Generate <UL> list from Database with sub categories

[itsnexgen]

Hello,

I am facing difficulties to generate subcategories in <UL> list.

I have a table with Menu Items :

cat_id | parent_id | title
-------------------------
1 | 0 | Solutions
2 | 0 | Products
3 | 1 | Web
4 | 1 | Development
5 | 2 | Softies
6 | 2 | PHP Book
-------------------------

I want to list get the out put in the form as below :

Solutions
  Web
  Development
Products
  Softies 
  PHP Book

What i have written is :

public  String generateMenuHTML(String id1) throws SQLException {
		pdb = new Pdb();
		String sql = "select ID,PARENT_ID,TITLE,URL,SORT,ICON from menu";
		rset = pdb.executeQuery(sql);
		
	    html = "<ul id='menu" + id1 + "'>";

	    while(rset.next())
	    {
			 id = rset.getString("ID");
			 parent_id = rset.getString("PARENT_ID");
			 title = rset.getString("TITLE");
			 sort = rset.getString("SORT");
			 url = rset.getString("URL");
			 icon = rset.getString("ICON");
	         html = html + "<li id='it" + id + "'><a href='" + url + "'>" + title + "</a>";
	         if (parent_id.equalsIgnoreCase("1"))
		      {
		    	  System.out.println(parent_id);
		    	  html = html +generateMenuHTML(id) ;

		      }
	      html = html + "</li>";
	    }	  
	    html = html + "</ul>";
		
        return html;
	}

Could you please help me how to retrieve sub categories and get the output in :

<ul>
<li>
<ul>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>

Kindly suggest me how to go about..

Thanks and Rgds,
Pradeep

[Nicholas Jordan]

public String generateMenuHTML(String id1) throws SQLException {
    StringBuffer html = new SringBuffer();
    while(rset.next())
    {
        html.append("<blockquote>");
        html.append("<ul id=\""+ id1 +"\ >");
        String cat_id = rset.getString("CATALOG_ID");
        String parent_id = rset.getString("PARENT_ID");
        String title = rset.getString("TITLE");
        String sort = rset.getString("SORT");
        String url = rset.getString("URL");
        String icon = rset.getString("ICON");
        // begin building string....
        html.append("<li>" +cat_id+   "</li>");//
        html.append("<li>" +parent_id+ "</li>");//
        html.append("<li>" +sort+      "</li>");//
        html.append("<li>" +id+        "</li>");//
        html.append("</ul></blockquote>");
    }
// .........
    return html.toString();
}

This is only to elicit further information, I have had great success using blockquote to get pleasing indentation, I find ol does not behave in an orderly fashion. DT / DL also work well. I skipped several details pending further info.

[itsnexgen]

Thanks for reply..

But for me to work.. output should be something like..

<ul id='menu0'><li id='it1'><a href='SomeURL1'>Solution</a></li><li id='it2'><a href='SomeURL2'>712</a><ul><li id='it3'><a href='SomeURL3'>XX</a></ul></li></ul>

<ul id='menu0'> initially.. then it should take from the cat_id itself.

Thanks again..

Rgds,
Pradeep

[Nicholas Jordan]

Can we make cat_id a file scope class ( default access ) on in some way put all the cat_id stuff in one place?

[itsnexgen]

SOrry for delayed reply as i was sick.

coming aback to the problem - I am tryin to retrieve data in JSP as :

<c:forEach var="section" items="${menu}">
	    <ul id="menu">
	      <li id="${section.id}"><a href="${section.url}">${section.title}</a>
	          <ul id="section">
	              <c:forEach var="item" items="${section.menuItems}">
	                  <li id="${item.id}"><a href="${item.url}">${item.title}</a></li>
    	          </c:forEach>
	          </ul>
	      </li>
	    </ul>
	</c:forEach>

But i am not getting the value from database in JSP. But in tomcat logs if i take System.out.println it gets the value.

i see below display in JSP file :

${section.title} 
      ${item.title} 
${section.title} 
${section.title}

Kindly help me if u can.. thanks!