NAME

UserDB.pm -- Interchange User Database Functions

SYNOPSIS

userdb $function, %options

DESCRIPTION

The Interchange user database saves information for users, including shipping, billing, and preference information. It allows the user to return to a previous session without the requirement for a "cookie" or other persistent session information.

It is object-oriented and called via the [userdb] usertag, which calls the userdb subroutine.

It restores and manipulates the form values normally stored in the user session values -- the ones set in forms and read through the "[value variable]" tags. A special function allows saving of shopping cart contents.

The preference, billing, and shipping information is keyed so that different sets of information may be saved, providing and "address_book" function that can save more than one shipping and/or billing address. The set to restore is selected by the form values "s_nickname", "b_nickname", and "p_nickname".

METHODS

User login:

    $obj->login();        # Form values are
                          # mv_username, mv_password

Create account:

    $obj->new_account();  # Form values are
                          # mv_username, mv_password, mv_verify

Change password:

    $obj->change_pass();  # Form values are
                          # mv_username, mv_password_old, mv_password, mv_verify(new)

Get, set user information:

    $obj->get_values();
    $obj->set_values();
    $obj->clear_values();

Save, restore filed user information:

    $obj->get_shipping();
    $obj->set_shipping();
 
    $obj->get_billing();
    $obj->set_billing();
 
    $obj->get_preferences();
    $obj->set_preferences();

    $obj->get_cart();
    $obj->set_cart();

Shipping Address Book

The shipping address book saves information relevant to shipping the order. In its simplest form, this can be the only address book needed. By default these form values are included:

        s_nickname
        name
        address
        city
        state
        zip
        country
        phone_day
        mv_shipmode

The values are saved with the $obj->set_shipping() method and restored with $obj->get_shipping. A list of the keys available is kept in the form value "address_book", suitable for iteration in an HTML select box or in a set of links.

Accounts Book

The accounts book saves information relevant to billing the order. By default these form values are included:

        b_nickname
        b_name
        b_address
        b_city
        b_state
        b_zip
        b_country
        b_phone
        mv_credit_card_type
        mv_credit_card_exp_month
        mv_credit_card_exp_year
        mv_credit_card_reference

The values are saved with the $obj->set_billing() method and restored with $obj->get_billing. A list of the keys available is kept in the form value "accounts", suitable for iteration in an HTML select box or in a set of links.

Preferences

Preferences are miscellaneous session information. They include by default the fields "email", "fax", "phone_night", and "fax_order". The field "p_nickname" acts as a key to select the preference set.