Search Engine Friendly URL's - Directives

[Mike]

Hi,

I am trying to understand how to create a script like http://www.websitepublisher.net/article/search_engine_friendly_urls/3.

The bit I don't understand is "placing directives inside containers". I don't get how you put it in it, as there aren't any brackets or anything.

Could somebody help?

Thanks,
Mike:)

[Chris]

Ahh... because containers look like HTML tags the browser is rendering those tags... I will fix it.

Fixed.

[Mike]

Didn't know it was a bug:)

Anyway, would you place the directives inside it like...?


<Files article>
ForceType application/x-httpd-php
article
</Files>


Doesn't look right, but it's the only way I can think of.

Thanks a lot,
Mike

[Chris]

<Files article>
ForceType application/x-httpd-php
</Files>


Exactly like that. You're applying this directive to a single file "article"

[Mike]

Ah I somehow missed the article part of the fist line:p

Thanks for your help...
Mike

[Mike]

Coming back onto search engine friendly urls...

If you link like this, example.com?page=user, how would you link using method three? And if your doing a query like:



$result = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM games WHERE Name='$game'",


...how would you do it with search engine friendly urls?

Thanks a lot,
Mike:)

[Chris]

use a url like

http://www.example.com/game/halflife/

$var_array = explode("/",$REQUEST_URI);

$var = $var_array[1]; // contents of variable are "halflife"

$result = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM games WHERE Name='$halflife";

[incka]

As this got something to do with my site?

[Mike]

Ok, so to list all the links on a page you'd have something like...?



$result = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM games");

for ($x=0; $x < mysql_num_rows($result); $x++) {
$row = mysql_fetch_assoc($result);

echo ("<a href='http://www.example.com/game/");
echo $row['Name'];
echo ("'>")
}


And to have the game on the next page have something like this, and the echo statements?



$var_array = explode("/",$REQUEST_URI);

$var = $var_array[1];

$result = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM games WHERE Name='$var";


Also what is $REQUEST_URI please?

Thanks a lot for all your help,
Mike

[chromate]

That looks about right Mike.

Be careful with your Syntax though. You're missing a few quotes, brackets and semi-colons. I know you'd pick that up in the final script though.

Also, try:




$result = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM games");

while( $row = mysql_fetch_array($result) ) {
echo "<a href=\"http://www.example.com/game/".$rw['Name']."\">";
}



Just looks a little cleaner, maybe :)

[Mike]

Thanks Chromate:)

Yeh and I agree about the Syntax, I usally get at least three parse errors when checking:)

Anyway, thanks a lot...
Mike

[chromate]

Tell me about it. The reason I pointed it out is that I'm terrible myself, though much better than I was! I've spent ages getting really frustrated before because I couldn't find an error and then after about an hour, I find I've neglected to put in a quotation mark or something equally dumb! :) Bloody annoying if you have a deadline! haha

[Mike]

lol yeah

i made this script a few weeks ago, uploaded it to my host and decided not to save it as i thought it would be safe. anyway, it wasn't and it somehow got deleted.

so i tried to make it all again (only short). so i did it, uploaded it and got this ugly error (not saying what was missing). it pointed me to a line that had nothing wrong with it. anyway, after about an hour of fiddling about i finally found out that there was a missing quotation. grrr;)

why they can't make some sort of editor that corrects these mistakes...:)

[chromate]

Originally posted by Mike
why they can't make some sort of editor that corrects these mistakes...:)

They do on a basic level. But in my experience they're more trouble than they're worth. It's best just to get into good practice to start with. Having said that, I started programming in Java which isn't very forgiving.

Now, what really annoys me as far as errors are concerned is Perl CGI. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR RRRRRRRRRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr :)

[Chris]

$REQUEST_URI is a variable that represents the requested file path after the domain.

[Mike]

Thanks:)

I will try it out later...

[Mike]

Well it kinda works, links ok and everything, but doesn't display the content. My code looks like:



$var_array = explode("/",$REQUEST_URI);

$var = $var_array[1];

//query
$result = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM games WHERE Name='$var'", $connect);

//echo title and game
$row = mysql_fetch_assoc($result);

//title
echo ("<head><title>");
echo "Games2Go.co.uk - ";
echo $row['Name'];
echo ("</title></head>");

echo $row['Name'];
echo ("<br><br>");
echo $row['Code'];


Haven't really got a clue whats wrong, any help please?

Thanks a lot,
Mike

[Chris]

try echoing out $var to make sure you have the correct variable.

[Mike]

I had the wrong variable. It was set as '$var = $var_array[1]; ' when it should have been '$var = $var_array[2]; '

Anyhow thanks for all your help:)