PHP form validation for equal values

[RodrigoDC]

Hello,

I am trying to set up a PHP form validation with a form which includes fields that have pre-defined values. However, I want to return an error message if the form visitors does not input a field value other than the one that has be pre-defined.

To better explain my situation, I have a form field as follows:

<input name="Name" class="input" value="Your name:" type="text" onblur="if(this.value=='') {this.value='Your name:';}" onfocus="if(this.value=='Your name:') {this.value='';}">

The field name=Name above has a pre-defined value of "Your name:", which I use to describe to the user what I want them to fill out (pretty elemental), as oppose to include the explanation text out side the input field. But I want such field to be required to submit the form. Hence, I need a PHP case in which it says, in layman's terms, "if the value of the field X is equal to a pre-defined value, then echo an error message."

In short, I need something like a "required" case, but instead of an empty field, the field must NOT be equal to its original value:

case "same_as_original":
        if (!isset($fields[$field_name]) || $fields[$field_name] == "PRE-DEFINED VALUE")
          $errors[] = $error_message;
        break;

The error messages have been defined elsewhere on a validation.php file.

I realize the easy path would be to leave the field blank and place the explanation text outside the input field, but that would be too easy, right? 😃

Can anyone help me here or is this way outside the scope of this forum?

Thanks in advance for your help.

[dagon]

where does PRE-DEFINED VALUE come from? is it a single sting or multiple strings?

[RodrigoDC]

PRE-DEFINED VALUE was just used as an example. In this case, it should be equal to "Your name:". But obviously this case would ONLY apply to this one field.

What I am trying to do is to set up a validation function or case in which if the pre-defined value is "Your name:" for field name="Name" and "Your phone:" for field name="Phone", PHP would validate ALL fields comparing them to the current value. If the new value is equal to the pre-defined value, then the form cannot be submitted.

If I need to provide a string of predefined values, how can PHP know which value belongs to which fields? I am not sure, and this is why I am asking for help.

In other words, I don't want the value of field name="Name" to be equal to "Your name:", I want it to be equal to be anything except "Your name:". This should apply to any other field I choose to give it a value, such as the value for field name="Phone" and so on.

Does that make sense?