New Line in Form

CDragon

Hi there. Working on my 3rd script and I don't know how I got even that far lol, and came accross this issue:

I am using a form to input a user's classified ad. I would like them to be able to add new text boxes (one at a time)if they chose. However, when I press the "add line" button I made, it only works the 1st time. How can I make the function "remember" it's output and add new boxes indefinatley(without cookies)?

CODE:
PHP:

if( $HTTP_POST_VARS['newline'] ) {
        static $rownum = 3; /*thought this might do it, but it didn't.  I need to start at 3 b/c the first 3 boxes are on the web page already.*/
	$rownum++;/*increment the row numer*/
        print "<b>Row ".$rownum." </b>(30 Characters Max.)<b>:</b><br /><INPUT TYPE=\"text\" SIZE=\"32\" maxlength=\"30\" NAME=\"row".$rownum."\">(+&#165;50)<br />";
}

HTML:
<INPUT TYPE="submit" NAME="newline" VALUE="Add a Line">

I think the issue lies with the way this is set up. I am submitting the button, therefore I am kinda reloading the script, right? But I don't know what else to try that isn't cookie or database dependant.

remnant

put this at the end of the function:

return $rownum;

CDragon

thanks for the timely reply.

well, when i add the "return" line, it hides the button and anything after the new box, thereby making it impossible to add further boxes. Am I using it properly?

if( $HTTP_POST_VARS['newline'] ) {
        $rownum = 3;
	$rownum++;
        print "<b>Row ".$rownum." </b>(30 Characters Max.)<b>:</b><br /><INPUT TYPE=\"text\" SIZE=\"32\" maxlength=\"30\" NAME=\"row".$rownum."\">(+&#165;50)<br />";
	return $rownum;
        }

thorpe

this will need to be done client side using javascript or something.

stick this function in your header;

then just use this link to add a field.

hope this helps.

thorpe

use this to add a new field;

<a href="#" onClick="return addfield();">add field</a>

CDragon

Awesome Thorpe, thanks.
I just wanna make sure this works on all PCs - even those with Javascript disabled or not available (I know that would be rare).

I have decided to try using an incrementing redirect and query string to keep track of the number of boxes and a while satement to print the corresponding number. I will try this after work, and I will also try your suggestion.

Roger_Ramjet

Have a look at this example of form repetition , you can view the source code to see how it's done.

whatwg
repetition model

CDragon

Great example! As I suspected, I will have to use the query string to preserve state. This should do it - I will plop my code here when I am done for anyone else searching on the same issues.

CDragon

The answer I used, which works great to add and delete lines:

<?php
if ( $rownum >= 3 ) {
$counter = 3;
	while ( $counter <= $rownum ) {
	print "<b>Line ".$counter." </b>(30 Characters Max.)<b>:</b><br /><INPUT TYPE=\"text\" SIZE=\"32\" maxlength=\"30\" NAME=\"line".$counter."\">(&#165;50)<br />";
	$counter++;
	}
}
?>

I used the above to add lines 3 to infinity (as they had a different cost than lines 1 and 2).

Then I used this for the Add and Remove links:

<?php
/* BEGIN: DYNAMIC ADD LINK*/
print "<a href=\"$filename?rownum=";
$rownum++;
print $rownum;
print "\" ><b>+ADD A LINE+</b></a>";
/* END: DYNAMIC ADD LINK*/
/* BEGIN: DYNAMIC REMOVE LINK*/
if( $rownum > 1 ) {
	print "<b>OR</b><br />";
        print "<a href=\"$filename?rownum=";
	$rownum--;
        $rownum--;
	print $rownum;
	print "\" ><b>-REMOVE A LINE-</b></a>";
}
/* END: DYNAMIC REMOVE LINK*/
?>

There, easy as pie. Now I just need to figure out how to emial this info to me and send the customer to my 2checkout account by pressing the submit button....one mountain at a time 😛