Displaying a MySQL table in WordPress

General Questions
#1

Dopers, I am at a loss!

I maintain a website that requires the display of a large amount of tabled information. Up until now, we have been happily using WordPress with the wp-table-reloaded plugin to display all of our information in an easily sortable and searchable interface.

However, we started encountering problems yesterday with the plugin. In speaking with the designer, it seems that the amount of data we’re trying to display is just too much for it to handle. He recommended putting the data in a MySQL database and having it display on the site.

I have no idea how to do that! He recommended that I go out and hire a kid from nearby Georgia Tech, which I will likely do, but before I do that I wanted to get your input. I ask here instead of the WP Support Forum because you guys tend to be a little more patient and thorough in your explanation, rather than just jumping in to techy stuff that’s over my head.

Basically, I have three large Numbers sheets (Mac version of Excel) whose data I need displayed on our WordPress site. Where do I even begin learning how to get this information into a MySQL database and, from there, getting it to display on the site?

#2

When you say “the designer”, do you mean the developer of the WP Table Reloaded plugin?

If not, I’d suggest you start by talking to him. Since you already have a tool that you’ve been happy with till now, your best solution is to fix it. You’re better off hiring the author of the plugin, who already knows its code backwards, than someone who has to start from scratch.

#3

He’s giving you the runaround. If I’m understanding this correctly, you’re converting a flat spreadsheet into an HTML table. That isn’t a difficult exercise. You don’t need a database for that.

Are you going to be updating those spreadsheets on a regular basis? If so, this gets more complicated. Do you need to be able to dynamically sort the tables by different columns? More complicated yet.

But if you just need a 1:1 transfer of a spreadsheet on the web… can Numbers simply save as HTML? In my experience, I’ve even been able to just copy and paste entire spreadsheets from Excel to Wordpress’s post editor, no plugin necessary.

#4

And to answer your question more directly, you can look for books about PHP & MySQL, both technologies that Wordpress is based on. But IMO that’s overkill. Either keep talking to the plugin writer (as telllyworth suggests) and find out what exactly is limiting his plugin with your data, or else just figure out a way to convert the spreadsheet to HTML manually.

#5

My apologies for the confusion - “designer” referred to the plugin designer, with whom I corresponded yesterday.

I believe I’ve solved most of the problem. Really, all we need is to have our spreadsheet displayed on the website in a sortable, searchable way. I have it up there - but it’s not yet searchable or sortable. I’m working on that today.

#6

I’ve not done this myself, so cannot comment on the sort/searchability, but you could try uploading the spreadsheet as a Google Document and use the built-in Share/Publish feature to embed the spreadsheet directly in the WP Page/Post as an <iframe>.

#7

Actually, I’m curious - how many rows of data are you dealing with that are enough to cause the WP-Table-Reloaded plugin to crap-out? (I use it on one site currently with about 800 rows without any issue.)

#8

Hey Soul,
I have a similar issue wuth our site. How did you go about displaying the tables in your Wordpress site.

Thanks

"I believe I’ve solved most of the problem. Really, all we need is to have our spreadsheet displayed on the website in a sortable, searchable way. I have it up there - but it’s not yet searchable or sortable. I’m working on that today. "