Checking if boxes are checked before submit

tjbarr

I have two drop down boxes on a page. One box is a choice of variable, and the second box has the years that you can select for the list of variables.

I want a check on the page that doesn't submit if one box is not
checked.

box one a - indicators

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lslsls
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box one b Years
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983

cgraz

This is a javascript question. Basically what you'll need to do is when they click submit, you run a javascript function that returns true or false. If one of the two are filled, it will return true and the form will be submitted. If it returns false, then neither of the two were filled out and the form can't be submitted.

Cgraz

Bijan

You have to use javascript. So, you should name your select box, and then put an emtpy value for the first option, that will be your selected option too, and then check if that value is still selected on submit, if yes, then you shouldn't submit your page! Don't forget that combo boxes are not like checkboxes/radiobuttons! If a checkbox isn't selected, you don't get anything back in the receving page (I mean the array in PHP), but a select box, is always full when it's received in the PHP page, because if even nobody selected anything new, the selected value itself (usually the first value) is returned.

You need something like:

<html>
<body>

<form onsubmit="return ( ( this.whatever.selectedIndex == 0 ) ? ( false ) : ( true )">

<select name="whatever">
<option value="">Choose a year!
<option value="">1977 
<option value="">1978 
<option value="">1979 
<option value="">1980 
<option value="">1981 
<option value="">1982 
<option value="">1983
</select>

</form>

Note: It's probably better if you use a function for the test.

vr4lyfe

I just finished writing a user registration form that checks itself before it gets submitted to sumtin else .. the error checkin is all php .. here's the way I went. I might be making a nub mistake as far as efficientcy and what not, thats probly the case since I am just starting php programing, but let me know what you think.

Form action is the form itself, when u post, there's php code on the form page that does the error checking. if-else codes are used to check the $_POST variables for errors. then if there no error, the page registers the variables into a session and use header() to forward it to another page (in my case, a page that generated the user password and emailed it to the user and inserted the new user into the db).

Let me know what you guys think of this approach.

stolzyboy

yes, that is a valid way of doing it, but i think he wants to not allow you to even submit the form if something is not checked, therefore a JS solution is needed, your way, the form is submitted, but nothing happens with the form elements, and then you redirect with a session, but for some reason he wants to do this before submission

vr4lyfe

ok .. i guess i ididnt fully grasp his question then. when my form is submitted, since it is going to itself, its like a "refresh" is happening on the browser when the form is submited. I liek this approach, was just checkin if I am doing things efficiently or not.

Glad to hear that my approach is valid.

Thanks.

tjbarr

It doesn't matter to me if the check is before or after submission. My problem is that if the boxes aren't selected and are submitted than I get PHP errors generated. vr4lyfe seemed to have a good idea but I'm not sure how to execute it.

stolzyboy

<?
if ($_POST['nameofcheckbox'] == "")
{
echo "go back and choose something";
}
else
{
//do your search or whatever you want here
}
?>

vr4lyfe

heres the way I did mine, hope it helps u.

assuming the code here is saved with the name login.html.

<?php

if(input1 === input2){
echo "the two inputs are the same .. lets move on"
header('Location: nextpage.html');
} else {
echo "check the inputs";
}

vr4lyfe

btw, there's alot of errors in my code so it wont work it you just cut and paste .. like input1 should be $_POST[input1] ect ect .. but you get the idea.

good luck!