Input validate

zackat

Hi,

I'm a beginner with PHP. Created a form with one single input field that accepts a code. When a button is pressed, the code is validated. If the code isn't valid it should respond with the message "Please enter a valid code". If the code is a valid code, the message would be " Processing data".

I can't seem to get it to work. Since I'm a beginner on PHP, I thought of starting pretty straight forward, in the end this will be a complete form handling script.

I really would appreciate some advise.

Here's the code:

<html>
<title>Form code</title>
<body>
<?php
//a valid code 2518GA
function valid_code($str){
return(ereg('^{[1-9][0-9]{3}[]?[a-zA-Z]{2}$',$str));}
}

if ($submit != "send" || !valid_code($code)){
echo"<form action=\"$PHP_SELF\" method=\"post\">";
if($submit && !valid_code($code)){
echo"Please enter a valid code";
}
?>
code:<input type="text" name="code" value="<?php echo $code ?>"><br>
<input type="submit" name="submit" value="send">
</form>
<?php
} else {
echo"process data";
}
?>
</body>
</html>

devinemke

<?php
echo '
<form action="' . $_SERVER['PHP_SELF'] . '" method="POST">
code: <input type="text" name="code" value="'; if (isset($_POST['code'])) {echo $_POST['code'];} echo '">
<input type="submit" name="submit" value="send">
</form>
';

if (isset($_POST['submit']))
{
   if (ereg('^[1-9][0-9]{3}[]?[a-zA-Z]{2}$', $_POST['code']))
   {
      echo 'process data';
   }
   else
   {
       echo 'Please enter a valid code';
   }
}
?>

Drakla

Have you got register_globals on? If not then none of that code will work, which is actually a good thing.

I would suggest changing the form action to $_SERVER['SCRIPT_NAME'] as PHP_SELF can't be relied on to not have the request string tagged on with different installs.

And your form data will be in $GET if your form method is GET and $POST if... yes, you've guessed it already.

So this is better

<html>
<title>Form code</title>
<body>
<?php
//a valid code 2518GA
function valid_code($str)
{
	return( ereg('^[1-9][0-9]{3}[]?[a-zA-Z]{2}$',$str) );
}

if ($_POST['submit'] != "send" || !valid_code($_POST['code']))
{
	echo '<form action="', $_SERVER['SCRIPT_NAME'], '" method="POST">';

if ($_POST['submit'] && !valid_code($_POST['code']))
{
	echo "Please enter a valid code";
}
?>
	code:
	<input type="text" name="code" value="<?= $_POST['code'] ?>">
	<br>
	<input type="submit" name="submit" value="send">
	</form>
<?php
}
else
{
	echo"process data";
}
?>
</body>
</html>

But still misses out little error checks, but should get you going

zackat

Hi devinemke,

Code works great! I appreciate it. Thanks for showing that it can be done totally the other way around.

As I am a beginner, the writing a function kinda thing is what I was trying to do, but this is very good indeed.

Thanks!

zackat

Originally posted by Drakla
Have you got register_globals on? If not then none of that code will work, which is actually a good thing.

==> How do I know if register _globals is on?

I would suggest changing the form action to $SERVER['SCRIPT_NAME'] as PHP_SELF can't be relied on to not have the request string tagged on with different installs.

==> I don't understand what $SERVER['SCRIPT_NAME'] really is.

But still misses out little error checks, but should get you going

==>any suggestions?

The code works great. It's such a relief to see it actually working after coding and coding and trying and trying...

Thanks!