Form and redirect problem

[agh]

Hi all,

I'm sure that someone will know the answer to this one . . .

I have a php page with a form.
When the submit button is clicked, the user needs to be redirected to a specific page.

Example: entering 1234 into the form would result in the user being taken to www.example.com/1234/

If it's relevant, it will always be a 4 digit number entered into the box.

Thanks, I have been trying for ages to get this to work, I'm sure that the answer will be obvious - just not too a newbie !

[drew010]

form.html

---

<form method="POST" action="process.php">
<input type="text" name="destination" size="4" maxlength="4">
<input type="submit">
</form>

process.php

---

<?php

if (!preg_match("/\d{4}/", $_POST['destination'])) {
  //check its 4 digits
  echo "Invalid input";
} else {
  header("Location: http://www.example.com/" . $_POST['destination']);
}

?>

something along those lines should get you started.

[agh]

FANTASTIC !

Thank you so much for your help!

I eventually figured out that the php code block needs to be at the very top of the page, before any html code.

Hopefully one day I will be able to fully understand exactly how and why this worked.

Thanks again!

[drew010]

about the php having to be at the top...the reason is because of the header() call. this sends http headers to the browser, which always occur before the body, so if you try to do that after data has been output, you will get an error. otherwise php code can be anywhere. as for the preg_match, you can safely ignore that for now, i just did it since you said users will be entering 4 numbers, that way it checks to make sure they dont put anything else, so it doesnt redirect them to the wrong place, only there for style really.
www.php.net/tutorial should give you a basic understanding of a lot.