[Resolved] Need a little JavaScript/PHP help on field validation.

[adavis]

I have 2 forms. The first asks how many students are taking a class. The second script takes that info and builds a form that looks something like this:

<form action="addclass.php" method="POST" name="input" id="input">
<input type="hidden" name="numStudents" value="3">
<p align="center">Add New Class Request</p>
<div class="center">
<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
<tr>
<th>1. First </th>
<td><input id="fnm1" type="text" name="first1" value="" /></td>
<th> Last: </th>
<td><input id="lnm1" type="text" name="last1" value="" /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>2. First: </th>
<td><input id="fnm2" type="text" name="first2" value="" /></td>
<th> Last: </th>
<td><input id="lnm2" type="text" name="last2" value="" /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>3. First: </th>
<td><input id="fnm3" type="text" name="first3" value="" /></td>
<th> Last: </th>
<td><input id="lnm3" type="text" name="last3" value="" /></td>
</tr>
</table>
</div>
<div class="center">
<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
<tr>
<th>Class Name: </th>
<td><input id="classnm" type="text" name="classnm" value="" /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Class Date: </th>
<td><INPUT TYPE="text" id="classdt" NAME="date1x" value="" /></td>
</tr>
</table>
</div>
<div align="center">
<input type="submit" name="submit" value="Submit" onClick="return ValAdd()" />
<input type="Reset" title="Reset" />
</div>
</form>

I need to validate that each first/last combo for name is entered. I can't figure out how to do it. Any help would greatly be apprciated.

Thanks...

[LordShryku]

Best done in PHP once submitted. I assume you get the number of First/Last fields there should be from the previous form. Pass that number through a hidden input to the next page also, and do something like this:

for($i=0;$i<$_POST['passedcount'];$i++) {
   if(!isset($_POST['fnm'.$i]) || empty($_POST['fnm'.$i])) {
      die("Please fill in First Name ".$i);
   }
   if(!isset($_POST['lnm'.$i]) || empty($_POST['lnm'.$i])) {
      die("Please fill in Last Name ".$i);
   }
}

[adavis]

Oh, the PHP validation part is easy 🙂 BUT, I have to validate both ways, JavaScript first, then catch those with JavaScript disabled with the PHP. However, I did find a resolution:

function ValAdd(vForm) {
  var numEmp = vForm.numEmp.value;
  var first, last, i = 1, focus_me = null, msg = '';
  while (first = vForm.elements['first' + i]) {
    last = vForm.elements['last' + i];
    if (/^\s*$/.test(first.value) || /^\s*$/.test(last.value)) {
      msg += '\nEmployee #' + i;
      if (focus_me == null)
        focus_me = (/^\s*$/.test(first.value)) ? first : last;
      }
    ++i;
  }
  if (msg != '') {
    msg = 'Please complete the following entries:\n' + msg + '\n\nThank you.';
    alert(msg);
    if (focus_me) focus_me.focus();
    return false;
  } else {
    return true;
  }
}

No credit to me. I got this solution from the same question on SitePoint. I was trying to mix PHP and JavaScript and it just wasn't working. I figured out that it was a straight JavaScript issue before I got my answer.