[RESOLVED] Adding Multiple Locations to Database?

nickminute

I am in need of a solution and I am open to any ideas. A user needs to be able to select multiple locations via checkboxes and based on those selections, those locations need to be added to my database. I have some basic code below (without database inserts) using an array with the implode function. I have no idea if this is the best way to go about this issue, so please let me know if you have a better idea. Keep in mind that data integrity must be kept intact. So a locationID field (primary key for my locations table) must be passed at some point. Please let me know your thoughts!! Thanks in advance.

<form method="post" enctype="application/x-www-form-urlencoded" name="myform">


Locations<br />    

<input type="checkbox" name="locations[]" value="Town Mall Center" />Town Mall Center  <br /> 
<input type="checkbox" name="locations[]" value="Jensen Building West" />Jensen Building West<br /> <br />    

<input name="submit" type="submit" value="Submit" />  </form>

<?php
$locations = implode(", ", $_POST['locations']);
echo "<br /><br />";
echo "Locations: ";
echo $locations;

?>

anakadote

I'd use the primary key for the input value instead:

<input type="checkbox" name="locations[]" value="<? echo PRIMARY KEY HERE; ?>" />Town Mall Center

The when processing the form just add each selected location to a new db table:

foreach($_POST['locations'] as $location){

// INSERT INTO user_locations (user_id, location_id) VALUES ($user_id, $location)

}

halojoy

Is not preferably to put several values into one field.

You could create a special table: location_choices
Fields could be:
id .......(choice_id)
user_id
location
(date_of_choice (eventually))

Insert choices from user_id 2 and 3
user_id, location
2, Town Mall
2, Jensen Building
3, NewYork
3, Jensen Building

The benefit from having only one value in each field
is when you need to search for and select things.

It is easy to find a list of all users that has 'Jensen Building' as choice.

It is also easy to find all choices of user_id='2"

nickminute

anakadote, you sir, are wonderful. Worked perfectly. I guess my noobness is always getting in the way, I had no idea about the foreach method, but it was very simple. Thanks again!