textarea lost on validation

[jbol]

I am fairly new to this so forgive me if the answer is obvious.
I have written a PHP form script that validates itself by posting back to itself.
I use VALUE=$var for all the input fields so I don't lose the inputted values.
Except the textarea does not seem to support VALUE= and its input is lost if the form input has errors.
What do I need to do to preserve the value of the textbox?
thanx in advance
jim

[Banfa]

remember textarea has an opening and closing tag, the initialisation data goes inbetween them

[html]
<textarea><?php echo $TextAreaData; ?></textarea>
[/html]

[ronverdonk]

In order to preserve it you have to give the textarea a name. That name will show up in your $_POST array.

[PHP]<?php
// At the beginning of your program you validate the $_POSTs
if (isset($_POST['that']) {
// checkit
}
// else display the form again
else {
<textarea name="that"><?php if isset($_POST['that']) echo $_POST['that'] ?></textarea>
other input, submit, etc.....
}
[/PHP]
Ronald :cool: