html form multiplication?

Question

hi
i need to implement a form into a html document that will give ppl an accurate quote
its going on a curtain manufacturers web page.
wat i need is a text field that can take the users curtain size, height and length, then they need to be multiplied (the area, im not much of a mathimatician so please help) by the material cost (this figure needs to b able to be changed easily for fluctuating material costs).
obviously need it to output a figure at the end.

any help would b much appreciated.
am i correct in saying this needs to java?

thanks Jarrod

Answer 1

What you are talking about is possibly bigger than you imagine.

First the form.
You want 2 fields plus you want the material cost. Material cost will probably be retireved by some server side processing into the form. Server Side processing can be done with Java, JSP, PHP, ASP or perl
The cost will be created by using dynamic processing with either javaScript or VBscript.

You say that the cost needs to be changed easily. In that case you need to create a secure method for the data storage to be updated. Probably using forms and server side processing to update all data elements. This will also be password protected.
Data storage will probably be a database of some sort that will have been designed to suit the needs of the system.

Now you are half way to a good design.

Good luck.

Answer 2

I'd do it in PHP and MySQL. The material costs can be in a database with an admin page to add materials and costs and maybe images.

If the calculation is simple then you can do it browser-side with Javascript and the price can update without having to reload the page. Otherwise you can use PHP to do just about anything that you can think of. Don't do it in Java!

It might be a more complicated function because of the different widths of material and the likely wastage that needs to be factored in.

Answer 3