Basically, the user configures a very straight-forward configuration file and they have maintenance scripts! I used to spend hours coding maintenance scripts for databases because every table was different, now I spend less than a minute in the configuration file and I'm done.

The scripts work with every MySQL data type, and the forms produced conform to those types. phpMaint forms are in tables so the forms look nice and maintain functionality at the same time. As of this moment the following configuration options exist:

The ability to:

• choose how many elements in a set should be present to display a multiple select box instead of radio buttons?
• choose how many elements in a enum should be present to display a select box instead of check boxes?
• define the size of multiple select boxes
• define where form labels should be aligned (right, left, center)
• define whether to allow variable text field lengths or to keep all text fields the same length
• define the max length you want a text field to be, if using variable text field lengths
• choose to email administrator when entries are added, deleted, and updated
• choose to not change database unless administrator has approved the addition, deletion, or update.

There are only two criteria for using the scripts: First, you must give field names the same name you want to use for the form label (using underscores in the field name where you want spaces in the form name), and second, the tables you use phpMaint with must have a primary key field.

The code phpMaint produces is XHTML Transitional compliant, and it is very easy to modify the main php files to include your own header and/or footer code. phpMaint's output code is formatted so that it is very easy to read.