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Topic: How to pass variable via URL (Read 105 times)

Psycho
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How to pass variable via URL
« Thread Started on Nov 4, 2009, 10:47pm »

Hello everyone,

I've heard this mentioned and even used programs that included it in some fashion but I don't understand how to pass a variable to another RB program via the URL.

I understand UrlKeys$ gives the address from which the browser came so I could probably use word$ to determine the information that was at the end of the address if it in fact carried the variable information.
The part I really don't understand (unless I've already downplayed the first part) is how to include the information as the running program calls the next program

I really need this simplified if that's possible so I'll throw out some example code that someone may be able to help me understand with.

Let's say the following code is a program saved as passTrial1.

'passTrial1
textbox #wordtyped, "",15
print " ";
link #go, "Go", [go]
#wordtyped setfocus()
wait


[go]
wordToPass$= #wordtyped contents$()
'now how to add wordToPass$ along in URL??????
PassTrial2Add$="http://localhost:8008/seaside/go/?app=passTrial2"
html "<script language='javascript'>window.open('";PassTrial2Add$;"','new','')</script>"
end

It asks for a word, the user enters it, presses Go, then it calls the address for another program that is hosted and saved as passTrial2.
Now passTrial2 runs, gets the UrlKeys$ (I'm assuming is the way) and prints out the word the user typed in passTrial1

'passTrial2

'capture wordToPass$ from UrlKeys$???? How??? (can probably be done with word$)
print "You typed in ";wordToPass$
end

How does one go about doing that?

Any help would be appreciated.

John "Psycho" Siejkowski

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StefanPendl
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Re: How to pass variable via URL
« Reply #1 on Nov 5, 2009, 2:50am »

You would call the second application with

Code:
http://localhost:8008/seaside/go/runbasicpersonal?app=passTrial2&variable0=test&variable1=12

Inside passTrial2 UrlKeys$ would contain

Code:
app=passTrial2&variable0=test&variable1=12

You can simply check this by creating and publishing a project, which only contains the following

Code:
print
print UrlKeys$
end

« Last Edit: Nov 5, 2009, 2:51am by StefanPendl »

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Stefan

Any code I post can be used by others in their own projects, there is no need to ask for permission, just give credit if you like

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StefanPendl
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Re: How to pass variable via URL
« Reply #2 on Nov 5, 2009, 2:57am »

On the other hand, you could call the other project with the RUN command and render it too.

Parent Project

Code:
run "Child", #child
render #child

The above will create a separate object containing the project called "Child", which will act like a container, so anything you do in the child container will be executed in the child project.

You can still interact with the parent if need is.

There is a bug report, which is already fixed, which shows this way of parent/child interaction.

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votan
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Re: How to pass variable via URL
« Reply #3 on Nov 5, 2009, 6:52am »

I always do it the following way..
I.e.: Your first program creates a link like this:

Code:
http://localhost:8008/seaside/go/runbasicpersonal?app=passTrial2&wps=typedword

The program passTrial2 then checks the URL like this:

Code:
w = 1
while word$(UrlKeys$,w,"&") <> ""
fullvar$ = word$(UrlKeys$,w,"&")
varname$ = word$(fullvar$,1,"=")
varvalue$ = word$(fullvar$,2,"=")
if varname$ = "app" then application$ = varvalue$
if varname$ = "wps" then wordpass$$ = varvalue$
w = w + 1
wend

The program then sets the variables application$ to "passTrial2" and wordpass$ to "typedword". (Attention UrlKeys$ is casesensitive.. so urlkeys$ will not work)
This makes it easy to read as many variables from the url as you want. (while checking the app value most probably does not really make sense... it's just for illustrating it here.)

« Last Edit: Nov 5, 2009, 7:50am by votan »

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Psycho
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Re: How to pass variable via URL
« Reply #4 on Nov 5, 2009, 1:35pm »

Wonderful!

Thank you gentlemen, you got me exactly where I needed to go

The main program calls the other program both as a child that is run and rendered in the main screen as well as in a new window (it's an option the users wanted). I have my little test programs working properly now so I can apply what I've learned to my real program. I'll have to go back to the parent/child thread to get back up to speed as I had followed them closely way back when. Some of those early threads are where I learned about the whole "parent/child" concept. Without a classroom, you can't beat these forums for learning.

Everything sure seems easier to do once you know how

Thanks again!

John "Psycho" Siejkowski

« Last Edit: Nov 5, 2009, 1:36pm by Psycho »

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Psycho
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Re: How to pass variable via URL
« Reply #5 on Nov 6, 2009, 2:01pm »

I wanted to follow up on this in case this helps anyone else.
Taking the advice and examples from Stefan and votan, I was able to get my sample programs working so I would better understand how to apply to my primary program. The primary program has a search feature that yields anywhere from 0 to 100's of results, depending on search parameters, and displays them in a native RB table. That RB table includes a link column that can be clicked on for further detail about that item. When a link is clicked in the table, it runs a child program that displays another RB table with detailed information about that item. After expanding the program to another facility, users requested the option to have the detailed table open in its own window. I added that as an option that could be turned on or off but it still renders the child program in the primary window regardless. Prior to learning here how easy it really is to pass a variable via the URL (thanks again for that), I was having the parent program write the info to a text file, then the child and external programs were reading from that file. It's not a horrible option but pointing to the file was requiring me to code exact paths as many global variables (I believe ResourcesRoot$ being one of them) are being lost when run in child programs. This made it more difficult to keep the code generic at each facility. Passing the info through the URL will eliminate the need for the text file for the external program being displayed in a new window.
The next step was to review earlier threads on how to pass variables from the parent to the child for the rendered child program. I modified the code in these examples to pass the information as a function first, then call a function of the child to display the info. To prevent redundant code, I then have the external program call the same function to display the info (note the remarked out print statement).
To further prevent the rendered child program from displaying the info multiple times, I simply put in an if/then statement to check for info in the URL and only run that code if the program was called as a new window.
Whew! I hope I made that clear.
Below are the sample programs to assist in the explanation.

passTrial1

   'passTrial1
   textbox #wordtyped, "",25
   print " ";
   link #go, "Go", [go]
   print " ";
   link #quit, "Quit", [quit]
   #wordtyped setfocus()
   global #display
   wait

[go]
   wordToPass$= #wordtyped contents$()
   'now how to add wordToPass$ along in URL??????
   PassTrial2Add$="http://localhost:8008/seaside/go/?app=passTrial2&wps="+wordToPass$
   html "<script language='javascript'>window.open('";PassTrial2Add$;"','new','')</script>"

   'how do I get passTrial2 the info from wordToPass$ when run as child?
   print
   run "passTrial2",#display
   #display initValues$(wordToPass$)
   #display showinfo()
   render #display
   wait


[quit]
   cls
   print "Goodbye"
   end

passTrial2

   'passTrial2

   w = 1
   while word$(UrlKeys$,w,"&") <> ""
      fullvar$ = word$(UrlKeys$,w,"&")
      varname$ = word$(fullvar$,1,"=")
      varvalue$ = word$(fullvar$,2,"=")
      if varname$ = "app" then application$ = varvalue$
      if varname$ = "wps" then wordToPass$ = varvalue$
      w = w + 1
   wend 

   'look for spaces in returned variable (shown with %20)
   'This should be a function or sub when passing multiple variables
   spaces=0
   for x = 1 to len(wordToPass$)
      if mid$(wordToPass$,x,3)="%20" then spaces=spaces+1
   next x
   for x = 1 to spaces+1
      newWordToPass$=newWordToPass$+word$(wordToPass$,x,"%20")
      'add space if we aren't at the end of the string
      if x<spaces+1 then newWordToPass$=newWordToPass$+" "
   next x


   if UrlKeys$<>"" then 'display only in new window not child program
      print "The program is called ";application$
      a = showinfo()
      'print "You typed in ";newWordToPass$
   end if
   end

function initValues$(die$)
    global newWordToPass$
    newWordToPass$=die$
end function

'to display when child is rendered in main program
function showinfo()
   print "You typed in ";newWordToPass$
end function

BTW, votan, you'll see where I used your code as is, including displaying the program name (only in the new window). Agreed it's not needed but was great as an example so thanks again.

John "Psycho" Siejkowski

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StefanPendl
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Re: How to pass variable via URL
« Reply #6 on Nov 7, 2009, 10:06am »

Nov 6, 2009, 2:01pm, Psycho wrote:

Prior to learning here how easy it really is to pass a variable via the URL (thanks again for that), I was having the parent program write the info to a text file, then the child and external programs were reading from that file. It's not a horrible option but pointing to the file was requiring me to code exact paths as many global variables (I believe ResourcesRoot$ being one of them) are being lost when run in child programs. This made it more difficult to keep the code generic at each facility.

The problem exists only, if the child is called from within a sub procedure, but then you can ask the parent for the missing information.

DefaultVarsParent


print "Parent"
print
print "DefaultDir$ ...... "; DefaultDir$
print "Platform$ ........ "; Platform$
print "UserInfo$ ........ "; UserInfo$
print "UrlKeys$ ......... "; UrlKeys$
print "UserAddress$ ..... "; UserAddress$
print "ProjectsRoot$ .... "; ProjectsRoot$
print "ResourcesRoot$ ... "; ResourcesRoot$
print "Err$ ............. "; Err$
print "Err .............. "; Err
print "EventKey$ ........ "; EventKey$
print "RowIndex ......... "; RowIndex
print
html "<hr/>"

run "DefaultVarsChild", #child
render #child

html "<hr/>"

run "DefaultVarsChildFunction", #childFunct
#childFunct initVars(#self)
#childFunct display()
render #childFunct

call ShowDefaults
end

function GetIP$()
  GetIP$ = UserAddress$
end function

sub ShowDefaults
    html "<hr/>"
    html "<hr/>"
    print "Inside SUB"
    run "DefaultVarsChild", #childSub
    render #childSub

    html "<hr/>"

    run "DefaultVarsChildFunction", #childFunctSub
    #childFunctSub initVars(#self)
    #childFunctSub display()
    render #childFunctSub
end sub

DefaultVarsChild


print "Child"
print
print "DefaultDir$ ...... "; DefaultDir$
print "Platform$ ........ "; Platform$
print "UserInfo$ ........ "; UserInfo$
print "UrlKeys$ ......... "; UrlKeys$
print "UserAddress$ ..... "; UserAddress$
print "ProjectsRoot$ .... "; ProjectsRoot$
print "ResourcesRoot$ ... "; ResourcesRoot$
print "Err$ ............. "; Err$
print "Err .............. "; Err
print "EventKey$ ........ "; EventKey$
print "RowIndex ......... "; RowIndex
print
wait

DefaultVarsChildFunction


function display()
  print "Child Function"
  print
  print "DefaultDir$ ...... "; DefaultDir$
  print "Platform$ ........ "; Platform$
  print "UserInfo$ ........ "; UserInfo$
  print "UrlKeys$ ......... "; UrlKeys$
  print "UserAddress$ ..... "; UserAddress$
  print "ProjectsRoot$ .... "; ProjectsRoot$
  print "ResourcesRoot$ ... "; ResourcesRoot$
  print "Err$ ............. "; Err$
  print "Err .............. "; Err
  print "EventKey$ ........ "; EventKey$
  print "RowIndex ......... "; RowIndex
  print
end function

function initVars(#parent)
  UserAddress$ = #parent GetIP$()
end function

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Psycho
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Re: How to pass variable via URL
« Reply #7 on Nov 8, 2009, 6:28pm »

Nice idea Stefan.
In this particular case, I prefer the URL method but I think I already have something else done that could benefit from this passing of globals.

Thanks!

John "Psycho" Siejkowski

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StefanPendl
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Re: How to pass variable via URL
« Reply #8 on Nov 9, 2009, 3:11am »

The URL method is good for nonsensitive data, but asking the parent is better to exchange sensitive data, like credentials and such.

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