How to retain SESSION data in function

dmacman1962

Hi everyone,

I am using a function on my forms and it works great except when a user does not complete an item on my form. I know the browsers 'should' retain their choices, but some don't and a significant amount of them are complaining so I am attempting to resolve this issue.

Here is the function I use... (Note: I added the "if(($SESSION[$label]) !=''){" to try and retain their choices, but it doesn't work.)

function makeDropList($name,$list,$selected="") {
  // $name       select name
  // $list       array of value, label pair
  // $selected   selected value
  global $x;
  global $label;
  while(list($value,$label) = each($list)) {
			if(($_SESSION[$label]) !=''){
			$options .= '<option value="'.$value.'">'.$_SESSION[$label].'</option>';
			} else {
			$options .= '<option value="'.$value.'">'.$label.'</option>';
			}
  }
  $dropList = '<select name="'.$name.'" tabindex="'.$x.'">'.$options.'</select>'."\n";
  $dropList = ereg_replace("value=\"$selected\"","value=\"$selected\" selected",$dropList);
  return $dropList;
}

Then I include it and define the array...

$x='1'; //tabindex value
$languages = array(""  => " ", "Sr." => "Sr.", "Prof." => "Prof.", "Dr." => "Dr.", "Miss" => "Miss", "Mr." => "Mr.", "Mrs." => "Mrs.", "Ms." => "Ms."); // default for empty selected
$list = makeDropList('Title',$languages,$language);
echo $list;
?>

I tried making it global in the function and that did not resolve it.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Don

leatherback

This should do th trick:


function makeDropList($name,$list,$selected="") 
 {
  // $name       select name
  // $list       array of value, label pair
  // $selected   selected value
  global $x;
  global $label;
foreach($list as $value=>$label)
  {
  if(($_SESSION[$label] != '') || ($selected == $value)) // Are you sure you store the label?
    {
    $options .= '<option selected value="'.$value.'">'.$label.'</option>';
    }
  else
    {
    $options .= '<option value="'.$value.'">'.$label.'</option>';
    }
  }
  $dropList = '<select name="'.$name.'" tabindex="'.$x.'">'.$options.'</select>'."\n";
  return $dropList;
}

dmacman1962

Hi again leatherback,

I tried that and it did not retain the data when I went back.

To answer your "//Are you sure you store the label?" I am getting the SESSION values on my process page

$_SESSION['Title']=$_POST['Title'];

Is that what you were asking?

Thanks,
Don

leatherback

What do you mean 'When they go back'?

The structure you use overwrites all the vars as you reload the page...

The easiest (I find) is to have your form in an include file, and load it when needed, and have the action set to itself : $_SERVER['SCRIPT_NAME'].

Then when you have errors, you include() the form and you do not need to deal with going back or reloading pages.

Jelle.

dmacman1962

I mean go back with

javascript:history.go(-1)

. Do you have an example of

The easiest (I find) is to have your form in an include file, and load it when needed, and have the action set to itself : $_SERVER['SCRIPT_NAME'].

I think whats happening is that I have a page where they enter in their email address to see if they already got a free dvd and I start the SESSION on that page. Then I send them to a process page and if they are not in the database, I set the SESSION data for the form page.

$_SESSION['auth']="yes";
$_SESSION['EmailAddress']=$_POST['EmailAddress'];
$_SESSION['EmailAddress2']=$_POST['EmailAddress2'];
$_SESSION['OK']="ok";

And then on the form page, if

if($_SESSION['OK']=='ok' && $_SESSION['auth']=='yes'){

I let them fill out the form. On my other feedback forms, I dont need to use the SESSION and the javascript:history.go(-1) works fine.

I am not sure how you do it, that is why I asked for an example for me to adopt your method.

Thanks as always,
Don

leatherback


// Page specific includes
$mail       = getvar('email', '', 2);
$security   = md5(getvar('security', '', 2));

require_once($reset_pass_form);

if($mail == "")	// The user has not entered the code, nor surfed in with a code-entered url: Show form
  {
  $body = "<h2>Please fill out the form below, so we can reset your password.</h2>".$resform;  

  }
else				// A code was entered. Check the database. Change validation value if valid. Else display error message.
  {
  if($security == $_SESSION['hashtext'])
  {  

  // connect to database:

// blablabla

    if(! mail($to, $subject, $message, $headers))
      {
      $body = "We were unable to send you an email. Please try again later.";
      exit();
      }
    else
      {
      $body = "Your password was reset, and the new password has been sent to you by email.";
      }    
    }
  else	// Password could not be updated
    {
    }
}
  else		// Email address unknown
    {

// NOTE: Here the option to fill out the form again:

$body = "<p class=\"errors\">The request could not be performed, as the email is unknown.</p><br />".$resform;	// Faulty code entered
}	
  }	// end of correct security code
else
  {
// AND HERE AGAIN:

  $body = "<p class=\"errors\">The form doesn't work if you do not provide the correct security code.</p>
           <br />".$resform;	// Faulty code enter

The form is php file with something like this:



$resform="

<form action = \"".$_SERVER['SCRIPT_NAME']."\" method=\"post\" accept-charset=\"UTF-8\">

<table class=\"labelled\">
  <tr><td class=\"label_back\">
      Your email:
    </td><td class=\"noborder\">
      <input class=\"formel_1\" type=\"text\" name=\"email\" value=\"$mail\">
  </td></tr></tr>       

  <tr><td class=\"label_back\"> 

 Security code  

  </td><td class=\"noborder\">

 <img alt=\"Security Image\" src=\"".$security_image."\" />

  </td></tr><tr><td class=\"label_back\">

Type security code:

  </td><td class=\"noborder\"> 

<input name=\"security\"  class=\"formel_1\" type=\"text\" size=\"15\" />  

  </td></tr>

  <tr><td class=\"noborder\">

<input type =\"submit\" class=\"formel_1\" value=\"Reset password\">

  </td><td class=\"noborder\">

<input type =\"reset\" class=\"formel_1\" value=\"Cancel\">

  </td></tr>

</table>


</form>  

";