Form problem.

Bob_

Hello,

I'm trying to get a drop down menu to work, but I can't seem to get it to work at all. Its got to be in the <?php ?> code as its to get values dynamically.

The list is going to be filled with 2 fields from a MySQL database. The Name field is going to be the text shown in the drop down menu, the value is going to be the value from ID colum in the database.

So far I've got

$result = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM table")

or die(mysql_error());  

echo "<table border='1'>";
echo "<tr> <th>Name</th> <th>Role</th></tr>";

echo "<form name="form1" method="post" action="">";
echo "<select name="select">";
while($row = mysql_fetch_array( $result )) {

echo "<option value="'ID'">'Name'</option>";   
} 
echo "</select>";
echo "</form>";

I've try playing around with that but it never seems to do any good.

Houdini

Well you have to use the field names as key from the $row array kind of like below.

echo "<form name="form1" method="post" action="">";
echo "<select name="select">";
//make some short variables
$ID=$row['ID'];//suppy the correct field names below
$Name=$row['Name'];
while($row = mysql_fetch_array( $result )) {

echo "<option value="'$ID'">'$Name'</option>";

the last line should be

echo "<option value='$ID'>$Name</option>";

Bob_

Do you use the "/" instead of the ' " ' to get round the problem of using a " inside the <?php section?

halojoy

yes,
this line.
echo "<form name="form1" method="post" action="">";
should be:

1st method, ( escaping with \" )
echo "<form name=\"form1\" method=\"post\" action=\"\">";

2nd method ( using single quotes around echo string )
echo '<form name="form1" method="post" action="">';

I prefer use method 2.

🙂

Bob_

Cheers I'm almost there, but the line

echo '<option value="'$ID'">'$Name'</option>';

is giving me trouble though, as there both " and ', if I do it method 2 way it give's an error, if I do it method 1 way, the name of all the list if " and the value is ' '

halojoy

echo '<option value="' . $ID . '">' . $Name . '</option>';

you only missed points, otherwise it was very good!

this is about the only drawback with method 2:
you can not include a variable like with

echo "there are $post posts in forum";

you have to use:

echo 'there are '.$post.' posts in forum';

Bob_

The list has no names or values, but it doesnt generate errors.

Is there anything else I'm doing wrong?

Houdini

When I edited my code that is the way it should be to make life and not escaping double quotes within double quotes using single quotes only complicated your problems. This line will work as intended as is.

echo "<option value='$ID'>$Name</option>";

to prove it to your self try this little snippet and then view source in the browser to see the value of $ID

<?php
//uncomment the below line to see what happens with a string and a number
//$ID="Astring"; 
$ID=3;
$Name="Harold";
echo "<option value='$ID'>$Name</option>";
?>

Bob_

I managed to get it working with the following, although I've hit another snag.

echo '<form name="form1"  method="post" action="ViewDetails.php">';
echo '<select name="select">';
//make some short variables

while($row = mysql_fetch_array( $result )) {

$ID=$row['ID'];//suppy the correct field names below
$Name=$row['Name'];
echo '<option value="' . $ID . '">' . $Name . '</option>'; 
} 
echo "</select>";
echo '<input type="submit" value="Select" align="right">';
echo "</form>";

The snag is on "ViewDetails.php"

I have

$ID=$HTTP_POST_VARS['ID'];

I used a simple echo for the varible but it showed nothing, which would mean that ID isnt getting passed to ViewDetails.php.

Houdini

Have you used

$ID =$_POST['ID'];

Bob_

I was using

$ID=$HTTP_POST_VARS['ID'];

I tryed the one you gave me but it appear to make little diffrence.

Houdini

I am assuming that register_globals is turned on so your POST variables will simply be the field name from the form such as $ID would be the posted variable from

<input type='text' name='ID' />

Try that and see what happens even though $HTTP_POST_VARS['ID'] should work provided that ID is ID and not id or Id or even iD in the name of the form field.