javascript autosubmit() function not working.

Spudrifle

Hi there, I'm trying to make a few pages for my profile based website, that will need the given forms 'Profile' and 'BookLessons' to be automatically submitted onload. Else the variables in the page are all undefined.
Basically I've tried using

<body onLoad="document.formname.submit();" >

But when I do the form submits itself infinitely, and the user is therefore unable to enter the rest of the data or indeed highlight a data entry field.

I've scanned many forums looking for other users similar problems. And followed the respective guidelines, but to no avail.

I'm currently trying to use javascript in the <head> section then calling the javascript function in the <body> tag. Like so -

var submitcount=0;

function submit() {
while(submitcount=0) {
document.weeks.submit();
submitcount++
}
}


</script>

</head>

<body onLoad="submit()">

As I've said, its not doing anything on load up, simply returning query errors.
I'm new to PHP but have eventually got most things to work without hasseling others, but this and my other post here are giving me problems!

Many thanks in advance,
🙂 Spud

Weedpacket

Well, if the first thing the page does when it loads is to submit itself then you are going to have problems.

Seems to me it would be more sensible to check whether or not variables are initialised before using them.

Spudrifle

Thank you for your reply,

I am not sure what you mean, how can I check if they are initializing?
I've rewritten it to this to reduce complexity -

<script type ="javascript">


function submit() {
var i=0;
while (i<1)
{
i=0;
document.weeks.submit();
i++;
}
}

</script>

</head>


<body onLoad="submit()">

surely it is being initialized at var i=0;
Do I need to enclose the code within the script in  as I have seen in various examples?

Sorry to be such a n00b.

Spud.

Weedpacket

The thing is, when you submit the form, it's going to cause the page to be reloaded with whatever sends out with whatever the server sends in response to the form submission. You can send HTTP requests to the server without reloading the page (the technique is called Ajax), but I can still see problems.

I'm still baffled by the need to submit anything as soon as the page is loaded. What is there going to be on the page when it loads that you didn't put there yourself? And anything you did put there is something you already know, so why would you need it submitted to yourself?

And even if you did, the result would still reload the page anyway, and because the page submits itself when it loads....

Walk me through this. What exactly are you trying to do, how exactly are you going about it right now, and what exactly are the results? Try putting together a working model that would show the problem if I ran it on my system here.

Spudrifle

The reason I need to auto-submit the form on its first load is that the form is purely for loading a timetable, the form is labelled weeks and is where logged in users may enter the week in which they wish to view the timetable,

<p>Please enter the week number you wish to see the lesson availability for.. (1, 2, 3 etc.)<p><br>
<form action="" method="post" name="weeks">
		<font: Arial size: 12>
		Week: <input type="text" name="week" value="0"/><br>
		<input type="submit" name="Update" /><br>
</form>

The default is null, but 0 would also suffice.
I need to have this submitted onload else the user will initially view a timetable where every row and column will show an error message. As no variables would have been called.

The current method I am attempting involves session counting, but I cannot work out the correct function that doesn't run infinitely.

THis is the standard session counting method I am using

<?php
session_start();
if(isset($_SESSION['views']))
    $_SESSION['views'] = $_SESSION['views']+ 1;
else
    $_SESSION['views'] = 1;

echo "views = ". $_SESSION['views'];
...
?>

And here's the code for the function, which initializes, but never stops!

<script type ="text/javascript">
<head>
...
<!--
function submit() {
var i='$_SESSION[views]';
while (i=='$_SESSION[views]')
{
document.weeks.submit();
i=0;
}
}
-->
</script>

</head>


<body onLoad="submit()">

Thank you for your patience and interest!
Spud 🙂

Weedpacket

Wouldn't it be easier to simply not show the timetable on the first load? Check to see if the necessary variables exist or not and, if not, don't display anything that relies on them?

Or, better, check to see if those variables exist yet and, if not, initialise them to empty strings or nulls so that they are declared by the timetable is displayed? In other words, do what you're doing now without having to involve this whole server-client-server network round trip javascript onload palaver.

Spudrifle

This does seem like a simpler option..
How would I go about not showing the table unless something is entered then?

I assum it would involve javascript?

Perhaps -
<script type="javascript">
function hideForm() {
if (document.formname.value=null😉 {
hide "formname" }
}
</script>

Not sure how I go about hiding an entire form, I know about the odd field, would I just put the javascript in <head> and have the form action= hideForm() ?
Again, thank you for your interest and assistance.

Spud

Spudrifle

There was most certainly not supposed to be a wink up there...

it was semi-colon, close bracket.

Spudrifle

Attempted -

<script type ="text/javascript">

<!--
function hideForm()
{

var i = document.weeks.value();

if(i == null) {
	document.getElementById(TIMETABLE).style.display = 'none';
} else {
	document.getElementById(TIMETABLE).style.display = 'block';

}
-->
</script>

With form name TIMETABLE. But nothing happens 🙁
Bit of a gray area for a newb..

Spudrifle

Sorry, wish I could just edit posts, but this is now what I'm working with..

function hideForm()
{

if(document.weeks.value == "") {
document.timetable.style.display = 'none';
}

-->
</script>

Weedpacket

There must be more on your page than that. As I asked previously, try putting together a working model that demonstrates what you are doing, that I can read and run it myself and see exactly what it is you're seeing.

Spudrifle

Sorry, hopefully working code:
Its for a friends ballet site, honest!

<?php
session_start();
if(isset($_SESSION['views']))
    $_SESSION['views'] = $_SESSION['views']+ 1;
else
    $_SESSION['views'] = 1;

echo "views = ". $_SESSION['views'];

$host="ephesus.cs.cf.ac.uk";
$db_username="scm7ajb";
$db_password="ruodwi";
$db_name="db2009_7ajb";
$tnl_name="Monday";
$fourtilfive="";
$fivetilsix="";
$sixtilseven="";
$seventileight="";
$eighttilnine="";
$con = mysql_connect("ephesus.cs.cf.ac.uk","scm7ajb","ruodwi");
if (!$con)
  {
  die('Could not connect to database: ' . mysql_error());
  }

mysql_select_db($db_name, $con);

echo "db conn ok<br />";
?>
<html>
<head>
	<title>Wendy Summerell's School of Dance</title>
	<style type="text/css" media="all">

	body {
		font: 100%  chica mono, sans-serif;
		background: URL(http://www.buddyblankies.com/PinkPattern.jpg); <!--colour of panels either side :) -->
		margin: 0;
	}

	.accessaid, h1 {
		position: absolute;
		height: 0;
		overflow: hidden; <!--little bit of header removed-->
	}

	<!--#header {
		background: URL(http://img690.imageshack.us/img690/5207/titlexz.jpg);
		height: 50px;
	}-->

	#header {
				border: solid deeppink;
				border-width: 3px 0;
				background: URL(title.png);
				align: center;
				height: 60px;
				width: 584px;
	}


	#navigation {
		position: absolute;
		top: 60px;
		left: 0;
		width: 134px;
		color: white; <!-- header background and positions-->
	}

	#navigation ul {
		margin: 0 0 1em 0;
		padding: 0;
		list-style: none;
	}

	#navigation ul a {
		color: solid pink;
		text-decoration: none;
		display: block;
		background-color: ff1493;
		padding: 0 0.5em;
		margin: 0 1em 1px 1em;
	}

	#navigation a:visited {
		color: #ccc;
	}

	#navigation a:hover {
		background-color: c12283;
	}

	#content {
		background: white url(http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/7520/balletshoesk.jpg) 114px 0 repeat-y;
		background: white url(http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/7520/balletshoesk.jpg) repeat-y;
		xpadding: 1px 1em 2em 1em;
		padding: 1px 4px 1em 41px;
		border-left: 134px solid pink;
	}

	h2 {
		font-size: 1.5em;
		color: ff1493;
	}

	h3 {
		font-size: 1.25em;
		color: ff1493;
	}

	#content img {
		width: 100px;
		height: 150px;
		padding: 1px;
		border: 1px solid #333;
		float: right;
		margin: 0 0 1em 1em;
	}

	#container {
		position: relative;
		width: 886px; /* width + border for IE 5.x */
		w\idth: 950px; /* real width */
		border: solid deeppink;
		border-width:  0 3px;
		margin: auto;
	}

</style>


<script type ="text/javascript">
<!--


function hideForm()
{

if(document.weeks.value == "") {
	div.table.style.display = "none";
}

-->
</script>

</head>


[B]<body onLoad="hideForm()">[/B]

<div id="container">

<div id="header">
<h1></h1>
</div>

<div id="navigation">

<p><a href="#content" class="accessaid"></a></p>

<ul>
	<li><a href="loginHome.html">Home</a></li><li><a href="profile.php">Profile</a></li><li><li><a href="update_profile.php">Update Proifle</a></li><li><a href="Timetable.html">Timetable</a></li><li><a href="Blessons.php">Book Lessons</a></li></li><li><a href="loginVideos.html">Videos</a></li>

</ul>

<ul>
	<li><a href="loginUseLinks.html">Useful Links</a></li><li><a href="loginAbout.html">About</a></li><li><a href="loginContact.html">Contact Us</a></li><li><a href="loginSitemap.html">Site map</a></li>

</ul>
<ul>
	<li><a href="home.html" onClick="alert('You have been logged out!')">Logout</a></li>
</ul>

</div>


<div id="content">
<h2>Book a lesson</h2>
<p>Please enter the week number you wish to see the lesson availability for.. (1, 2, 3 etc.)<p><br>
[B]<form action="" method="post" name="weeks">[/B]
		<font: Arial size: 12>
		Week: <input type="text" name="week" value=""/><br>
		<input type="submit" name="Update" /><br>
</form>
<p> Click <A HREF="javascript:void(0)"
onclick="window.open('weeks.html',
'weeks','width=410,height=400')">
<i>here</i></A> to see the full details of the weeks and find out when you want to book!</p>

<div id="table">
<br>
<p>Click on the buttons labelled '<b>book now!</b>' then enter your <b>name</b>, <b>telephone number</b> and any further contact details you wish to include in the message before you click <i>send</i>.</p>
<p>[B]<FORM action="" method="get" name="timetable" onLoad="hideForm()">[/B]<TABLE BORDER=5 CELLPADDING=10 NAME=TIMETABLE>
<TR><TH></TH><TH>4pm-5pm</TH><TH>5pm-6pm</TH><TH>6pm-7pm</TH><TH>7pm-8pm</TH><TH>8pm-9pm</TH>
<TR ALIGN=Center><TH>Monday</TH><TD><INPUT TYPE="button" VALUE="<?php $query = "SELECT * FROM Monday WHERE week='$_POST[week]'";
$result = mysql_query($query);
while ($row = mysql_fetch_assoc($result)) {
    echo $row['fourtilfive'];

}
?>" onClick="parent.location='mailto:amy.bates@live.co.uk?subject=Lesson Booking = Monday 4pm-5pm Week <?php $query = "SELECT * FROM Monday WHERE week='$_POST[week]'";
$result = mysql_query($query);
while ($row = mysql_fetch_assoc($result)) {
    echo $row['week'];
}
?>'"></TD>
</TABLE></p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</body>
</html>

Weedpacket

Well, obviously I can't run that because I don't have your database. It's also packed full of irrelevant stuff that doesn't have anything to do with the issue at hand. A couple of form elements are highlighted. I presume the first one is the one you want hidden if something is empty? And I take it that you want it hidden if its "week" field is empty? (But of course it's empty: it says so right there in the page: 'value=""'. So the question is when you want to make it visible.)

But are you talking about something giving some sort of error (you haven't supplied any details about what exactly the error message says) when you try to display the second form (I presume you've put its tag is in bold for a reason). If there is no form submission with a field named 'week', then $_POST['week'] won't be set, and errors can result from that.

I'm going to assume that you don't want the table to be displayed when no week number has been supplied. Like I said in my first reply; check that a variable exists before using it.

<?php
if(isset($_POST['week']))
{
?>
<FORM action="" method="get" name="timetable" onLoad="hideForm()"><TABLE BORDER=5 CELLPADDING=10 NAME=TIMETABLE>
<TR><TH></TH><TH>4pm-5pm</TH><TH>5pm-6pm</TH><TH>6pm-7pm</TH><TH>7pm-8pm</TH><TH>8pm-9pm</TH>
<TR ALIGN=Center><TH>Monday</TH><TD><INPUT TYPE="button" VALUE="<?php $query = "SELECT * FROM Monday WHERE week='$_POST[week]'";
$result = mysql_query($query);
while ($row = mysql_fetch_assoc($result)) {
    echo $row['fourtilfive'];

}
?>" onClick="parent.location='mailto:amy.bates@live.co.uk?subject=Lesson Booking = Monday 4pm-5pm Week <?php $query = "SELECT * FROM Monday WHERE week='$_POST[week]'";
$result = mysql_query($query);
while ($row = mysql_fetch_assoc($result)) {
    echo $row['week'];
}
?>'"></TD>
</TABLE></form>
<?php
}
?>

Spudrifle

Oh god, I didn't know you could break up if statements and put them around html :S I am quite the noob. Issue resolved!!

Thank you very much for all of your help!

spud

Weedpacket

Aahhh, I didn't realise. Yes: you can do that. Basically, anywhere you can legally put an echo statement you can opt to drop out of PHP ?> and into plain output, stepping back into <?php PHP when you're done. PHP will just take everything between the ?> and <?php and send it through unaltered.