Dynamic Form, Array, Adding values Question

SkiBumBrian

hello,

I have setup a four page order form. I pass values from each page using the $_POST method.

On orderpage1 the user selects (among other things) a DESIGNSTYLE. A DESIGNSTYLE will take 1-4 measurements called 'stretchouts'

On orderpage2 I have a the following to display 1-4 input text boxes:

<?php
$StretchBoxes = $stretchcount; 
for ($i = 1; $i <= $StretchBoxes; $i++) { 
   echo '<input type="text" size="3" name="stretchLen['.$i.']" value="0" />&nbsp;&nbsp;';
} 
?>

So far so good, the correct number of boxes is displayed (DESIGNSTYLE, STRETCHCOUNT are values from the database)

Now, on Orderpage3, I need to total the values in the array to get a $TotalStretchOut value to use in additional calculations.

SO:
I am trying (I think) to do something like this at the top of Oderpage3

$stretchLen() = $_POST['stretchLen[]'];
$stretchtotal = array_sum($stretchLen);

But I think I am missing something trying to pass the Array from Orderpage2.php to Orderpage3.php and then added the values.

Thanks!

Brian

sneakyimp

If you have a multi-page form and want values submitted on the first page to be preserved through all the pages of your form, there are a couple of options:
1) echo the values entered on page n into hidden form inputs on page n+1
2) store the $POST values entered on each page in $SESSION, then in your final form page, you'll need to look in $_SESSION to retrieve all the previously submitted values.

SkiBumBrian

I have other checkboxes, text boxes, etc. and I place the previous values in hidden fields to carry forward. that's not the problem.

How do I carry forward an Array? And a variable length array at that? For example, if the user choices STYLEA, I need to capture StretchLen(1) and StretchLen(2). If they select STYLEB, I need to capture StretchLen(1), StretchLen(2), StretchLen(3).

Thanks for the help!

Brian

sneakyimp

Personally, I think echoing the hidden fields is a pain. I think $SESSION would be much easier. To use $SESSION to forward these values, you could do something like this. suppose page1.php is the first page of your form and submits to page2.php. Do this in page2.php:

// page2.php - page1.php POSTs to this page.

// first, validate the data from page 1...if it is no good, redirect back to page1.php


// when you are satisfied, save the vars in post
session_start();
$_SESSION['page1_post_vars'] = $_POST;

// now show the 2nd form...

The basic idea is that you call [man]session_start[/man] on any given page and then you can read/write the values in $SESSION. You can put values in $SESSION in one script and then read them in another. It's very convenient. Assuming you have 4 form pages, you might do this on the last page (page5.php) which doesn't have a form itself but handles the submission of the form on page4.php.

//page5.php - page4.php POSTs here

// validate $_POST data from page 4 here. if no good, redirect to page4.php

session_start();
// if you set these values in $_SESSION on previous pages, they should be available
// to you now.  you may want to validate all this data to make sure everything has
// been defined and is to your liking.
$p1 = $_SESSION['page1_post_vars'];
$p2 = $_SESSION['page2_post_vars'];
$p3 = $_SESSION['page3_post_vars'];
$p4 = $_SESSION['page4_post_vars'];

If you must use hidden fields, you could do something like this:

foreach($_POST['StretchLen'] as $key => $value) {
    echo '<input type="hidden" name="StretchLen[' . $key . ']" value="' . htmlspecialchars($value) . '">';
}