[RESOLVED] optional fields in a form

[mrw2020]

Hi everyone, I'm new to this post and an amatuer when it comes to php. I have a form I'm creating for entering information. I need some of the fields to be optional and sent to the database as empty, but I just can't seem to get it to work.

Here is the code, has anyone got any ideas as to how to make it work? All advice appreciated.

if (isset($_POST['submitted'])) { // Check if the form has been submitted.
	require_once ('../../mysql_connect.php'); // Connect to the database.

//Check for Shop Name number
if (!empty($_POST['sh_name'])) {
$sh_name = escape_data($_POST['sh_name']);

} else {
    $sh_name = FALSE;
    echo '<p><font color="red">Please enter the shop name!</f></p>';

}

//Check for the first line of the address
if (!empty($_POST['sh_add1'])) {
$sh_add1 = escape_data($_POST['sh_add1']);

} else {
    $sh_add1 = FALSE;
    echo '<p><font color="red">You must enter at least a first line of the shop address!</font></p>';

}

//Check for the second line of the address
if (!empty($_POST['sh_add2'])) {
$sh_add2 = escape_data($_POST['sh_add2']);

} else {
    $sh_add2 = NULL;

}

// Check for the town
if (!empty($_POST['sh_town'])) {
$sh_town = escape_data($_POST['sh_town']);

} else {
    $sh_town = NULL;

}

//Check for the county
if (!empty($_POST['sh_county'])) {
$sh_county = escape_data($_POST['sh_county']);

} else {
    $sh_county = NULL;

}

//Check for post code
if (!empty($_POST['sh_pcode'])) {
$sh_pcode = escape_data($_POST['sh_pcode']);

} else {
    $sh_pcode = FALSE;
    echo '<p><font color="red">Please enter a valid post code!</font></p>';
}

//Check for telephone
   if (!empty($_POST['sh_phone'])) {
    $sh_phone = escape_data($_POST['sh_phone']);

} else {
    $sh_phone = NULL;

}

// Check for email address.
if (!empty($_POST['sh_email'])) {
$sh_email = escape_data($_POST['sh_email']);

} else {
    $sh_email = NULL;

}

// Check for web page.
if (!empty($_POST['sh_web'])) {
$sh_web = escape_data($_POST['sh_web']);

} else {
    $sh_web = NULL;

}


    if ($sh_name && $sh_add1 && $sh_add2 && $sh_town && $sh_county && $sh_phone && sh_email && $sh_web && $sh_pcode) { // If everything's OK.

    // Add the retailer to the database.
    $query = "INSERT INTO retailers (ret_name, ret_add1, ret_add2, ret_town, ret_county, ret_pcode, ret_phone, ret_email, ret_web, ret_dateEntered) VALUES ('$sh_name', '$sh_add1', '$sh_add2', '$sh_town', '$sh_county', '$sh_pcode', '$sh_phone', '$sh_email', '$sh_web',  NOW() )";
    if ($result = mysql_query ($query)) { // Worked.
        echo "<h3>Thank you for using this system, the Shop has been added.</h3><p>You have added:</p><strong>$sh_name<br /> Address:</strong><br />$sh_add1<br />$sh_add2<br>$sh_town<br />$sh_county<br />$sh_pcode<p>Telephone:<br />$sh_phone</p><p>Email:<br />$sh_email</p><p>Web Site:<br />$sh_web</p></p><a href='addRetailer.php'>Add Another shop</a>";
            include ('./includes/footer.html'); // Include the HTML footer.
            exit();
    } else { // If the query did not run OK.
        echo '<p><font color="red">Your submission could not be processed due to a system error.</font></p>'; 
    }

} else { // Failed a test.
        echo '<p><font color="red">Please click "back" and try again.</font></p>';
}

} else { // Display the form.

}

[sneakyimp]

What is "not working" ?

[dagon]

are you suer you mean NULL and not just empty? are the db fields set to NULL as a default?

[TheStalker]

whats the error or what part is not working ?

[mrw2020]

Thank you all for answering and sorry I haven't replied sooner - I had to be away for a while.
The problem is that if I try the following lines of code:

if (!empty($POST['sh_add2'])) {
$sh_add2 = escape_data($POST['sh_add2']);

} else {
    $sh_add2 = '';

}

or

if (!empty($POST['sh_add2'])) {
$sh_add2 = escape_data($POST['sh_add2']);
} else {
$sh_add2 =NULL; // The corresponding database fields have been set to NULL

}

I get the following error message that's generated by the code in the script

'Please click "back" and try again.'

and the information isn't submitted to the database, the code that generates it is:

if ($sh_name && $sh_add1 && $sh_add2 && $sh_town && $sh_county && $sh_phone && $sh_email && $sh_web && $sh_pcode) { // If everything's OK.

    // Add the retailer to the database.
    $query = "INSERT INTO retailers (ret_name, ret_add1, ret_add2, ret_town, ret_county, ret_pcode, ret_phone, ret_email, ret_web, ret_dateEntered) VALUES ('$sh_name', '$sh_add1', '$sh_add2', '$sh_town', '$sh_county', '$sh_pcode', '$sh_phone', '$sh_email', '$sh_web',  NOW() )";
    if ($result = mysql_query ($query)) { // Worked.
        echo "<h3>Thank you for using this system, the Shop has been added.</h3><p>You have added:</p><strong>$sh_name<br /> Address:</strong><br />$sh_add1<br />$sh_add2<br>$sh_town<br />$sh_county<br />$sh_pcode<p>Telephone:<br />$sh_phone</p><p>Email:<br />$sh_email</p><p>Website:<br />$sh_web</p></p><a href='addRetailer.php'>Add Another shop</a>";
            include ('./includes/footer.html'); // Include the HTML footer.
            exit();
    } else { // If the query did not run OK.
        echo '<p><font color="red">Your submission could not be processed due to a system error.</font></p>'; 
    }

} else { // Failed a test.
        echo '<p><font color="red">Please click "back" and try again.</font></p>';
}

} else { // Display the form.

}
?>

Thanks in advance for any advice or help.

[mrw2020]

sneakyimp;10960733 wrote:

What is "not working" ?

Sorry I'm trying to get the hang of this post. I receive a script generated error message:

'Please click "back" and try again.'

And the form information isn't submitted, this is the part of the script that creates this:

if ($sh_name && $sh_add1 && $sh_add2 && $sh_town && $sh_county && $sh_phone && $sh_email && $sh_web && $sh_pcode) { // If everything's OK.

    // Add the retailer to the database.
    $query = "INSERT INTO retailers (ret_name, ret_add1, ret_add2, ret_town, ret_county, ret_pcode, ret_phone, ret_email, ret_web, ret_dateEntered) VALUES ('$sh_name', '$sh_add1', '$sh_add2', '$sh_town', '$sh_county', '$sh_pcode', '$sh_phone', '$sh_email', '$sh_web',  NOW() )";
    if ($result = mysql_query ($query)) { // Worked.
        echo "<h3>Thank you for using this system, the Shop has been added.</h3><p>You have added:</p><strong>$sh_name<br /> Address:</strong><br />$sh_add1<br />$sh_add2<br>$sh_town<br />$sh_county<br />$sh_pcode<p>Telephone:<br />$sh_phone</p><p>Email:<br />$sh_email</p><p>Website:<br />$sh_web</p></p><a href='addRetailer.php'>Add Another shop</a>";
            include ('./includes/footer.html'); // Include the HTML footer.
            exit();
    } else { // If the query did not run OK.
        echo '<p><font color="red">Your submission could not be processed due to a system error.</font></p>'; 
    }

} else { // Failed a test.
        echo '<p><font color="red">Please click "back" and try again.</font></p>';
}

} else { // Display the form.

}
?>

I have tried the following peices of code resulting in the same error message:

//Check for the second line of the address
if (!empty($POST['sh_add2'])) {
$sh_add2 = escape_data($POST['sh_add2']);

} else {
    $sh_add2 = '';

}

I've also tried:

//Check for the second line of the address
if (!empty($POST['sh_add2'])) {
$sh_add2 = escape_data($POST['sh_add2']);

} else {
    $sh_add2 = NULL;

}

The corresponding database fields are set to NULL

Thanks for your response

[mrw2020]

dagon;10960751 wrote:

are you suer you mean NULL and not just empty? are the db fields set to NULL as a default?

I've tried using empty fields without success - the followng is what I tried:

//Check for the second line of the address
if (!empty($POST['sh_add2'])) {
$sh_add2 = escape_data($POST['sh_add2']);

} else {
    $sh_add2 = '';

}

I then set the corresponding database fields to NULL and tried this code

//Check for the second line of the address
if (!empty($POST['sh_add2'])) {
$sh_add2 = escape_data($POST['sh_add2']);

} else {
    $sh_add2 = NULL;

}

Still without success,

All help would be greatly appreciated

[mrw2020]

sneakyimp;10960733 wrote:

What is "not working" ?

the script isn't working because the information isn't being submitted to the database, i receive the following script generated error message:

'Please click "back" and try again.'

Which comes at the end of the script:

if ($sh_name && $sh_add1 && $sh_add2 && $sh_town && $sh_county && $sh_phone && $sh_email && $sh_web && $sh_pcode) { // If everything's OK.

    // Add the retailer to the database.
    $query = "INSERT INTO retailers (ret_name, ret_add1, ret_add2, ret_town, ret_county, ret_pcode, ret_phone, ret_email, ret_web, ret_dateEntered) VALUES ('$sh_name', '$sh_add1', '$sh_add2', '$sh_town', '$sh_county', '$sh_pcode', '$sh_phone', '$sh_email', '$sh_web',  NOW() )";
    if ($result = mysql_query ($query)) { // Worked.
        echo "<h3>Thank you for using this system, the Shop has been added.</h3><p>You have added:</p><strong>$sh_name<br /> Address:</strong><br />$sh_add1<br />$sh_add2<br>$sh_town<br />$sh_county<br />$sh_pcode<p>Telephone:<br />$sh_phone</p><p>Email:<br />$sh_email</p><p>Website:<br />$sh_web</p></p><a href='addRetailer.php'>Add Another shop</a>";
            include ('./includes/footer.html'); // Include the HTML footer.
            exit();
    } else { // If the query did not run OK.
        echo '<p><font color="red">Your submission could not be processed due to a system error.</font></p>'; 
    }

} else { // Failed a test.
        echo '<p><font color="red">Please click "back" and try again.</font></p>';
}

} else { // Display the form.

}
?>

So basically there is 'some kind of error' that occurs and the script isn't able to sent the information to the database.

Thank you for your help

[sneakyimp]

PLEASE use the code formatting tags (i.e, [ php] and [/code] around your code).

The line that checks for the submitted data looks like this:

  if ($sh_name && $sh_add1 && $sh_add2 && $sh_town && $sh_county && $sh_phone && sh_email && $sh_web && $sh_pcode) { // If everything's OK.

To get past that line, you have to have a non-null value for ALL of those variables. If it's OK for any of them to be null, take them out of that line.

[mrw2020]

sneakyimp;10960909 wrote:

PLEASE use the code formatting tags (i.e, [ php] and [/code] around your code).

The line that checks for the submitted data looks like this:

  if ($sh_name && $sh_add1 && $sh_add2 && $sh_town && $sh_county && $sh_phone && sh_email && $sh_web && $sh_pcode) { // If everything's OK.

To get past that line, you have to have a non-null value for ALL of those variables. If it's OK for any of them to be null, take them out of that line.

Sorry about the lack code formatting tags and thank you for responding. I've tried what you've suggested and I think it would work however I've tweeked the code to include the following - make sure of no injection or tampering, the only problem is I get the following error message

'An error occurred in script 'D:\wamp\www\woe\content management\addRetailer.php' on line 61:
Undefined index: sha_add2'

Any ideas as to what I'm doing wrong?

//Check for the second line of the address stripping out, trimming special characters and escaping data
    if (!empty($_POST['sh_add2'])) {
    $sh_add2 = (escape_data($_POST['sh_add2']) && (htmlspecialchars($_POST['sh_add2']) && (trim($_POST['sha_add2']))));

} else {
    $sh_add2 = '';

}

Many thanks

[johanafm]

Undefined index means you are using an array index that has not been defined. In your case, it's most likely a typo. sh_add2 is not the same thing as sha_add2

    if (!empty($_POST['sh_add2'])) {
    $sh_add2 = (escape_data($_POST['sh_add2']) && (htmlspecialchars($_POST['sh_add2']) && (trim($_POST['sha_add2']))));

[mrw2020]

Many thanks for your reply, you were quite right it was a typo! it took me ages to find it (I think I'm getting a bit senile). The code seems to be working fine now apart from one weird result, I keep getting the number '1' come up in the display, here is the complete code:

//Check for Shop Name number
    if (!empty($_POST['sh_name'])) {
    $sh_name = escape_data($_POST['sh_name']);

} else {
    $sh_name = FALSE;
    echo '<p><font color="red">Please enter the shop name!</font></p>';

}

//Check for the first line of the address
if (!empty($_POST['sh_add1'])) {
$sh_add1 = escape_data($_POST['sh_add1']);

} else {
    $sh_add1 = FALSE;
    echo '<p><font color="red">You must enter at least a first line of the shop address!</font></p>';

}

//Check for the second line of the address stripping out, trimming special characters and escaping data
if (!empty($_POST['sh_add2'])) {
$sh_add2 = (escape_data($_POST['sh_add2']) && (trim($_POST['sh_add2'])));

} else {
    $sh_add2 = '';

}

// Check for the town
if (!empty($_POST['sh_town'])) {
$sh_town = (escape_data($_POST['sh_town']) && (trim($_POST['sh_town'])));

} else {
    $sh_town = '';

}

//Check for the county
if (!empty($_POST['sh_county'])) {
$sh_county = (escape_data($_POST['sh_county']) && (trim($_POST['sh_county'])));

} else {
    $sh_county = '';

}

//Check for post code
if (!empty($_POST['sh_pcode'])) {
$sh_pcode = escape_data($_POST['sh_pcode']);

} else {
    $sh_pcode = FALSE;
    echo '<p><font color="red">Please enter a valid post code!</font></p>';
}

//Check for telephone
   if (!empty($_POST['sh_phone'])) {
    $sh_phone = escape_data($_POST['sh_phone']);

} else {
    $sh_phone = '';

}

// Check for email address.
$sh_email = htmlspecialchars($_POST['sh_email']);
if (!preg_match("/([\w\-]+\@[\w\-]+\.[\w\-]+)/",$sh_email)) {
{
   $sh_email = '';
}


// Check for web page.
$sh_web = htmlspecialchars($_POST['sh_web']); 
if (!preg_match("/^(https?:\/\/+[\w\-]+\.[\w\-]+)/i",$sh_web))
{
    $sh_web = '';
}

    // Add the retailer to the database.
    $query = "INSERT INTO retailers (ret_name, ret_add1, ret_add2, ret_town, ret_county, ret_pcode, ret_phone, ret_email, ret_web, ret_dateEntered) VALUES ('$sh_name', '$sh_add1', '$sh_add2', '$sh_town', '$sh_county', '$sh_pcode', '$sh_phone', '$sh_email', '$sh_web',  NOW() )";
    if ($result = mysql_query ($query)) { // Worked.
        echo "<h3>Thank you for using this system, the Shop has been added.</h3><p>You have added:</p><strong>$sh_name<br /> Address:</strong><br />$sh_add1<br />$sh_add2<br>$sh_town<br />$sh_county<br />$sh_pcode<p>Telephone:<br />$sh_phone</p><p>Email:<br />$sh_email</p><p>Website:<br />$sh_web</p></p><a href='addRetailer.php'>Add Another shop</a>";
            include ('./includes/footer.html'); // Include the HTML footer.
            exit();
    } else { // If the query did not run OK.
        echo '<p><font color="red">Your submission could not be processed due to a system error.</font></p>'; 
    }

} else { // Failed a test.
        echo '<p><font color="red">Please try again.</font></p>';
}

} else { // Display the form.
}

  ?>

and this is the result when I enter random details for a shop:

'Thank you for using this system, the Shop has been added.

You have added:
ABAD
Address:
461 Norwood Road

1
LU6 3JG

Telephone:

Email:

Website:'

Any ideas how the '1' is generated? I would be grateful for any advice.

Many thanks for your help

[johanafm]

You should [ur=http://validator.w3.org]validate[/url] your input. For example, use of both <br/> and <br> will never validate. One is HTML, the other is XHTML. Your document cannot be both. Considering that most your br elements are closed, I'd guess you're creating an XHTML document, but in that case you must also explicitly close your paragraphs.

Look at the line providing the output, and then compare it to your output. Adding linebreaks in the code where there will be new line formatting in html helps to see what's what.

echo "<h3>Thank you for using this system, the Shop has been added.</h3>
<p>You have added:</p>
<strong>$sh_name<br />
 Address:</strong><br />
$sh_add1<br />
$sh_add2<br>
$sh_town<br />
$sh_county<br />
$sh_pcode
<p>Telephone:<br />
$sh_phone</p>
<p>Email:<br />
$sh_email</p>
<p>Website:<br />
$sh_web</p>
</p><a href='addRetailer.php'>Add Another shop</a>";

When you compare this to your output, you should easily be able to spot what variables are empty, and which one contains 1.

[mrw2020]

johanafm;10961159 wrote:

You should [ur=http://validator.w3.org]validate[/url] your input. For example, use of both <br/> and <br> will never validate. One is HTML, the other is XHTML. Your document cannot be both. Considering that most your br elements are closed, I'd guess you're creating an XHTML document, but in that case you must also explicitly close your paragraphs.

Look at the line providing the output, and then compare it to your output. Adding linebreaks in the code where there will be new line formatting in html helps to see what's what.

echo "<h3>Thank you for using this system, the Shop has been added.</h3>
<p>You have added:</p>
<strong>$sh_name<br />
 Address:</strong><br />
$sh_add1<br />
$sh_add2<br>
$sh_town<br />
$sh_county<br />
$sh_pcode
<p>Telephone:<br />
$sh_phone</p>
<p>Email:<br />
$sh_email</p>
<p>Website:<br />
$sh_web</p>
</p><a href='addRetailer.php'>Add Another shop</a>";

When you compare this to your output, you should easily be able to spot what variables are empty, and which one contains 1.

Many thanks for you reply and help, it worked a treat. I've been looking at the code for so long I didn't see the mixed formatting. Thanks again Johanafm

[jfpoloacademy]

Hi,

Please bare with me, I am new to PHP!

I have a form that i have made for a local company.

The url is: http://www.thejourneyman.org.uk/theatre-online-registration-form.html

The form is here: http://www.thejourneyman.org.uk/theatreform/theatre-online-registration-form.php

How to I made the checkboxes optional. At the moment, for the form to work every field has to be selected. I want all check boxes to be optional.

If anyone can help it would be much appreciated!

Thanks in advance

James