Pulling variable out of Smarty .tpl

Neumy

On my site I have a few simple tests. The User fills out a test and Smarty very nicely displays the results. I have a few tests online and everything works beautifully.

However, on my most resent test, the User has an option to select a group of Checkboxes for added information within the Smarty results. I would like this information to be stored in the database in an array.

I was hoping to populate the array on client side (.tpl) and pass it back to the php (where it stores it in the database).

I'm afraid I just can't seem to wrap my head around this problem. If anyone can offer a few hints or suggestions, it would be appreciated.

ksandom

I'm doubtful of the idea of putting an array into a database. It seems like a lot could go wrong. If you really want to do it, look into serialize(). Also look in the manual for variable variables. I think these will help you the most with that kind of solution.

If I was doing it, I would look into creating a new table which your current table links to. Have the primary key of the new table as:
the primary key of the original table + value name. You will need one more field which holds the value that you would have held in the original idea. If you want to make it behave more like an array you could use a number instead of text for the valuename.

I think a solution like this will give you much greater flexibility and would be less likley to break in the long run. Issues you would have with trying to put an array into the database:
- special characters might cause problems
- field length will always be a challange
- very inefficient
etc

Does this help?

trooper

On the client side make sure that the names of the checkboxes have [] after them, this indicates that they are to be treated as an array

i.e

<input type='checkbox' name='find_groups[]' value='3' tag=''A' list Guests'>'A' list Guests
<input type='checkbox'  name='find_groups[]' value='4' tag=''B' list Guests'>'B' list Guests

Then look into serialising the array that has been returned (as suggested in the previous) post. Once you've serialised it put it into the db - btw you will need a field that is of type text or blobl to hold the serialised array

Word of warning - you cannot search a field that has serialised data in it- yo uneed to first retrieve it and then unserialise it

HTH

Neumy

Thank you for you replies, that does help. But my biggest problem is with smarty.

How do I move a value out of smarty and back to my code?

example:
---main.php---------------
<?php
CORE CODE: Result variables
$smarty->display('result.tpl');

?>

---result.tpl----------------
{php}
"dumping variables in user friendly format"
$newVariable = array("additional","questions");

{/php}

I need the $newVariable to be passed back to main.php so it can be saved (serialized) into the database. I tried to pass it in a session with no luck.
Each result.tpl page has multiple ways out (NEXT, 1|2|3|4, RETURN, etc) and I'd like the data to be saved whatever button is pressed.