Checkbox validation issue

[Eric Linders]

Hi,

In my form, I have a checkbox that must be checked in order to process
the form. By default, I want it to be checked when the page first
appears. I can do that easily enough by hardcoding the "checked"
property.

My problem occurs when I try to validate it.

If the visitor unchecks the checkbox, the form cannot be processed,
and I must allow the user to correct the problem (along with any other
fields that were not filled out correctly).

I want to use CSS to change the labels of any missing or bad fields to
red. That part seems to be coded correctly (see below).

<tr>
<td colspan="2" class="<? echo (!isset($checkTelephone_err) ?
'form-labels-error ' : 'form-labels'); ?>"><input
name="checkTelephone" type="checkbox" value="OK2Call"> Yes, I
authorize you to contact me via telephone.</td>
</tr>

The part that I'm not sure about is how to default the checkbox to
checked when the form first appears, and yet allow for
unchecking/checking after the form is submitted a first time.

Sorry. I know the explanation is a bit vague. I'm having trouble
elaborating well. If you have any tips or suggestions, please let me
know.

- Eric

[Agelmar]

Eric Linders wrote:
<snip>

The part that I'm not sure about is how to default the checkbox to
checked when the form first appears, and yet allow for
unchecking/checking after the form is submitted a first time.

Try:

<?php
if (empty($_POST) || (isset($_POST['checkTelephone'] &&
$_POST['checkTelephone'] == "OK2Call")
echo ' checked="checked"';
?>

When the form is first accessed, $_POST will be empty, and of course if
$_POST is not empty and the value of checkTelephone is set, the box should
still be checked...

// Ian Fette
// Proponent comp.lang.php

[CountScubula]

This doesn't sound like a php issue, unless you are sending the form
to a php script then want to output the results back to the browser
with the differnt colors.

two ways,

1: server side, php
post the form to your script, validate it, if fails send it back to
user, with new color

2: client side, javascript
define two styles
..normal {font-color:#000000; ,bla, bla,}
..bad {font-color:#FF0000; ,bla, bla,}
with an onSubmit() do your validation then asign new style
document.formname.inputboxname.class = "bad";


Mike Bradley
http://gzen.myhq.info -- free online php tools