please help me pass the hidden fields

[esbsolutions]

I can't seem to be able to take a text input field (LeadHomeHead) and store it in a hidden field (NewHomeHead) and when the PHP_SELF form has been submitted to pass and use the hidden field in other forms. Here's the abbridged code:

<form action="<?php echo $PHP_SELF ?>" method="post">
<?php


if (!$ItemType)
	{
	?>
	<table align="center" border="0" class="backend">
	<tr><td align="center"><b>Insert News</b></td></tr>
	<tr><td align="center">Would you like to enter a lead or a secondary news item?</td></tr>
	<tr><td align="center"><input type="radio" name="item" value="lead">Lead&nbsp;&nbsp;
	<input type="radio" name="item" value="secondary">Secondary</td></tr>
	<tr><td align="center"><input type="submit" name="ItemType" value="Submit"></td></tr>
	</table>
	<?php
	}


if ($ItemType)
	{
	$item=$HTTP_POST_VARS['item'];
	if ($item=='lead')
		{
		if (!$LeadStorySubmit)
			{
			?>
			<table align="center" border="0" class="backend">
			<tr><td align="center"><b>Insert Lead News Item</b></td></tr>
			<tr><td align="center">Please enter the following information below:</td></tr>
			</table><br /><br />

			<table border="0" align="center" class="backend">
			<tr><td colspan="2" align="center"><b>Lead Story Blurb</b></td></tr>
			<tr><td>Abbridged Headline:</td>
			<td><textarea name="LeadHomeHead" rows="1" cols="50" maxlength="60"></textarea>
			</td></tr>
			<tr><td>Abbridged Body:</td>
			<td><textarea name="LeadHomeBody" rows="3" cols="50" maxlength="200"></textarea>
			</td></tr>
			<tr><td>Full Headline:</td>
			<td><textarea name="LeadHeadline" rows="2" cols="50"></textarea></td></tr>
			<tr><td>Full Body:</td>
			<td><textarea name="LeadBody" rows="5" cols="50"></textarea></td></tr>
			<tr><td colspan="2" align="center">
			<input type="hidden" name="ItemType" value="Submit">
			<input type="hidden" name="item" value="lead">
			<input type="hidden" name="NewHomeHead" value="<?php  $HTTP_POST_VARS['LeadHomeHead'] ?>">
			<input type="submit" name="LeadStorySubmit" value="Submit">
			</td></tr></table>
			<?php
			}

		if ($LeadStorySubmit)
			{
			if (strlen($HTTP_POST_VARS['LeadHomeHead']) > 60)
				{
				echo $HTTP_POST_VARS['LeadHomeHead'].'Please provide an abbridged headline with less than 60 characters.<br />
				<a href="insertnews.php">Go back</a>';
				exit;
				}

			elseif (strlen($HTTP_POST_VARS['LeadHomeBody']) < 140)
				{
				echo 'Please provide an abbridged body with more than 140 characters.<br />
				<a href="insertnews.php">Go back</a>';
				exit;
				}

			elseif (strlen($HTTP_POST_VARS['LeadHomeBody']) > 200)
				{
				echo 'Please provide an abbridged body with less than 200 characters.<br />
				<a href="insertnews.php">Go back</a>';
				exit;
				}

			elseif (strlen($HTTP_POST_VARS['LeadHomeHome'] <= 60) && strlen($HTTP_POST_VARS['LeadHomeBody']) >= 140 && strlen($HTTP_POST_VARS['LeadHomeBody']) <= 200)
				{
				@ $db = mysql_pconnect('localhost', 'user', 'pass');

				if (!$db)
					{
					echo 'Could not connect to the database.  Try again later.';
					exit;
					}

				$select=mysql_select_db("DB");

				if (!$select)
					{
					print "ERROR: " . mysql_error() . "\n";
					}

				$LeadInsert = mysql_query ("INSERT INTO news (HomeHead, HomeBody, Headline, Body, DatePosted)VALUES ('$HTTP_POST_VARS[LeadHomeHead]', '$HTTP_POST_VARS[LeadHomeBody]', '$HTTP_POST_VARS[LeadHeadline]','$HTTP_POST_VARS[LeadBody]', now())");

				if ($LeadInsert)
					{
					?>
					</form>

					<?php
					echo $HTTP_POST_VARS['NewHomeHead'];
					exit;
					?>

					<form action="leadprocess.php" method="post">

					include("leadprocess.php");
					?>
					</form>
					<?php
					}
				else
					{
					echo '</form>Your record has not been entered into the database.<br /><a href="insertnews.php">Go back</a>';
					exit;
					}
				}
			}
		}

[jpmoriarty]

you've put that variable in the code... but you've not echoed it out - you've just written the name of it. Include an echo and then it should work.

[esbsolutions]

I'm probably a bit dense, but I don't understand what you mean. Would you mind giving me a quick example? Thanks for the reply!

[esbsolutions]

I'm probably a bit dense, but I don't understand what you mean. Would you mind giving me a quick example? Thanks for the reply!

[jpmoriarty]

your line:

<input type="hidden" name="NewHomeHead" value="<?php  $HTTP_POST_VARS['LeadHomeHead'] ?>">

doesn't do anything. you've got to put an echo in there so that it prints out the value:

<input type="hidden" name="NewHomeHead" value="<?php  echo $HTTP_POST_VARS['LeadHomeHead']; ?>">