Adding characters to input.

jwoo

I am working on a site for returned cable modems to track the status of them. I want the php to check if the user enterned the mac in this format xxxx.xxxx.xxxx and if not if they just entered it in xxxxxxxxxxxx then to add a "." after every fourth character twice to make each entry the proper mac syntax of xxxx.xxxx.xxxx.

Can this be done and if so how hard?

Blob

You should be able to use ereg.
If using numbers for example...

if(ereg("[^[:digit:]]{4}"."."."[^[:digit:]]{4}"."."."[^[:digit:]]{4}")
{
It's fine.
}
elseif(ereg("[^[:digit:]]{12}")
{
Use string replace or something to add the dots.
}

brad_fears

You could check the sizeof() the mac address coming in. If it's exactly 12 characters, you know you'll need to parse it and insert the decimals. If it's less than 12, generate an error.

Personally, I would just set up the form with three fields, separated by decimal points to force the user to enter it a certain way. Then just concatenate the three fields and add a decimal between each field.

$mac = "$field1.$field2.$field3";

Of course, you'll want to perform some more data validation in the individual fields as well.

--Brad Fears

jwoo

Sorry me being a typical newb. I am currently reading the manual but seem to be diving over my head first.

Use string replace or something to add the dots.

I dont understand that, I know your refering to my $mac string.. so there must be a command to add the dots with it.

Blob

If you're a newb, you should post in the newb forum. 😉

brad_fears has a good idea. Not only is it easier on you to have three fields with a maximum of 4 characters, with a "." in between each one, forcing the user to enter it like that, but it's also easier on the user. 🙂

You'd probably be best doing it that way.
Then, when processing it, just do:
$mac = "$mac1.$mac2.$mac3";
And use the $mac variable wherever you need to. 🙂

FrozNic

couple of thoughts...

first off...

do this on your text box on your form
<input name="watever u want" type="text" size="12" value="<? $_request['watever u want']; ?>">

noob definition 🙂 -> name = name of the textbox, this is what you will call to use that var. exp: print $watever u want;

type = type of form element. there are lots. text boxes, command buttons, list boxes, etc. this has to be there! So does name.

Size=12 is the max amount of characters that the user can type.
no reason to check if there's more than 12 if they cannot type it in!

value = "<? $request['watever u want']; ?>"
value is the value of the variable $watever u want. if u submit the form and then go back to edit something, than $request[''] will return as the value whatever they typed in before, so it's not blank when they go to edit it.

####

sounds like you might have the ereg function down. if not, hollar.

i agree with brad for ease of use and setup. make different text boxes for the mac address. divide each where the period is in the mac addy.

i believe another thing you can do. is for validation..

if $textbox.size <> (not equal) to 12 than
print please reinsert your mac addy.

####

with brads idea.. to concatinate the 3 text boxes:

$macaddress = $field1 . "." . $field2 . "." . $field3;
that should make mac addy look like this
fa3d.a39x.afk3 or however it's supposed to be.

jwoo

Nice.. thanks alot. I will check out the "newb" forums too 😉