2. ASPRunnerPro General questions
  3. Search parameters
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Search parameters

 		10/5/2006 3:47:09 PM
ASPRunnerPro General questions
S
 shelwin author

Back in February 2004 this topic was aired, and you replied that search parameters were not supported in ASPRunner. I am hoping that you may have been able to add this feature to the latest version of ASP?
I am trying to transfer a database from MS Access to a web-based searchable database for general reference, but not amendment or alteration by others, which will include lists of subscribers to certain music books between 1700 and 1820. Thus I need to include different search parameters, such as searching for specific subcribers' and printers' names, or all names within a certain county or book, or all names starting with [say] the first four letters, etc.
When trying to set up the copy of one table, I have written the SQL exactly as required:
select [BookID],

[BookRef],

[Full Name],

[FullTitle],

[Date]

From [B2 - Search for Book Reference by Composer/Compiler last name]
but get the message that there is an incorrect parameter and the SQL needs amending. (Too few parameters. Expected 1)
The missing parameter is, I think, probably the search command in the Access db [Search for Books by Composer's last name], which in fact is in a field shown in Access design view, but not on the resultant query form.
I am using the trial version of ASP with 4 days to run, but feel that the inability to search in this way is a major drawback, and one which would make me look elsewhere. Can you help please?
I was proposing to pick all the pages up in FrontPage 2003 so as to customise them. Is there no way that this method could be used to enable this sort of search?
Many thanks
Sergey Kornilov admin 10/5/2006

Search parameters are not supported and we do not plan to add to add this feature.
When you use query with parameter you can do edit, add or advanced search. You can only run basic search queries and scroll through results.
Actually ASPRunnerPro provides advanced search capabilities that combined with Events power can do almost everything that parametrized queries do. If you need help with any specific search query I'd be glad to help.
S
 		shelwin author 10/6/2006

Actually ASPRunnerPro provides advanced search capabilities that combined with Events power can do almost everything that parametrized queries do. If you need help with any specific search query I'd be glad to help.


Thank you, Sergey.
I have no knowledge of any programming or of the language used, except for the information I have gleaned by setting up an Access DB for the first time, and much of the language defeats me! What is 'Events power'?
I do not understand it when you first say that ASP does not support search parameters, but then go on to say 'ASPRunnerPro provides advanced search capabilities that combined with Events power can do almost everything that parametrized queries do'. The two statements seem diametrically opposite! If you can help in sorting out a way to carry out these limited searches it would be very helpful. There could be well over 10,000 subscribers names to search through, and there needs to be a way to limit answers to searches without pages of names.
Could we start by the problem I set out above in completing the transfer of the query table from Access into ASP? It would appear that where I have to build in the SQL terminology myself, is in all the queries I had successfully built in Access where there are advanced search parameters. In the example quoted there is one perameter missing. Is this the [Search for Books by Composer's last name]? So far as I can see it has nothing to do with spaces, missing commas, etc.
If it is how does 'Events power' help?
The first hurdle is to get ASP to accept all the query tables so that I can move on to the next stages.
The other problem I have is that the trial version has now expired!
Sergey Kornilov admin 10/8/2006

I meant to say "Query parameters".
Events are custom pieces of code that are executed before or after page is loaded, record is deleted or edited etc. You can get better understanding of Events if you install a trial version and play with sample events.
Let's say you have developed five queires with parameters:
[Search for Books by Composer's last name]

[Search for Books by Composer's first name]

[Search for Books by Title]

[Search for Books by Publisher]

[Search for Books by Year]
Instead of setting up all five queries in ASPRunnerPro you simply point it to the Books table and in couple of minutes you have both basic and advanced search screens where you can perform any of searches above plus much more. There is no need to modify SQL at all. Just choose all default options.
Advanced search screen gives you much more power over your quries. You can search for all books published after year 1980 that were written by authors that have first name "Andrew" and also have letter "A" in title.
I hope this clarifies things a bit.