[Resolved] [Resolved] *Variables disapearing from FORM FIELDS when going BACK

Chris-the_dude

I'm working on a php project where in many cases users submit information in a form, either for a search, or to be entered into a database. In either case, whenever I submit the form and go to the next screen, and then hit the back button, all of the form fields are blank again.

I want it so when I hit the back button, the fields are still filled in. Like, for example, when you submit a post on these forums, and then hit back a couple of times. you can still see everything you had typed in previously.

Is there an easy way to fix this - a server variable perhaps?

Much Thanks

FrozNic

do this:

that should make the fields fill back in with the appropriate values 🙂

dalecosp

Hmm, never tried it that way...if it works, great. Lemme know.

I stick everything in Session arrays, so my form value tags are

value=<?=$_SESSION['blah']; ?>

always works.... 🙂

FrozNic

yeah, using sessions is a great way too. the first time i had to use this idea someone taught me how i showed u how to do it. but sessions definatly work as well! thanks dalecosp, for mentioning that..

Chris-the_dude

Thanks! I'll give $_REQUEST[] a try

FrozNic

o, and if u got the answer u needed, mark the thread as resolved ..

to do this, at the bottom of the page, click (mark page as resolved) in the footer! this helps people know that they don't need to read/comment if u'r post has already been answered. 🙂

Chris-the_dude

tx. done and done

Chris-the_dude

Actually, it turns out that $_REQUEST does NOT work when hitting the back button and returning to the original form. Therefore, I'm just going to stick all of the variables into session variables.

This method still seems a little fishy though. I only want data to appear in the text boxes when going BACK. if I put everything into session vars, the textboxes would still be filled in with that same stuff if I went to fill in a NEW form.

Hmmmm

FrozNic

that's true.. only if u have the same browser window open.. if u close the window then it will have blank values.. um.. post ur code, i'll see if i can tell why it didn't work for u (as an attachment plz)

Chris-the_dude

I know that after you submit a form that the $REQUEST array will be full of values, but my point is that after you submit a form, and then hit BACK in your browser window that the $REQUEST array will no longer contain those values.

If this line of reasoning is correct, then it is not a matter of me coding something wrong. $_REQUEST will just not do what I want it to do.

Also, I understand that putting my form variables into session variables will clear out all of those variables when closing and re-opening the browser window.

What I really want is to be able to be able to submit a form, hit BACK in my browser and see all the form fields filled in, and then be able to click a link to fill out a new form, and have all the fields be blank. It would be like on these forums where you submit a reply, and then hit back a couple of times to see what you typed in, but then you can click on 'post reply', and a new blank form pops up.

dalecosp

Unsetting session variables is a matter of calling unset() or session_destroy().

If you put all the form fields into an array, and put the array in the $SESSION superglobal array, then one call at the start of a new form would take care of it. Of course, you might be getting into some fairly deep multi-dimensional arrays, but they won't kill you, just drive you slightly bonkers.

if ($_SESSION['form_answers']) {
   unset($_SESSION['form_answers']);
   }

Generally, it's a good idea to call session_destroy() after a form has been processed, anyway, unless you specifically want the user to still have some information available to him....

Chris-the_dude

Alright, thanks for the answers.

It appears that the answer to my problem is every bit as complicated as I feared it would be.