simple Problem: PHP form ints not declared

[Chezshire]

Newb here trying to build a form that works with ints to count how many red shirts die in a classic episode of star trek (exercise to get better with forms and ints). I have an error which reads as '7 Error message: Undefined index: rsTot'. I have tried a few things and read that setting it(casting it?) as a float was the safest way to work with the int, however each thing i've attempted results in some sort of error so after a day of reading and trying i'm very confused and hoping for an answer I can understand here.

I have read through stackOverflow for an answer but not seen one which i can understand and apply that speaks to the problem i'm having of initially entering and process a number as an int which i can later do some math on.

 

 

error can be seen here: http://zephir.seattlecentral.edu/~jstein11/itc250/z14/w03c0102_OOPform/w03c0102_OOPform.php

<?php //w03c0102_OOPform


require '../inc_0700/config_inc.php'; #provides configuration, pathing, error handling, db credentials


//END CONFIG AREA ----------------------------------------------------------


$rsTot = (float)$_POST['rsTot'];// float more forgiving int

$rsSurvived = (float)$_POST['rsSurvived'];



$rsSum = $rsTot - $rsSurvived;

$rsRatio = 0;



# Read the value of 'action' whether it is passed via $_POST or $_GET with $_REQUEST

if(isset($_REQUEST['act'])){$myAction = (trim($_REQUEST['act']));}else{$myAction = "";}


switch ($myAction)

{//check 'act' for type of process

	case "display": # 2)Display user's name!

	 	showName();

	 	break;

	default: # 1)Ask user to enter their name

	 	showForm();

}


function showForm()

{# shows form so user can enter their name.  Initial scenario

	get_header(); #defaults to header_inc.php

?>

	<script type="text/javascript" src="<?=VIRTUAL_PATH;?>include/util.js"></script>

	<script type="text/javascript">

		function checkForm(thisForm)

		{//check form data for valid info

			if(empty(thisForm.YourName,"Field Empty, please fill out")){return false;}

			return true;//if all is passed, submit!

		}

	</script>

	<p align="center"><?=smartTitle();?></p>

	<h3 align="center">Star Trek Classic</h3>

	<h2 align="center">Death-Shirt Calculator</h2>


	<form action="<?=THIS_PAGE;?>" method="post" onsubmit="return checkForm(this);">

		<p align="center">Classic Star Trek Episode Name<br />

			<input type="text" name="epName" /><br /><br />


			Esitmated number of officers with red shirts<br />

			<input type="text" name="rsTot" /><br /><br />


			Esitmated number of officers with red shirts<br />

			to actually survive the episode<br />

			<input type="int" name="rsSurvived" /><br /><br />


			<input type="submit" value="Go!">

			</p>

		<input type="hidden" name="act" value="display" />

	</form>

<?php

	get_footer(); #defaults to footer_inc.php


}


function showName()

{#form submits here we show entered name

	get_header(); #defaults to footer_inc.php

	if(!isset($_POST['epName']) || $_POST['epName'] == '')

	{//data must be sent

		feedback("No form data submitted"); #will feedback to submitting page via session variable

		myRedirect(THIS_PAGE);

	}


	if(!ctype_alnum($_POST['epName']))

	{//data must be alphanumeric only

		feedback("Only letters and numbers are allowed.  Please re-enter your name."); #will feedback to submitting page via session variable

		myRedirect(THIS_PAGE);

	}


	$epSubmitted = strip_tags($_POST['epName']);# strip data entered


	echo '<h3 align="center">' . smartTitle() . '</h3>';

	echo '<p align="center">Episode Name: <b>' . $epSubmitted . '</b><br />';


	echo '<p align="center">Total Red Shirts Appearing: <b>' . $rsTot . '<br />';


	echo 'Red Shirts Still Breathing at End of Episode: <b>' . $rsSurvived . '<br />';

	echo 'Red Shirt Episode Survival Ratio: <b>' . $rsRatio . '</b>!</p>';



	echo '<p align="center"><a href="' . THIS_PAGE . '">RESET</a></p>';

	get_footer(); #defaults to footer_inc.php

}

?>

[mac_gyver]

form data will only exist after the form has been submitted. all your form processing code needs to be inside a conditional statement that tests if the expected form has been submitted so that the data values it (the form processing code) references will exist.

[Chezshire]

Thank you, i think that i get that conceptually, but not how to actually do it.

[Ch0cu3r]

These four lines need to go inside of your showName function

$rsTot = (float)$_POST['rsTot'];// float more forgiving int
$rsSurvived = (float)$_POST['rsSurvived'];
 
 
$rsSum = $rsTot - $rsSurvived;
$rsRatio = 0;