[Resolved] Injecting PHP variable into a HTML Form

iTZKooPA

Ok I have a very basic form setup as follows:

<form action="<?=$_SERVER['PHP_SELF']?>" method="post">

<p>Type your job description here:<br />
<textarea name="jobdesc" rows="10" cols="40" wrap>
</textarea><br />

<p>Type your job address here:<br />
<textarea name="jobadd" rows="5" cols="40" wrap>
</textarea><br />

Basically all I want to do is do a MySQL query for the jobname, jobdate etc and use the information from the database as the text for the form (for records that need updating it will show them what is there and they can just edit it as they please). I have tried this for a bit but can't get it right. Should I be using PHP inside the HTML form or somehow set the variables up before I enter the form?

mmilano

i think you need to explain it a little better.

when i go to that page, will i type in a job name and press submit?

or am i creating a new job every time?

you are talking about updating, so i assume that some how the user will type in a name and press a button.. then you want all this information to fill in.

this snippet might help a little, but i'm not sure what your trying to do:

<?
$result = mysql_query("select * from jobs where jobname='janitor'");
if($row = mysql_fetch_array($result)){
  echo "<form method=post action=".$_SERVER['PHP_SELF'].">
  description<br>
  <textarea name=description>".$row['description']."</textarea>

  <br><br>
  some other field<br>
  <input type=text name=otherfield value='".$row['otherfield']."'>
  <br><br>
  <input type=submit name=submit>
  </form>";
}else{
  echo "no valid job entered.";
}
?>

iTZKooPA

Ok thanks for the shot. I have actually re-done the code myself a good bit but first let me explain more.

I already have a feature working perfect for the adding a new record function. What I am trying to do now is add a spot to be able to UPDATE and exsisting record. So I was planning on using an HTML form (the same one that was used for adding a new record) and have the form be loaded with the current information that is in the database.

So what I am doing below is calling the form as an echo and just using the PHP I need to use in there for getting the text field to be filled with the PHP variable. At this point in time although I get no errors the text field is not filled with what is in the PHP field.

Code: (notice that only jobdesc is currently being modified, no point trying them all and then having to change them all again).

$ID = $_GET['changejob'];
$jobdesc = @('SELECT ID, jobdesc FROM Jobs');

//<!--  input for change job NOTE:  add a JobID section that is un editable for reference for
//the submitjob algo below;  then update submitjob so instead of inserting it will update the DB-->
echo(
	'form action="'$_SERVER['PHP_SELF']'" method="post">

	<p>Type your job Name here:<br />
	<textarea name="jobname" rows="1" cols="40" wrap>
	</textarea><br />

	<p>Type your job type here:<br />
	<textarea name="jobtype" rows="1" cols="40" wrap>
	</textarea><br />


	<p>Type your job description here:<br />
	<textarea name="jobdesc" 'jobdesc=$jobdesc' rows="10" cols="40" wrap>
	</textarea><br />

	<p>Type your job date here:<br />
	<textarea name="jobdate" rows="1" cols="40" wrap>
	</textarea><br />

	<p>Type your job address here:<br />
	<textarea name="jobadd" rows="5" cols="40" wrap>
	</textarea><br />


	<input type="submit" name="updatejob" value="SUBMIT" />
	</p>
	</form>');

iTZKooPA

After getting some help from my friend I have managed to get everything working for sure EXCEPT for it to actual show the information from the PHP variable into the text area from the HTML Form. Everything else I need to do for this project (not school or anything, personal) is done and its so close to going live but this one feature!

Here is the code that is supposed to have the HTML form get injected with the PHP variables information.

echo(
'form action="'.$_SERVER['PHP_SELF'].'" method="post">
<p>Type your job description here:<br />
<textarea name="'.jobdesc.'" '$jobdesc' rows="10" cols="40" wrap>
</textarea><br />
<input type="submit" name="updatejob" value="SUBMIT" />
</p>
</form>');

$jobdesc is the PHP variable.

czambran

Since you haven't posted the whole, it's really difficult to answer, but from you last post there is the value property missing on the textarea tag, it should be something like this.

isset($jobdesc)? '':$jobdesc=''; //just making sure the variable is initialize
echo(
'form action="'.$_SERVER['PHP_SELF'].'" method="post">
<p>Type your job description here:<br />
<textarea name="'.jobdesc.'" . value='$jobdesc' rows="10" cols="40" wrap>
</textarea><br />
<input type="submit" name="updatejob" value="SUBMIT" />
</p>
</form>');

gufmn

I have never seen a form created like this:

echo( 
'form action="'.$_SERVER['PHP_SELF'].'" method="post">

Seems to me it should be something like:

echo '<form action="'.$_SERVER['PHP_SELF'].'" method="post">

Is it generating the proper html?

iTZKooPA

Thanks for the help guys, and yes I did miss that < but apparently Firefox was able to push through it (no errors and everything worked fine).

Here is all of the code for that feature (updating) with your suggested changes made:

elseif  (isset($_GET['changejob'])) : // if user wants to change a job

// Connect to the database server
$dbcnx = @mysql_connect('localhost', 'root');
if (!$dbcnx) {
  die( '<p>Unable to connect to the ' .
       'database server at this time.</p>' );
}

// Select the jobs database
if (! @mysql_select_db('Work') ) {
  die( '<p>Unable to locate the job ' .
       'database at this time.</p>' );
}


//getting the JobID from link
$JobID = $_GET['changejob'];

// setting the variables to be injected
$descquery = @mysql_query("SELECT JobDesc from Jobs WHERE ID = $JobID");
list($jobdesc) = mysql_fetch_row($descquery);

//testing to check for correct output
echo("JobID = $JobID <br> JobDescription = $jobdesc");



//<!--  input for change job NOTE:  add a JobID section that is un editable for reference for
//the submitjob algo below;  then update submitjob so instead of inserting it will update the DB-->
echo(
	'<form action="'.$_SERVER['PHP_SELF'].'" method="post">



	<p>Type your job description here:<br />
	<textarea name="'.$jobdesc.'"  value='.$jobdesc.' rows="10" cols="40" wrap>
	</textarea><br />



	<input type="submit" name="updatejob" value="SUBMIT" />
	</p>
	</form>');

The field is still not being injected with the correct information and I have a test echo right above the form to make sure that the variables do contain actual information, and they do. The field isn't actually coming out blank, its coming out with two tabs placed in it, (as in halfway across its box width).

Thanks for the help guys, learning new stuff always makes me feel so stupid.

aldo2004

try changing :

        <p>Type your job description here:<br /> 
        <textarea name="'.$jobdesc.'"  value='.$jobdesc.' rows="10" cols="40" wrap> 
        </textarea><br />

to :

        <p>Type your job description here:<br /> 
        <textarea name="'.$jobdesc.'"  rows="10" cols="40" wrap> <? echo $jobdesc ; ?>        </textarea><br />

PallaviDalvi

u need to do...

echo '<textarea name="'.$jobdesc.'" rows="10" cols="40" wrap>' . $jobdesc . '</textarea><br />';
value is a property for the textarea control... unfortunately not available as attribute. 🙁

iTZKooPA

Thanks for the help guys, I actually got it to work like 10 days ago but I don't know how to do the RESOLVED thing. Anyways if anyone else had the same problem the code I ended up getting to work fully is as follows:


// setting the variables to be injected
	$queryJob = @mysql_query("SELECT * from Jobs WHERE ID = $JobID");
	$queryDesc = @mysql_query("SELECT JobDesc from Jobs WHERE ID = $JobID");
	//list($jobDesc) = mysql_fetch_row($queryDesc);
	$jobRow = mysql_fetch_array($queryJob);

if($jobRow){ 
		echo(
			'<form action="'.$_SERVER['PHP_SELF'].'?updatejob='.$JobID.'" method="post">

		<p>Type your job description here:<br />
		<textarea name="jobName" rows="1" cols="40" wrap>'.$rowName.' 
		</textarea>     <p>Type your job description here:<br />
		<textarea name="jobType" rows="3" cols="40" wrap>'.$rowType.' 
		</textarea><br />

<input type="submit" name="updatejob" value="SUBMIT" />
			</p>
			</form><br />
			<form action="'.$_SERVER['PHP_SELF'].'?deletejob='.$JobID.'" method="post">
			<input type="submit" name="deletejob" value="Delete" />
			</p>
			</form>');}
			else{
  			echo "no valid job entered.";
			}

gufmn

Click the link towards the bottom of this page that says "Mark thread resolved" 🙂

iTZKooPA

Haha damnit, missed that, thanks.