multiple step form logic

[digitalbart2k]

I would like to do a multiple step form like the ones you see at amazon and other sites.

My problem is that I would also like to do server side validation also after each step of the form.

Is this possible to do in one script? Or should i validate the fields in the last step.

Below is the logic.

Form Logic

---

if ($step == 3)
{
// do stuff
}
elseif ($step == 2)
{
// do stuff
}
else {

step_1();

}

The problem with this is the validation is done with in the function. So what it needs to do is actually execute the validation somehow outside the function? Below is a sample of the step_1 function.

step_1 function is essentially

---

$action = ($HTTP_POST_VARS['action'] == "check") ? "check" : "display";

if ($check) { if valid data set $action = process } else { echo errors }

if(count($errors)) $has_errors = true;

   if($has_errors) $action="display"; // show errors to correct

if ($action == display) { show form code here } else { data is good now insert data to database }

Thanks,
digitalbart2k

[deception54]

Here is a suggestion..

Why don't you create an array containing all the variables from all your forms, and pass it from page to page by serializing it into a session variable? You destroy the session variable once your wizard processing is over.

On each step, you add some variables in your form identifying which variables should be validated.

[jnuneznyc]

Tons of ways to do this but here is something that comes to mind.

Use a switch statement with a $command variable that is set within each form.

First set your defaults

$form_command = "stage1";
$form_errormessage = "";

then the switch statement

switch($command){
    case "stage1":
        $bSuccess = ValidateStages("Stage1");
        if($bSuccess){
            $form_command = "stage2";
        }else{
            $form_command = "stage1";
            $form_errormessage = "Validation error!";
        }
        break;

case "stage2":
    $bSuccess = ValidateStages("Stage2");
    if($bSuccess){
        $form_command = "stage3";
    }else{
        $form_command = "stage2";
        $form_errormessage = "Validation error!";
    }
    break;

case "stage3":
    $bSuccess = ValidateStages("Stage3");
    if($bSuccess){
        $form_command = "stage4";
    }else{
        $form_command = "stage3";
        $form_errormessage = "Validation error!";
    }
    break;

case "stage4":
    $bSuccess = ValidateStages("Stage4");
    if($bSuccess){
        $form_command = "stage5";
    }else{
        $form_command = "stage4";
        $form_errormessage = "Validation error!";
    }
    break;

case "stage5":
    $bSuccess = ValidateStages("Stage5");
    if($bSuccess){
        $form_command = "complete";
    }else{
        $form_command = "stage5";
        $form_errormessage = "Validation error!";
    }
    break;
}

Follow this code that will generate the proper form based on $form_command

The error message can be customized further by rewriting the validation function to return the error message or True if successful.

Let me know if it works.

[digitalbart2k]

Thanks for the quick reply. I am working on it now and will let you know if i have any problems, very nice code.

[digitalbart2k]

I modified the code a little but i am still having a problem.

$form_command = "stage1";
$form_errormessage = "";

function stage_1 () { 

create form objects code here

if ($myForm->getSubmittedData()  && $myForm->isDataValid()) {

$form_command = "stage2";

return $form_command;

} else {

$myForm->display();

}

switch($form_command){

case "stage1":

$a = stage_1();

if ($a == "stage2") {

$form_command = "stage2";

} else {

$form_command = "stage1";

}

break;

case "stage2":

But i still can't get $form_command to switch to stage2. I assume it has something to do with the scope of the variable $form_command in the function stage_1() but I am unsure?

Thanks