Web publishing using fieldnames containing spaces (also FX.php)

[anabavi]

Hi, all.

I'm just starting to use FX.php, a class permitting PHP to publish FileMaker data, and have hit a big ol' snag. I cannot submit forms or any other HTML function using GET or POST if a relevant fieldname contains spaces. There are a couple reasons why this is a problem for me:

I really like the way FileMaker dynamically modifies field labels on layouts when name of the field changes. I have relied heavily on this feature during development work. Naming fields according to how you would like them displayed on a layout -- "Full Name" versus "full_name" or "FullName" -- is a great convenience. I would rather not have to worry about changing field labels whenever I create a new layout. That seems to be a step backward as far as user-friendliness.

There are about fifty databases I would like to publish on the Web in the near future now that I found FX.php and all of them contain fieldnames with spaces. That's going to be a tedious activity. First I have to rename the fields, then I have to go in and change every modified field label on every layout in every database. Ugh!

So, the two big reasons why this whole limitation is a pain in my neck are the loss of a really helpful FileMaker feature (the ability to handle and dynamically modify fieldnames containing spaces) and the huge amount of time it will take to structurally modify and beautify my existing fieldnames and layouts.

Practically speaking, my question is how to make FX.php communicate with Web Companion in a way that allows the use of fieldnames containing spaces?

Philosophically, my question is why aren't these various technologies (HTML, MySQL (and any SQL), etc.) making their foundations more reality-friendly -- that is, more consistent with real world syntax and conventions -- rather than forcing us to code and communicate on the back-end in such an awkward way. My thinking is, if FileMaker can do it everyone else can also.

Thanks for reading. Can I get an amen???

 

[open4biz]

I would go with Full_Name for a field naming convention. Underscores are a universally accpted seperator for field names so you don't see ThisIsMyReallyReallyLongFieldNameAmen(!).

I hate to break it to you, but it looks like you have a LOT of work ahead of you.

Lastly, the PHP/MySQL naming convention probably has less to do with those two technologies and (I suspect) more to do with UNIX, the OS those systems almost universally call home. UNIX (or Linux) would freak if it saw a space in a file/field name, so you have to use underscores. If you want to yell at the propgrammers that did that, you'd better teleport yourself back to the 60's (70's?) to do so. It's pretty much set in stone now. With no new file naming with spacing relief in sight.

Cheers,

-Ansel

 

[anabavi]

Thanks, Ansel. I appreciate not only your input but your sympathy.

I will begin my renaming now. Talk to you next year!

Thanks again,


Ali