Passing Multiple Items Thru URL

jonnycowboy

Heylo..
I had a little question. I currently have a php script with a form like this:
<input type=text name=classid size=64 value=$classid>
the thing is I'd like to be able to enter more than one value. RIght now if i'd type in the classid box the numbers:
1234 3213 1232 5321
it'd only take in the 1234.
Another possibility would be to use something like search.php?classid=1234+1321+5122+2311.
I'd like to get the first one to work, if not then the second. What kind of variable would i get from teh second. I tried just using it as an array and it dosen't seem to work. Do I have to use a _POST command?

Thanks
-Jon

Phantazm

You may want to be more specific and post some actual code here. Judging by your subject, you are having trouble getting multiple sets of number (seperated by spaces) into the $classid variable.

If this is correct, it's most likely because your passing it in the URL like this...

"http://localhost/program.php?classid=1234 5678 9012 3456"

In the above scenario, only the first "1234" would be passed, because you can't pass a " " in the url like that. You need to do a urlencode on them is the program passing it in the URL... i.e.

<?php
  // Pass multiple numbers in url....
  $classid="1234 5678 9012 3456";
  $classid=urlencode($classid);
  echo "<A HREF=\"http://localhost/program.php?$classid\">Click Here</A>";
?>

This would yield a link that points to

program.php?1234+5678+9012+3456

On the tail end, you'll need to "urldecode" the $classid variable before you you is to populate the classid input text box in you HTML code...

<?php
  // Sample program.php
  $classid=urldecode($classid);
  // Misc HTML Header, Form, etc...
  echo "<input type=text name=classid size=64 value=$classid>";
  // Misc HTML.. close form tag, etc...
?>

vitch2002

it could also work if you just put quotes round your value. Then most browsers will transparently encode it for you and send it to php...

Phantazm

Duh Phantazm. Hehe.. didn't think of that one. 🙂

Originally posted by vitch2002
it could also work if you just put quotes round your value. Then most browsers will transparently encode it for you and send it to php...

jonnycowboy

Thanks!!
I'll try it out now.

jonnycowboy

printf("For a complete list of classes please click <A HREF=\"classlist.php\" target=\"c1\">here</A>.");
printf("<form action=$PHP_SELF method=post>\n");
printf("<table border=0>\n");
printf("<tr><td align=right>Course id:</td><td align=left><input type=text name=classid size=64 value=$classid></td></tr>\n");
printf("<tr><td align=right></td><td align=left><input type=submit name=submit value=\"Generate Timetable\"></td></tr>\n");
printf("</table>\n");
printf("</form>\n");

This is where the user would input the class numbers. Where would I insert the urlencode?

Then if I understand correctly in the second part of the page, it would look like:

if($submit) {
$classid=urldecode($classid);
$class_tmp=preg_split('/\s*,\s*/', trim($classid) );
//do stuff to $class_tmp
}

because what i want to end up with is an array with the class IDs in it. ($class_tmp being the array,and I'm guessing using urldecode I still have to split using the spaces?)

Thanks again
-Jon

Phantazm

because what i want to end up with is an array with the class IDs in it. ($class_tmp being the array,and I'm guessing using urldecode I still have to split using the spaces?)

Well.. if you use urldecode($variable) the yes, spaces would seperate the items you wish to toss into the array... however

if you choose, you would not have to urldecode it at all (though I would recomend it, and use the spaces for the split). If you choose NOT to use urldecode then you would use "+" for the split.

Again, I would recomend using urldecode, simply because it would be the "proper" way to do it, and makes for cleaner code, in my humble opinion. Just though I'd toss another idea on the table.

Phantazm

Hrmmm.. Maybe I'm missing something here, but are you trying to populate an existing field of a form with data already stored within $classid or are you trying to pass data from the text input box on your form TO a php program (or both???)

Assuming both, here's how...

<?php
  // This is the program1.php
  // It calls itself via $PHP_SELF
  // And calls program2.php
  printf("For a complete list of classes please click <A HREF=\"classlist.php\" target=\"c1\">here</A>.");
  printf("<form action=$PHP_SELF method=post>\n");
  printf("<table border=0>\n");
  printf("<tr><td align=right>Course id:</td><td align=left><input type=text name=classid size=64 value=\"$classid\"></td></tr>\n");
  printf("<tr><td align=right></td><td align=left><input type=submit name=submit value=\"Generate Timetable\"></td></tr>\n");
  printf("</table>\n");
  printf("</form>\n");
?>

Ok.. now that I've gone over the code, I think I see your dilema. You're using the form, generated by printf to call itself, but you want the data contained in $classid to remain 'unchanged' so o speak... (let me know if I'm off here).

Anyway, assuming that's what you want, try the above code.. I've made one slight modification, and it worked in my tests (BTW, forget the urlendode and urldecode stuff for this particular purpose)

  printf("<tr><td align=right>Course id:</td><td align=left><input type=text name=classid size=64 value=\"$classid\"></td></tr>\n");

Notice the set of \" \" around the $classid... bingo! 🙂

jonnycowboy

What i'm looking to do is:

read the user input from the form ($class_id)
and then re-read that page w/ the new input, and process that input.

jonnycowboy

printf("For a complete list of classes please click <A HREF=\"classlist.php\" target=\"c1\">here</A>.");
printf("<form action=$PHP_SELF method=post>\n");
printf("<table border=0>\n");
printf("<tr><td align=right>Course id:</td><td align=left><input type=text name=classid size=64 value=\"$classid\"></td></tr>\n");
printf("<tr><td align=right></td><td align=left><input type=submit name=submit value=\"Generate Timetable\"></td></tr>\n");
printf("</table>\n");
printf("</form>\n");


if($submit) {
	echo $classid+"\n";

$class_tmp=preg_split('/\s*,\s*/', trim($classid) );

In other words I want $class_tmp to be an array of all the numbers inputted.

Weedpacket

So what's wrong with that (apart from using multiple printf() calls instead of faster methods)? $classid is turning up empty? Should be $_POST['classid']...

Phantazm

I must ask the same question as Weedpacket. What's the problem with what you've got. What is it NOT doing that you wish it to do?