How to build a database's web interface with TaBliz

If we try to standardize elements normally needed in order to add, edit and delete data of a recordset we notice that we need:

• One Editing List: One page with a complete list of records available for the specified recordset. The page should allow us to access each record to modify or delete it.
• One Editing Form: One page where we can change data for each single record
• One Result Page: One page that tells us whether or not our data where successfully edited
• One Search Form: If the Recordset begins to grow, this page  will help us to retrieve the records we need to see and in case edit.
• One Report Page: Finally, a page where to display our data.  

TaBliz automatically generates these elements taking as input the full path of an Access Database and the name of one of its recordsets (query or table).

The component is designed keeping in mind the balance between flexibility and usability. It allows you to gain suddenly and with a few lines of asp code a complete WEB interface to your database. At the same time it allows you to go further with personalization and to gain great results.

Generating a Search Form

You generate a search form by calling the DoSearchForm method after you've assigned the Database and Recordset property of the AdminRecordset object of the TaBliz class.

Let's see how.

 'we will use the "Orders" table of the "Northwind.mdb" Database
Set TBLZ = Server.CreateObject("Tabliz.adminrecordset")
TBLZ.DatabasePath = "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\Samples\Northwind.mdb"
TBLZ.Recordset = "Orders"
tblz.DoSearchForm

This will generate a result very similar to the picture below(please don't mind the look and feel, it is fully customizable):

If you perform the search without setting any search criteria TaBliz will present you the content of the recordset in the Editing List.

If you set any criteria, the Editing List will be presented with only those records matching the criteria. Great, isn't it?

Generating an Editing List

The previous section introduced the editing list. Let's see now how to generate it without passing through the Search Form.

The method to call is DoEditingList . This time we'll manage the "Products" Table from our Northwind Database.

set TBLZ = Server.CreateObject("Tabliz.adminrecordset")
TBLZ.DatabasePath = "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\Samples\Northwind.mdb"
TBLZ.Recordset = "Products"
tblz.DoEditingList

Take a look at the picture of generated table and notice page numbers at the bottom. By default the page size is 7 records per page but you can easily change this by setting the PageSize property of the EditingList object of AdminRecordset.

The syntax is very simple. Let's set a page size of 10 records per page

TBLZ.EditingList.Pagesize = 5

In the picture above you've probably noticed the Edit and the Delete buttons; if you want you can disable them by setting the correct properties:

TBLZ.EditingList.AllowEdit = False
TBLZ.EditingList.AllowDelete = False

Of course all the properties should be set before calling the EditingList method.

Adding a New Record (The Edit Form)

If you click the Edit Button of the Editing List you gain access to the Edit Form populated by the data of the record you are coming from and ready for the editing.

Another way to get the Edit Form is to call the AddNew method of the AdminRecordset object. Let's see how:

Set TBLZ = Server.CreateObject("Tabliz.adminrecordset")
TBLZ.DatabasePath = "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\Samples\Northwind.mdb"
TBLZ.Recordset = "Orders"
tblz.AddNew

This will bring up the Editing Form.

If you don't like the Add caption you can change it by setting the ButtonAddCaption property of the EditForm object like this:

TBLZ.EditForm.ButtonAddCaption = "Add Product"

The Result Page

After you perform an editing, the Result page will give you a summary of what you've done. For example if you've added a new record you will be informed whether or not the record was added and which values where added.

You can change a lot of parameters for the ResultPage object but you are not forced to do it. If you leave the default parameters the result page will' look like this.

But let's say you would like a red table with medium border to display your results. What you have to do is simply changing the TableTag property of the Table object nested in the ResultPage object.

More simple to do than to tell:

TBLZ.ResultPage.Table.TableTag= "<TABLE BORDER=5 bgcolor=red>"

Building a Report

There is a special section in our site covering this topic here we only introuduce the basic medthod you can call:

TBLZ.DoReport

Summary

We have taken a look at the main objects and methods involved in the Database management with TaBliz. There are some other properties we didn't cover here 'cause this article is intended as an introduction to TaBliz.

For a more detailed specification of properties see  objects or customtabliz.inc