com), but Zend Framework is also
good.

Carl

Re: How to avoid re-inventing the wheel

On Aug 28, 6:49 pm, Steve Potter wrote:
> I'm working on a project where I would like to some information in a
> table (database entries) but I would like to have some of the commonly
> associated functionality like being able to sort by column, etc..
>
> It seems ridiculous to re-invent all of this functionality.

You'll probably be better off getting over it.

You can try Achievo ATK, but there's no comprehensive documentation
and you won't be able to hand it off to another developer.
http://www.achievo.org/atk

You can try Dataface. Probably better off than ATK.
http://fas.sfu.ca/dataface

I don't think you'll be happy with either CakePHP or Symfony.

I'd suggest you just get over the automagic thing and go with Code
Igniter or Zend framework.

You could make yourself happy with EXT. That seems to be the current
hottest Javascript library. There may be bound widgets in there.

HTH,
-r

Re: How to avoid re-inventing the wheel

On Aug 28, 6:49 pm, Steve Potter wrote:
> I'm working on a project where I would like to some information in a
> table (database entries) but I would like to have some of the commonly
> associated functionality like being able to sort by column, etc..
>
> It seems ridiculous to re-invent all of this functionality. I know
> there are Java Scripts out there that will turn an HTML textbox into a
> WYSIWYG editor, etc.. Does anyone make a class of for lack of a
> better term "Widgets" for use on the web. Similar to wxWindows for
> GUI programming for example?
>
> It seems that there should be a class that you can simply feed a PHP
> array and will produce a nicely formated output with the expected
> results. Maybe this is asking too much but even better if it
> integrated some AJAX to provide smoother functionality.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Steven Potter

If you are willing to go the AJAX route (ie: you are comfortable
requiring javascript being enabled to use the site), there's something
which I've been wanting to try but haven't had the chance yet.
Although currently in Beta, the Yahoo library (YUI) has a real slick-
looking datatable widget:
http://developer.yahoo.com/yui/datatable/

Browsing the examples, it looks like it does a whole slew of things
like pagination, sorting, in-line editing, dynamic column resizing,
etc. Like I said, I haven't had a chance to use it in production yet,
but would like to at the next opportunity. I use some of the other
YUI modules and have been consistently happy with it.

Otherwise, if you don't want to go the javascript route, I seem to
remember seeing a PEAR package for a datagrid, though I never used
it. You may want to look into that, also.

Re: How to avoid re-inventing the wheel

On Aug 29, 3:08 pm, Moot wrote:

> If you are willing to go the AJAX route (ie: you are comfortable
> requiring javascript being enabled to use the site), there's something
> which I've been wanting to try but haven't had the chance yet.
> Although currently in Beta, the Yahoo library (YUI) has a real slick-
> looking datatable widget:http://developer.yahoo.com/yui/datatable/
>
> Browsing the examples, it looks like it does a whole slew of things
> like pagination, sorting, in-line editing, dynamic column resizing,
> etc. Like I said, I haven't had a chance to use it in production yet,
> but would like to at the next opportunity. I use some of the other
> YUI modules and have been consistently happy with it.
>
> Otherwise, if you don't want to go the javascript route, I seem to
> remember seeing a PEAR package for a datagrid, though I never used
> it. You may want to look into that, also.


After reading the responses, I have decided that what I am really
looking for is a JavaScript Library. I looked at the EXTjs mentioned
above. I was also looking at the YUI and others. Does anyone have
experience using these or other libraries? Can you make any
recommendations?

Thanks,

Steven Potter

Re: How to avoid re-inventing the wheel

Steve Potter wrote in
news:1188420170.548163.25390@o80g2000hse.googlegroups.com:


> After reading the responses, I have decided that what I am really
> looking for is a JavaScript Library. I looked at the EXTjs mentioned
> above. I was also looking at the YUI and others. Does anyone have
> experience using these or other libraries? Can you make any
> recommendations?

Worthy of a flame war (that I don't want to be involved with), but you
should look at jQuery ( http://www.jquery.com/ ) or Prototype (
http://www.prototypejs.org/ )

I've been using Prototype for a few years and love it, though jQuery has
been generating quite a large buzz and seems to offend the Javascript
"purists" less.