Website Recommendation

[collecture]

I would just have a form with drop down dialog boxes.
First, select whether it is a round top or square top.
Second, select upright or chest type
Third, coin or no coin
Fourth, vend type - slant shelf, belt, etc.
and so on until the database narrows down what it might be and gives you choices

[Ken R]

Sounds like we've all got some great ideas on how to do it, but is it something that can be done easy enough without too much hate and discontent?  Sounds like a lot of work still.  Perhaps more work than it's worth?

[Jim]

On the Home Page, there's a random thumbnail image that displays soda machines/coolers. This small snippet of code may be able to be modified to display thumbnails of every soda machine/cooler in the DB that has an image, grouped by their respective manufacturers and link each thumbnail to the current page for each soda machine/cooler.
Additionally, to keep server load reasonable, each page generated would only display, possibly selectable, 50, 100, 150, or 200 models with "next page" navigation at the top/bottom...

I'm not a programmer by any stretch of the imagination, I can copy/paste code to add functionality when necessary, but this code would have to rewritten to set an array for the directory names, manufacturers essentially, set another array for images names within each manufacturer, which poses another question... My images names will not be the best caption for each thumbnail so that would suggest this may need an XML file to store all the data... It can get complicated quickly!

I'm leaning toward a solution that would display thumbnails grouped by manufacturers, link to current page info for each thumbnail, allow for multiple page navigation...
An experienced PHP programmer should be able to handle this easily enough...

[Ken R]

Not sure how I can help, but if there's someway I can assist, please let me know.

Ken

[Creighton]

Worthy project but a ton of work. Regret haven't taken the time to learn PHP. Best I could do would be try a custom import script into Access and populate from there.
Defining linked arrays is the way to go but Yikes! One bad call and it is a mess to sort out.
Creighton

 

[Chris]

I can work on it but it would be between work and school.  I think that I can get it to work. And you are right it will take some time. I can use the pages that we have now and just create a thumbnail page for each type(i.e. Round top/Square top/Slider) and just link that thumbnail to the correct page.  I would need access to the pictures that we have now and any others that we would want to use.

[SIGNGUY]

Or do just like most people do on here.. post a photo of it.. and most likely within a short period a member on this site will know what it is.. as there are several very knowledable and wise collectors on the site...

[loman4ec]

I think signguy's idea is easiest and the best approach.It also makes people new to the hobby post something and get familiar with the group.