filling out form and displaying errors

[tolkienarda]

hi all

I am working on a form valiadation for now i can tell people that they made a mistake filling out the form but my script to tell them which fields they missed isn't working. I think what my problem is that i am declaring session varabies using a variable in the brackets here is somthing similar to what i am doing

if ($a = 1)
{
$_SESSION[$i] = "text";
$i++;
}
 
if (b = 1)
{
$_SESSION[$i] = "text2";
$i++;
}
 

I know i am getting inside my if statements without any problems but the setting of a session variable with a variable in the [] seems to be a problem.
here is the actual code i am using

    session_start();
    $i=1;
 
    $ThanksURL = 'submitted.htm';
    if (strlen(trim($_POST[first_name])) < 1)
    {
    $_SESSION[failed] = 1;
    $_SESSION['$i'] = 'email';
    $i++;
    $ThanksURL= "registration.php";
    }
 
    if (strlen(trim($_POST[first_name])) < 1)
    {
    $_SESSION[failed] = 1;
    $_SESSION[$i] = 'First Name';
    $i++;
    $ThanksURL= "registration.php";
    }
 
    if (strlen(trim($_POST[last_name])) < 1)
    {
    $_SESSION[failed] = 1;
    $_SESSION[$i] = 'Last Name';
    $i++;
    $ThanksURL= "registration.php";
    }
 
    if (strlen(trim($_POST[address])) < 1)
    {
    $_SESSION[failed] = 1;
    $_SESSION[$i] = 'Address';
    $i++;
    $ThanksURL= "registration.php";
    }
 
    if (strlen(trim($_POST[city])) < 1)
    {
    $_SESSION[failed] = 1;
    $_SESSION[$i] = 'City';
    $i++;
    $ThanksURL= "registration.php";
    }
 
    if (strlen(trim($_POST[state])) < 1)
    {
    $_SESSION[failed] = 1;
    $_SESSION[$i] = 'State';
    $i++;
    $ThanksURL= "registration.php";
    }
 
    if (strlen(trim($_POST[zip_code])) < 1)
    {
    $_SESSION[failed] = 1;
    $_SESSION[$i] = 'Zip Code';
    $i++;
    $ThanksURL= "registration.php";
    }
 
    if (strlen(trim($_POST[how_much_submit])) < 1)
    {
    $_SESSION[failed] = 1;
    $_SESSION[$i] = 'Submission Amount';
    $i++;
    $ThanksURL= "registration.php";
    }
 
 

and here is the code that spits out the results on my page
now i do start a session earlier in the script, i am getting into the if statement because it prints 'please fill in the fields'

if (isset($_SESSION[failed]))
{
    echo 'please fill in the  ';
    $i = 1;
    while (isset($_SESSION['$i']))
    {
        echo $_SESSION['$i'];
        echo 'loop has been entered';
        $i++;
    }
    echo 'fields';
}                
 

thanks for any thoughts or advice

eric

[Motoma]

You will need to quote the names inside the $_SESSION array:
[PHP]
$_SESSION[finished]; //Incorrect
$_SESSION['finished']; //Correct
[/PHP]

Also, do not single-quote inside when you are using a variable to iterate through:

[PHP]
$_SESSION['$i']; //Incorrect
$_SESSION[$i]; //Correct
[/PHP]

[ronverdonk]

Is there some special reason for using the $_SESSION array for this? If I may, I like to suggest a much simpler approach: store the errors in an array and print out that array at the end. Like the following snippet for the first check. You can replace the other checks with similar code:
[php]
// initialize the errors array
$errors = array();

// now check it
$ThanksURL = 'submitted.htm' ;
if (strlen(trim($_ POST[first_name])) < 1)
{
$errors[] = 'email';
$ThanksURL= "registration.p hp";
}[/php]
And at the end, where you spit out the $_SESSION errors, you use this code. It shows the errors in red.
[php] if ($errors) {
print '<span style="color:re d"><ul><li><b>' ;
print implode('</b></li><li><b>',$er rors);
print '</b></li></ul></span>';
}[/php]
Ronald :cool:

[tolkienarda]

sorry about the lack of clarity in my question but the print and check statements are on two different pages. I may however be able to move the check function to the print page not sure.
if i do then i have one question about your advice.
what does the implode function do, i don't doubt it will work just curious.

in regards to motoma's responce. i tries single quoting the $i and using it without quotes, i am not sure i understand your last section of code and its explination. will a double quote work when using a variable or should i leave it quote free.

thank you both
eric

[Motoma]

sorry about the lack of clarity in my question but the print and check statements are on two different pages. I may however be able to move the check function to the print page not sure.
if i do then i have one question about your advice.
what does the implode function do, i don't doubt it will work just curious.

in regards to motoma's responce. i tries single quoting the $i and using it without quotes, i am not sure i understand your last section of code and its explination. will a double quote work when using a variable or should i leave it quote free.

thank you both
eric

You won't need quotes around the $i.

[ronverdonk]

sorry about the lack of clarity in my question but the print and check statements are on two different pages. I may however be able to move the check function to the print page not sure.
if i do then i have one question about your advice.
what does the implode function do, i don't doubt it will work just curious.

in regards to motoma's responce. i tries single quoting the $i and using it without quotes, i am not sure i understand your last section of code and its explination. will a double quote work when using a variable or should i leave it quote free.

thank you both
eric

implode() joins array elements with a string, or as the PHP doc states:

string implode ( string glue, array pieces )

Returns a string containing a string representation of all the array elements in the same order, with the glue string between each element.

In your case it generates an unordered list of all error messages in the array.

Ronald :cool: