validating forms

Anon

How can I create a way in a form that if someone doesn't specify a particular variable (ie. name, DOB, email) that after they submit the info, an error page will display and list the variables that they forgot to enter?

Thanks for your help. Forgive my newbieness!

Josh

Anon

There certainly is... (my spacing will probably get mangled though)

<?php
// action script

if (! $username) {
$missing .= "Username\n";
}

if (! $email) {
$missing .= "Email Address\n";
}

...

if ($missing) {
echo "You forgot the following fields:\n";
echo "<ul>\n";
echo "<pre>\n";
echo "$missing\n";
echo "</ul>\n";
echo "Go <a href=form.php>back</a> and fix them!\n"
} else {
// process form

...

}
?>

Hope this helps!

-b3

Anon

Ack - it really mangled that...it's actually echoing a <ul> and a </ul> instead of actually indenting - plus the spacing is all wacked out...

Sorry 'bout that

-b3

Anon

You people get me all excited about PHP each time I come here.. Thanks man.

Anon

One problem. I am getting this error:

Warning: Undefined variable: missing in C:\Inetsrv\scripts\thanks.php on line 11

Thanks again,
Josh

Anon

There's a much easier and more effective way to validate... Just do this:

if ($HTTP_POST_VARS) {
if (!$field1) {
$missing .= "Field One ";
}
if (!$field2) {
$missing .= "Field Two ";
}
if (!$field3) {
$missing .= "Field Three ";
}
}

And then where you'd like the messages to appear:

if ($missing) {
echo $missing;
} else {
-your successful submission code here-
}

Simple and effective.

Anon

For some reason I am still getting that error. Do you know why? Thanks,
Josh

Anon

Well I keep trying but unfortunately I keep getting the same warning. How do I get rid of this?

Warning: Undefined variable: missing in C:\Inetsrv\scripts\thanks.php on line 11

Thanks,
Josh

kycan

I THINK this will fix it, I'm a newbie =).

if ($HTTP_POST_VARS) {
if (!$field1) {
$missing .= "Field One ";
}
if (!$field2) {
$missing .= "Field Two ";
}
if (!$field3) {
$missing .= "Field Three ";
}
}

And then where you'd like the messages to appear:

if (isset==$missing) {
echo $missing;
} else {
-your successful submission code here-
}

Just a guess.

Anon

Man... nope. Thanks for trying though. This was the error:

Parse error: parse error, expecting `'('' in C:\Inetsrv\scripts\thanks.php on line 25

kycan

I might be misusing the isset thingy.

Search the manual for it.

Anon

Does anyone know the problem? How to get rid of this warning:

Warning: Undefined variable: missing in C:\Inetsrv\scripts\thanks.php on line 11

Thanks,
Josh

kycan

Could you post all your code? Perhaps we could catch the error then...

Anon

Here it is:

if ($HTTP_POST_VARS) {
if (!$address1) {
$missing .= "Address ";
}
if (!$city) {
$missing .= "City ";
}
if (!$state) {
$missing .= "State ";
}
}

if ($missing) {
echo "Oops!\n You forgot to enter in the following required fields:\n";
echo "\n";
echo "<pre>\n";
echo "$missing\n";
echo "</pre>\n";
echo "<INPUT TYPE=button value=Back onClick=self.history.back();>\n";
} else {

blah blah -- other html..

<?
}
?>

chriss

Try this if you don't have it already.

$missing=""; //Initialize $missing
if ($HTTP_POST_VARS) { //Variables posted?
if (!$field1) { //Check field1
$missing .= "Field One ";
}
if (!$field2) { //Check field12
$missing .= "Field Two ";
}
if (!$field3) { //Check field3
$missing .= "Field Three ";
}
}

if ($missing<>"") {
echo $missing;
} else {
-your successful submission code here-
}