Simple? Keeping values after 'back' button

kilbey1

I think this is a simple question. Each time someone submits a form I've built, and then hits the 'back' button on the browser, the values entered immediately have defaulted back to empty.

How can I keep whatever the user has entered? IE, a selection from a dropdown, a certain radio button selected, etc.

Thanks,
Eve

P.S. I probably should note this is done via 1 page. Perhaps this makes a difference.

AstroTeg

This is the functionality of the browser. Some browsers will remember the form data, some will not. Don't count on the back button keeping it there (and have you truely tested this in ALL the browsers to ensure this works?)

Best way to do it is to provide a link the user can click on that goes out to your server and does the validation. If the validation fails, you just reshow your form with the form data already filled out. Its not hard to do, but does require a little extra work on your part. This approach is bullet proof to ANY browser that is out there.

slak

Use javascript cookies.

AstroTeg

Originally posted by slak
Use javascript cookies.

JavaScript and or cookies are disabled, what are you going to do?

kilbey1

I just hate to put a link on there, for usability purposes. People tend to use the back browser button. But...I may just have to forget about usability here. 🙂

How about sessions? Would this do any good? I've only used sessions for user authentication.

bubblenut

Use session, although if someone has their cookies switched off they're a bit of a lost cause anyway.

AstroTeg

First off, is this to do with form validation, or just users clicking back because they feel like it?

If its because they feel like it, then don't worry about it. Let their browser do its own thing (thats why they picked to use it).

If you're doing form validation (and showing a validation error) and you're forcing them to click back, then thats poor design.

form
|
validation
|\
| - validation test fail - show form with error |- validation test success - show next page

kilbey1

The form is set up like so:
1. Users input results and hit submit
2. Users get results (no place else to go yet)

I can certainly put a 'search again' button on the page (taking them back to the empty search form). But if someone accidentally puts incorrect info into the form, I suspect they would simply hit the back button to go back and re-check that button they missed.

Except, currently, they'll have to enter ALL info again.

Not a big deal here, where there's not a lot of form fields (about 7). But it would be if there were 24+ fields to re-enter.

AstroTeg

Ah, ok. I ran into this problem - search form and then show contents. If the user clicked back, data would be dropped. Its the nature of the browser.

To work around this, I provided a link above the results that said something like "< Search Again" or something like that (implying that clicking would take them back to their search criteria).

I then setup the form to take URL parameters. I pass the search criteria on the URL to the search form and the code for the search form then drops it in (this is so I don't have to mess with hidden forms).

This works out well - users by default will click back, but after some training, they quickly realize the advantage of clicking on the link to go back because it will always have all their data.

slak

Originally posted by AstroTeg
JavaScript and or cookies are disabled, what are you going to do?

Run around to their house and re-type in all the form values for them, thus saving them the hassle. :p

It's the users choice to accept or reject cookies. If they don't mind filling in a huge form over and over because they have sacrificed cookies for the sake of some that track what websites you look at, or what search terms you search under, then that's up to them.

Website designers should use each browser's capabilities to the maximum to create a pleasant visit to the site. Not say, "well some folk might turn off cookies, so I'll not bother with them...". I'd guestimate that the majority of web users now-a-days don't know what a cookie is, nevermind how to turn them off!

Before I finish my rant, I think there's a mock outrage about using cookies. Some reports a while back stated they're used for tracking sites you go to and adserving. Why not use them in this productive manner? They can also be used for a number of better things too. Cookies aren't evil!

Anyway kilbey1, if you want to retain the values your user input after they press the back button, use a javascript cookie function.