[SOLVED] Best method to create calculation across multiple pages, in the admin, like a spreadsheet

[Peter Falkenberg Brown]

Hi All,

I haven't found this answer in the docs or forums. I know how to program a template that would display multi-page field calculations like a spreadsheet, e.g. with 100 pages, each with a dollar value in a field, display the total dollar value of a subset of the 100 pages based on a "sold" data field value.

I know how to put that template / url / page behind a password.

What I'm not clear about is whether or not PW has an easier method than that. For example, in the standard admin, create a page/template that has the summary fields in it and pull the calculations from the "item" pages whenever the summary page is accessed or a button is pressed. Or something like that. So that the calculations can be viewed in the admin without having to build a password protected, programmed front-end page.

Of course, a spreadsheet can do all this easily, but after thousands of records, it becomes rather unwieldy, in my opinion.

What do people recommend?

Thanks,

Peter

 

[kongondo]

1 hour ago, Peter Falkenberg Brown said:

For example, in the standard admin, create a page/template that has the summary fields in it and pull the calculations from the "item" pages whenever the summary page is accessed or a button is pressed

Typically two choices if you want a custom 'view' in the admin. 

1. If custom view per page, i.e. as some sort of field / inputfield: have a look at the growing number of runtime markup fields in the module's directory
2. A dedicated admin page view: You will need to create a custom module.

More specifically, regarding data, and lots of it or spreadsheet-like data, have a look at @bernhard's modules and work in the forum. Looks like he has done extensive work in this respect. 

I am in a bit of a rush so cannot be more concrete. Hope this helps you get started.

[Peter Falkenberg Brown]

Thanks, @kongondo!

 

[bernhard]

Hey @Peter Falkenberg Brown I'm not exactly sure what you are trying to do, but if you want some kind of excel-like data listing (maybe with filter and sorting functionality) you can have a look at RockHitCounter which uses a quick and simple implementation of tabulator.info to list page hit statistics:

https://github.com/baumrock/RockHitCounter/blob/main/ProcessRockHitCounter.module.php

https://github.com/baumrock/RockHitCounter/blob/main/fields/table.php

If you simply want to show aggregated data in the admin page edit then as @kongondo said you can use one of the runtime markup fields. Or a hook:

// site/ready.php
$wire->addHookAfter("ProcessPageEdit::buildFormContent", function($event) {
  $page = $event->process->getPage();
  if($page->template != 'yourpagetemplate') return;

  /** @var InputfieldWrapper $form */
  $form = $event->return;

  $f = $this->wire(new InputfieldMarkup()); /** @var InputfieldMarkup $f */
  $f->label = 'My Markup Field';
  $f->icon = 'exclamation-triangle';
  $f->value = 'Dynamic Markup @ ' . date('Y-m-d H:i:s');

  // insert dynamic field after the "title" field
  $form->insertAfter($f, $form->get('title'));
});

 

[Peter Falkenberg Brown]

Thanks, @bernhard! I'll check it out.

Peter

 

[dotnetic]

What excactly are you asking for? For the method to calculate the sum, or to display the data in the admin like with RockTabulator?

For the sum function there is this module PagesSum (PagesSum) - ProcessWire Module

[Peter Falkenberg Brown]

Hi @dotnetic,

 

(An aside: I created a spreadsheet that does all of this very quickly. Easy as pie. However, in some cases, a PW database might be better, thus my questions. On the other hand, maybe trying to fit PW with the functionality of spreadsheets is a waste of time. You know... the right tool for the job.)

Yes, the PagesSum module is exactly what I need. Thank you!

But... in the Admin section, with the standard tree of page types (i.e. templates), assuming that I have a branch of pages called "sales," then where and how could I display the sum of those sales pages (from a field called "sale_price") on the admin page?

I haven't adequately dug into the task of modifying the admin page. In a custom app, all based on php template docs, I would simply display that total on the apps version of the "home" page, i.e. like the Admin tree page. But in the PW Admin page, I haven't yet learned how to add a routine to display something like that on the top level admin page.

Is there a document somewhere in the PW knowledge base on how to do that?

I've already made one small modification to the admin's core files in the wire directory, in a file called "AdminTheme.php." In that file, in the routine

public function ___getExtraMarkup()

I change this code:

if($isLoggedin && $this->wire('config')->advanced) {

	# $parts['footer'] = "<p class='AdvancedMode'><i class='fa fa-flask'></i> " . $this->_('Advanced Mode') . "</p>";

	$parts['footer'] = str_repeat('&nbsp;', 10) . "DB: " . wire('config')->dbName . "<br><br>";
}

... so that the admin page would display the name of the database in use (to avoid a dev version using the live db by mistake).

( @ryan Ryan, I think this would be a good addition to the core.)

I realize that it's a Bad Idea to modify core files, so in terms of modifications to the admin home/tree page, with the Sum function display, I'm hoping that there's a hook method, or some other way to get that data displayed on the page, without messing with the core files.

Thanks!

Peter

 

[dotnetic]

4 hours ago, Peter Falkenberg Brown said:

then where and how could I display the sum of those sales pages (from a field called "sale_price") on the admin page?

I would suggest using something like the great Dashboard (Dashboard) - ProcessWire Module. You can easily add a custom PHP file to render whatever you want on a separate "Dashboard" page. It even has nice predefined "panels" with can show something like a sum with an up or downtrend arrow.

It is very easy to setup and comes with good examples.

[Peter Falkenberg Brown]

Hi @dotnetic,

That is BEYOND COOL.

One more reason why all of the other "CMS's" should bow down to ProcessWire!

Thank you! I shall use it.

Best regards,

Peter