Asp eliminating blank lines in database listing

[Swizylstik]

I'm a newbie to ASP and databases. I have created a simple contact list database and an asp page that shows the contact listing. So far so good.

Here's what I have:

<%=rs.fields("CompanyName")%> <BR>
<%=rs.fields("FirstName")%>&nbsp;<%=rs.fields("LastName")%> <BR>
<%=rs.fields("Title")%> <BR>
<%=rs.fields("Address")%> <BR>
<%=rs.fields("Address2")%>  <BR>
<%=rs.fields("Address3")%>  <BR>
<%=rs.fields("Country")%>  <BR>
<%=rs.fields("City")%> <%=rs.fields("State")%> <%=rs.fields("Zip")%> <BR>
<%=rs.fields("State")%>  <BR>
<%=rs.fields("Zip")%> <BR>
Tel:&nbsp;<%=rs.fields("WorkPhone")%> &nbsp;or&nbsp;<%=rs.fields("WorkPhone2")%> <BR>
Mobile:&nbsp;<%=rs.fields("MobilePhone")%> <BR>
Fax:&nbsp;<%=rs.fields("FaxNumber")%> Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:<%=rs.fields("EmailName")%>"><%=rs.fields("EmailName")%></a><BR>
 

The problem I have is that I want to skip the field altogether if there is no data in that field. This is the kind of result that I am trying to clean up:

Coburn Graphic Films, Incorporating.


1650 Corporate Road West



Lakewood NJ 08701
NJ
08701
Tel: [phone] or
Mobile: [phone]
Fax: [phone] Email: [e-mail]

I guess I need and if, then, else statement to skip the blanks, but I don't know how to do it. Can anyone help?

Thanks!

-S

[ilearneditonline]

You will need to check if they exist first....

 <% if LEN(rs.fields("Zip")) > 0 then 
Response.Write(rs.fields("Zip")
end if%>
 

Or you could write a function to handle this.

 function valueExists(input){ 
if LEN(input) > 0 then
Response.Write(input)
end if
}
 
' call the function
valueExists(rs.fields("Zip")) 
 

[Swizylstik]

Thanks for your reply. I believe your If statement will check to see if the field is greater than 0 and if so it displays the field. What I'm trying to do is a little bit more than that. If the field is greater than 0 then I would like to add some formatting code as well such as a label, the database field and then a break. So I'm looking to say this:

If the address field is greater than zero then type:
"Address: - <display field contents> <BR>"

Can you expand on your answer? Thanks!

[ilearneditonline]

Thanks for your reply. I believe your If statement will check to see if the field is greater than 0 and if so it displays the field. What I'm trying to do is a little bit more than that. If the field is greater than 0 then I would like to add some formatting code as well such as a label, the database field and then a break. So I'm looking to say this:

If the address field is greater than zero then type:
"Address: - <display field contents> <BR>"

Can you expand on your answer? Thanks!

 function valueExists(input, formatbegin, formatend){ 
  if LEN(input) > 0 then
    Response.Write(formatbegin & input & formatend)
end if
}
 
' call the function
valueExists(rs.fields("Zip"), "Zip Code: ","<br />") 
 

[Swizylstik]

Sadly I am too inexperienced to put your suggested into use. I'm flailing over here trying to get this to work. Is there any assistance you can offer? It seems a simple business, but I'm obviously missing something. I'd be happy to pay you to write this page for me.

Thanks!

-Tracy

[markrawlingson]

Tracy,

Here's your example... Which will simply display everything, including fields which have no value.

 
<%=rs.fields("CompanyName")%> <BR>
<%=rs.fields("FirstName")%>&nbsp;<%=rs.fields("LastName")%> <BR>
<%=rs.fields("Title")%> <BR>
<%=rs.fields("Address")%> <BR>
<%=rs.fields("Address2")%> <BR>
<%=rs.fields("Address3")%> <BR>
<%=rs.fields("Country")%> <BR>
<%=rs.fields("City")%> <%=rs.fields("State")%> <%=rs.fields("Zip")%> <BR>
<%=rs.fields("State")%> <BR>
<%=rs.fields("Zip")%> <BR>
Tel:&nbsp;<%=rs.fields("WorkPhone")%> &nbsp;or&nbsp;<%=rs.fields("WorkPhone2")%>
 
 

What he's suggesting that you do is have your code check to see if a field is empty before displaying it - such as the below...

<%
If LEN(rs.fields("CompanyName")) > 0 Then 
     Response.Write "Company Name: " & rs.fields("CompanyName")
End If
 

In other words... If there is even 1 character in "CompanyName" - it will be displayed, if not, it will not be displayed. You can format it however you like.

[jhardman]

<%
If LEN(rs.fields("CompanyName")) > 0 Then 
     Response.Write "Company Name: " & rs.fields("CompanyName")
End If
 

In other words... If there is even 1 character in "CompanyName" - it will be displayed, if not, it will not be displayed. You can format it however you like.

I usually do something more like:

for each x in rs.fields
   if trim(rs(x)) <> "" then response.write x & ": " & rs(x) & "<br>" & vbNewLine
next

this will print out every field (if it isn't empty). If a user inputs a space in an input, the script might interpret this as important and save it to the db, in which case you do have a value: " ". My method will eliminate those as well. Of course, it is a good idea to trim every input right before you save it...

Jared

[markrawlingson]

That's a really good way of doing it actually.. that will totally elimate your problem Tracy.

I'm going to adapt this method in my own work, Jared. Never thought of doing it that way before.

Mark

[Swizylstik]

Genius! Even I understood that. Thank you so much!!