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PHP Script Tips - Processing Web Forms

By: FYICenter.com

Part:   1  2  3  4  5  6   7  8 

(Continued from previous part...)

How To Support Hidden Form Fields?

Hidden fields are special fields in a form that are not shown on the Web page. But when the form is submitted, values specified in the hidden fields are also submitted to the Web server. A hidden field can be specified with the <INPUT TYPE=HIDDEN ...> tag. The PHP script below shows you a good example:

<?php
  print("<html><form action=processing_forms.php method=post>");
  print("<input type=hidden name=module value=FAQ>\n");
  print("<table><tr><td colspan=2>Please enter and submit your"
    ." comments about FYICenter.com:</td></tr>");
  print("<tr><td>Your Name:</td>"
    ."<td><input type=text name=name></td></tr>\n");
  print("<tr><td>Comments:</td>"
    ."<td><input type=text name=comment size=40>"
    ."</td></tr>\n");
  print("<tr><td colspan=2>"
    .'<input type=submit name=submit value="Submit">'
    ."<td></tr></table>\n");
  print("</form></html>\n");
?>

If you submit this form, you will get something like this:

Number of values: 4
  module = FAQ
  name = Peter
  comment = Thanks for the good tips.
  submit = Submit

How To Generate and Process a Form with the Same Script?

In previous exercises, a Web form is generated by one script, and processed by another script. But you could write a single script to do both. You just need to remember to:

  • Use same script name as the form generation script in the "action" attribute in the <FORM> tag.
  • Write two sections in the script: one for form generation, the other for form processing.
  • Check one expected input to determine which section to use.

The PHP script below shows you a good example:

<?php
  if (!isset($_REQUEST['submit'])) {
    generatingForm();      
  } else {
    processingForm();      
  }
function generatingForm() {
  print("<html><form action=submit_comments.php method=post>");
  print("<input type=hidden name=module value=FAQ>\n");
  print("<table><tr><td colspan=2>Please enter and submit your"
    ." comments about FYICenter.com:</td></tr>");
  print("<tr><td>Your Name:</td>"
    ."<td><input type=text name=name></td></tr>\n");
  print("<tr><td>Comments:</td>"
    ."<td><input type=text name=comment size=40>"
    ."</td></tr>\n");
  print("<tr><td colspan=2>"
    .'<input type=submit name=submit value="Submit">'
    ."<td></tr></table>\n");
  print("</form></html>\n");
}
function processingForm() {
  print("<html><pre>");
  $count = count($_REQUEST);
  print("Number of values: $count\n");
  foreach ($_REQUEST as $key=>$value) {
    if (is_array($value)) {
      print("  $key is an array\n");
      for ($i = 0; $i < count($value); $i++) {
         $sub_value = $value[$i];
         if (get_magic_quotes_gpc()) {
           $sub_value = stripslashes($sub_value);
         }
         print("    ".$key."[".$i."] = ".$sub_value."\n");
      }
    } else { 
      if (get_magic_quotes_gpc()) {
        $value = stripslashes($value);
      }
      print("  $key = $value\n");
    }
  }
  print("</pre></html>\n");
}
?>

If you save this script as submit_comments.php on your Web server, and submit this form, you will get something like this:

Number of values: 4
  module = FAQ
  name = Ray
  comment = Good site for beginners.
  submit = Submit

(Continued on next part...)

Part:   1  2  3  4  5  6   7  8 


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