Form to Databse Question... Please help.

[Anon]

I'm trying to use a while statement to take the variables submitted by the form to be insterted into the database. But i'm not quite sure how to do it. Can I use while or do I have to use arrays?

This is basicly my code:

// The form
$number = 1;
$result = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM links");

while ($row = mysql_fetch_row($result)) {

echo "<input type=text name=".$number++."_link value=$row[0]>";

}

// So what will happen is that there will be a new input box for every result that is returned. The name or variable which will be given is $1_link, $2_link, $3_link etc.. the number keeps increasing as the results are fetched.

//Now in the form processing I want something like the below code. But i'm having problems. What is supposted to happen is that the variables from the form are collected, counted and then for every variable it should inset a row into my table

//The form process code

while ($number++_links) {
code to inset the variables into the database
}

//Should I use while or make some sort of array? I know this is a little confusing heh 🙂

Any re-code or help would be aprichated.

[brandonschnell]

think variable variables. something like the below should do the trick, tho i haven't tested this example.

while (($var = "$number++_links") && isset($$var)) {
code to inset the variables into the database
}

[Anon]

Thanks... I haven't tried either but by the looks of it, it should work.

[Anon]

heh hm... dosen't work...
if you don't know anymore, thx anyway

[Anon]

Acctually it works now 🙂 hehe
THanks!!!!
I just had to modify it a bit.

while (($var = "".$number++."_links") && isset($$var)) {
code for databse
}

Becuase like you said

while (($var = "$number++_links") && isset($$var)) {
echo "its good";
}

what happends is that $number++links is outputted as 1++links, 2++_links

[smarlowe]

So far, the other answers have you going the long way. While variable variables will work, it is less efficient and harder to code than just using variables. So, you name your form vars like so

<form name=form>
<?php
$max=4;
for ($i=0;$i<$max;$i++){
print "<input type=text name=last_name[$i]>";
}
?>
<input type=submit name=action value="Go!">
</form>

Then you just either compact them with serialize and stick them into one database element, or, if they need to be in seperate rows you can either for next or while across them. Like any other array. It works well with multipart forms where you have say 10 records and each has 5 parts. In that case you can even use a 2 dimensional array like so:

<input name=arg[$i][$j]>

when making the form fields. Then, just make an array in your file (or grab the field names from the database) to show in the form next to each field. You can use that $count%3 or whatnot to make a three column table like so:

$maxx=10;
$maxy=5;
$fields=array("last_name","first_name","address_1","address_2","city_state_zip");
for ($y=0;$y<$maxy;$y++){
for ($x=0;$x<$maxx;$x++){
print $fields[$y];
print "<input type=text name=store[$x][$y]>";
print '<BR>';
}
print '<HR>Record number: '.$y;
}

should build the part of the form you need.

[Anon]

Wow thank you i'll try that method also.