Need a few tips on sessions + mysql

iBuddy

I am setting up a registration page. How I have it setup is 3 pages.

registration.php
registration_step2.php
registration_step3.php

Objective:
Create a page for a person to register, after confirmed payment from paypal add details to MYSQL data.

registration.php

session_start();

-random number/letters is created and stored as $_SESSION[confirmation] this is saved as a session for their confirmation number which is displayed to them at the final page
-has form with several input fields
fname
lname
company
phone number
email
price
*address
-form action is registration_step2.php

registration_step2.php

session_start();

$_SESSION[fname] = $_POST[fname];
$_SESSION[lname] =  $_POST[lname];
$_SESSION[company] =  $_POST[company];
$_SESSION[phone] =  $_POST[phone];
$_SESSION[email] =  $_POST[email];
$_SESSION[address] =  $_POST[address];
$_SESSION[dtstamp] =  $_POST[dtstamp];
$_SESSION[price] =  $_POST[price];

Recaps the information they submitted previously and stores the variables as sessions variables (above).

-PayPal button (for payment) is displayed for the user to make their payment, after payment with paypal they are redirected to registration_step3.php

registration_step3.php

session_start();

-Inserts session variables into MYSQL
-displays confirmation page with a "success you have made your payment through paypal successfully"
-displays confirmation number $_SESSION[confirmation]

Ok, my questions are. I noticed that everytime I refresh the registration_step3.php it will add the data again in the database MYSQL. So how can I prevent duplicate entries (possibly by confirmation #)?

-Is there anyway of simplify my coding to less pages?

Appreciate any help

dougal85

I would have put the code all in one page, you could get the form to submit to itself either with a GET var in the address to show what page or a hidden form value storing the next page.

Don't add anything to the database until you have it all. this way you will never end up with half added data and so on.

I actually have a class that I'm working on for a very similar function, If your still having trouble I can give it to you when I'm finished making it. It's a multi-page form for registering on a website i'm doing.

iBuddy

dougal85 wrote:
I would have put the code all in one page, you could get the form to submit to itself either with a GET var in the address to show what page or a hidden form value storing the next page.

Don't add anything to the database until you have it all. this way you will never end up with half added data and so on.

I actually have a class that I'm working on for a very similar function, If your still having trouble I can give it to you when I'm finished making it. It's a multi-page form for registering on a website i'm doing.

ya let me know when your finished with that. I should make it all one page just need to think of how to do it.

dougal85

id be doing it all OOP....

when page loads name a new istance of the class. Following is a rough idea of how the pager would work.

<?php


class example {

	var $HTML;

function example(){

	// process sent information and put it in a sessions
	// Assuing sessions already start and u validate the
	// fisrt too;

	//$_SESSION['name'] = $_POST['name'];

	if(empty($_GET['page'])) $this->echoIt;

	switch ($_GET['page']){
		case 2:
			$this->Page2HTML();
			$this->echoIt();
			break;
		case 3:
			$this->Page3HTML();
			$this->echoIt();
			break;
		case 4:
			$this->proccessform();
			break;
		default:
			$this->echoIt();

	}

}

function Page2HTML(){

	$html = "build form here and set action to send to itself.";

	$this->HTML = $html;

}

function Page3HTML(){

	$html = "build form here and set action to send to itself.";

	$this->HTML = $html;

}

function defaultHTML(){

	$html = "build form here for page one and set action to send to itself.";

	return $html;

}

function echoIt(){

	if(!empty($this->HTML)){

		echo $this->HTML;

	} else {

		echo $this->defaultHTML();

	}

}

function proccessform(){

	// get all your session vars back and then do what you need to with them :)

}

}


?>

That's just a general layout of a class that would do what you need. it might give you an idea of how to do it. note ive not added any for of validation or anything but i imagine you will be able to do that part 🙂

Hope this helps somehow, I've got allot on so I don't know when I'll finish the work i'm doing on mine

iBuddy

right on thanks for this, time to edit 🙂