Quick Link To Database from Spots Button?

Hi

Just an idea, not really thought it right through, but what if there was a button on the “Spot” page that started the “Submit Chaser Entry” process on the “Database” page?

At present, you have to switch between the two screens, remembering the call sign and summit info and entering it manually each time. I also enter this information in my personal log too!

If, when you clicked on the summit reference on the “Spot” page, as well as all the other options like opening Google Earth etc, you could select “Log This Summit” or something similar, it would sign you in, enter the time and date, the summit reference and call sign details (taken from the Spot page) and then you just need to enter RST, notes etc.

What do you think?

Regards,

James

In reply to MW0ZAP:

James, that would be a useful capability. I tried to implement it in my recently released SOTA Spot Monitor software, but couldn’t figure out a way to load the Submit Chaser Entry form with values from the spot. I ended up providing a Submit Chaser Log Entry link on the Information tab in my software, but it loads the form in your web browser with no values entered.

If the URL for the form accepted optional parameters in its query string, my software could provide the initial values for the form and the Sotawatch spot page or other applications could use the same capability if the developer chose to implement such a feature. The URL would look something like this, with the optional parameters actually being URL encoded as necessary:

SOTA Database {etc…}

73,

Eric KU6J

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Free SOTA Spot Monitor Software:
http://www.ku6j.com

In reply to KU6J:

The database web pages are ASP.NET. That means the drop downs and fields are handled inside the C# code rather than past about URL encoded. That’s why you can’t populate the fields from outside the page.

That’s where we are now but it seems an interesting idea that deserves further thought and consideration. I’ll bung it on the job list.

Andy, MM0FMF
Database Manager

In reply to MM0FMF:

Andy,

You should be able to read the query string parameters from the ASP.NET Request object like this (C#):

String s = Request.QueryString"field1"];

This MSDN article has more info:

How to: Pass Values Between ASP.NET Web Pages
How to: Pass Values Between ASP.NET Web Forms Pages | Microsoft Learn

If a query string parameter is received, you would use that value as the default value for the drop-down or field. If no parameter was received, then you would show the drop-down or field as you are now.

In a similar vain:

I sometimes uses the Summit information pages to find details not provided by the activator (i.e: Locator or WAB information) to complete my Log before going back to the spots page to post a spot, so a link from the Summit Information page that directly populates the Summit Reference on the New Spot page would perhaps be useful too.

Stewart G0LGS