Forms

[turbo99]

I working on altering a php script that validates a form. My changes are not working correctly and I think because one of the post variables is an array which is the form data I need to verify if null.

here is the first part of the script based on form submission

if (isset($HTTP_POST_VARS)) {

$frm = $HTTP_POST_VARS;
print('<pre>');
print_r($frm);
print('</pre>');
$errormsg = validate_form($frm, $errors);


if (empty($errormsg)) {
    //need code to post vars to cart_add.php if true
}
}

this is the function:

function validate_form(&$frm, &$errors) {
/* validate a given form, and return the error messages in a string.  if
 * the string is empty, then there are no errors */

$errors = new Object;
$msg = "";

if ($_POST['name'] == "Personalized Fun Stickers")
    {

        if (empty($frm["First_Name"])) {
            print('<pre>');
            print_r($frm["First_Name"]);
            print('</pre>');
    $errors->First_Name = true;
    $msg .= "<li>You did not specify a First Name";
        }

    }
    return $msg;
}

?>

I have multiple forms so it first verifies what form to validate. The $frm["First_Name"] is a value from the form. Here is a snippet of the input of the form.

<FORM name="personalization" method="post" action="<?=$PHP_SELF?>">
<tr><td class="personalization" Height="18" valign="center">Child’s First Name: <input type="text" name="personalize[First_Name]" value=<?= $frm["First_Name"] ?>></td></tr>

here is what print_r returns for $frm

Array
(
    [personalize] => Array
        (
            [First_Name] => Alex
        )

[id] => 1015
[name] => Personalized Fun Stickers
[price] => 3.95
[category] => Stickers
[cat] => 
)

and I get an error message for the $frm["First_Name"] in the validate form function.

Notice: Undefined index: First_Name in

The function works if the personlalize array didnt exist but I need the array because it is a collection of data used to personalize the item that I input as string variable in the database.

What would be the best approach to get at the form variables. Secondly I need to post the variables to another form. What would be the code pass the data if the $errormsg variable is empty, since my form action is to PHP_Self?

Your help would be greatly appreciated.

Alex

[ednark]

ok... see if this makes sense, or im just missunderstanding what you are tyring to do

1) you are mixing $HTTP_POST_VARS and $POST... i don't think both variables should exists at the same time... use
php.ini: register_globals = off
code.php: $POST

2)

you set

$frm = $HTTP_POST_VARS;

so $frm should have

$frm['personalize'] = array( 'First_Name'=>'value' )

because

<input type="text" name="personalize[First_Name]" value="VALUE">

you are using $frm as if it were $frm['personalize'] and not $HTTP_POST_VARS

you need validate to say

## .html
<form ... >
  <input type="hidden" name="name" value="Personalized Fun Stickers">
  <input type="text" name="personalize[First_Name]" value="VALUE">

## .php
function validate_form( &$frm, &$errors )
{
    $errors = new Object;
    $msg = "";
    if ( $frm['name'] == "Personalized Fun Stickers" )
    {
        if ( empty($frm['personalize']['First_Name']) ) {
            /// no first_name given
        }
    }

}

[turbo99]

thx for the post Ednark.

I am going to make the changes and let you know how they worked. For the second part of the question if there are no errors (null values) how do I redirect to the page requesting the post variables?

if (isset($HTTP_POST_VARS)) {

$frm = $HTTP_POST_VARS;
print('<pre>');
print_r($frm);
print('</pre>');
$errormsg = validate_form($frm, $errors);


if (empty($errormsg)) {
    //need code to post vars to cart_add.php if true
}
}

Thanks again for your help.
Alex

[ednark]

punchline: you should not need to pass the info from your current file through another post, see [man]include[/man] and [man]require[/man]

php is ill suited to make POST requests by default.... you either need the curl library compiled in or need a good knowledge of the http request structure so you can write your own request in plain text from scratch...

to redirect a request you can use this technique

header('Location: path_to_new_file.php?var=val&var2=val2');

ok here are two more techniques you can use depending on your situation, which i am alittle confused about...

maybe you can just make it a library... a php file that only contains functions and definitions....

# add_cart.lib.php
function add_to_cart( $item )
{
    $cart = new Cart_From_Session();
    $cart->items[] = $item;
    $cart->store_altered_info_in_session();
}

# your_script.php
include add_cart.lib.php


$item = $gotten_from_form;
add_to_cart( $item );

then any file anywhere that wants the functionality to add an item to the cart need only include add_cart.lib.php

1) use an include like a function call...
add_cart.action.php should then include only actions, when you include it its like pulling a trigger, the effect happens... it should contain the body of what would be one function

# add_cart.action.php
/// assume $item exists

$cart = new Cart_From_Session();
$cart->items[] = $item;
$cart->store_altered_info_in_session();

# your_script.php

$item = $item_from_form;
include 'add_cart.action.php';

these two examples have the same effect

[turbo99]

to your advice on the include and it worked perfectly.

thx again
Alex