[SOLVED] Help with form action-submit button

ecjughead · April 12, 2008

I used a form to create a single select drop-down list which is populated by php/mysql query. The form action directs to a certain url but I want to add "?type="xxx" to the end of the url based on the selection made. Is this possible or is there another way to accomplish this?

I have been searching the net all morning for a solution...ideas?

poleposters · April 12, 2008

you can create the form selections using variables. ie select the dropdown names/values from you database , place them in an array and print them as part of the HTML.

Adding the ?type=xxx to the end is beyond me but I guess you could do it either by reloading the page or using javascript.

What exactly do you want to achieve? What do you need the?type=xx at the end of the form action url?

If your trying to pass a piece of information relating to the selected item to the form action script you could just test for which value was submitted and run the appropriate code.

discomatt · April 12, 2008

You want to use the GET method for your form... and name your dropdown list 'type'

benphp · April 12, 2008

Use javascript with an onChange or onBlur event. Something like this:

<html>
<head>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="javascript">
<!--
function OnChange(dropdown)
{
    var myindex  = dropdown.selectedIndex
    var SelValue = dropdown.options[myindex].value
document.myform.otherbox.value = SelValue
    return true;
}
//-->

</SCRIPT>
</head>
</body>
<form name="myform" action="test.html" method="get">
<select name=select1 onchange='OnChange(document.myform.select1.value());'>
<option value=""></option>
<option value="1">Value 1</option>
<option value="2">Value 2</option>
<option value="3">Value 3</option>
</select>

<input type="hidden" value="" name="otherbox">
<input type="submit">
</form>
</body>
</html>

You can use both the POST and GET with a form:

print "<form action=\"mypage.php?x=$myvalue\" method=\"post\">"

benphp · April 12, 2008

Here's some js that actually works:

<html>
<head>
</head>
</body>
<form name="myform" action="test.html" method="get">

  
    <p><input type="hidden" name="mytext1" size="40"><br>
  <select size="1" onchange="if(this.selectedIndex > 0)
   this.form.mytext1.value=this.options[this.selectedIndex].value;
   return true;">
    <option value="">[select one]</option>
    <option value="1">One</option>
    <option value="2">Two</option>
    <option value="3">Three</option>
    <option value="4">Four</option>
    <option value="5">Five</option>
    <option value="6">Six</option>
  </select></p>


<input type="submit">
</form>
</body>
</html>

ecjughead · April 12, 2008

Thanks for the javascript.

To clarify, my current page works but I am not using a form. I was simply using HTML to list the options and pass a variable between pages (something.php?type=xxx). To make it easier, I knew I could use php to grab the types out of my table to list them like this:

<?php
$type_set = @mysql_query('SELECT id, type FROM types');
        if (!$type_set) {
exit('<p>Error performing query: ' . mysql_error() . '</p>');
        }
while ($row = mysql_fetch_array($type_set)) {
echo "<option value=\"{$row['id']}\">{$row['type']}</option>";
}
?>

Since the form action is set before the above php runs, I know I needed a way to reset it with 'type' as my pass through argument. Does this make more sense?

poleposters · April 12, 2008

you definitely need javascript to do something like that,although I don't know how.

Can you explain why you need a different form action for each selection?

The form you have already posts a variable (your row id ) to the form action script.

All you have to do then is test which variable has been posted.

ie if row 1 is posted do this

if row 2 is posted do something else.

That way you only need to specify a single form action

ecjughead · April 12, 2008

I thought I needed a different form action for each because my mind was stuck in HTML mode. I originally listed the selections in a <a href> tag directing each selection to the same page BUT passing a different argument along.

I understand what you are saying though... all I need is a loop and I can test what variable was selected. I'll try that and let you know how I make out. Thanks

ecjughead · April 13, 2008

Ok, I may be a little stumped.

My page doesn't have to be a form (I guess) all I have is one drop-down list and a submit button. The drop-down list is populated by a list in a database (code above) and all I need is to send the 'type' argument along so that I can use that in another query on another page.

As I understood it, in order to pass along an argument, you can put it at the end of the url (something.php?type=x)

marcus · April 13, 2008

add a name declaration to the dropdown

ecjughead · April 13, 2008

Ok, but do I need the <form> tag to process it? Or can I use IF, ELSE at the end of my code above?

marcus · April 13, 2008

Yes you will need the form tag.

ecjughead · April 13, 2008

<select name="type">
        <?php
$type_set = @mysql_query('SELECT id, type FROM types');
        if (!$type_set) {
exit('<p>Error performing query: ' . mysql_error() . '</p>');
        }
while ($row = mysql_fetch_array($type_set)) {
echo "<option value=\"{$row['id']}\">{$row['type']}</option>";
}
        ?>
</select>

But how does my selection get to the form action line? I MUST be missing something

poleposters · April 13, 2008

You're overcomplicating things.

The basic inbuilt function of a form is to pass the selected value to the form action page.

Look at this code for a generic selection menu

<select name='cat_id' id='cat_id' tabindex='8' class='signupinput2'>
<option value=''>-- Select ---</option>
<option value='1' >Food</option>
<option value='2' >Fashion</option>
<option value='3' >Entertainment</option>
</select>

The select name is 'cat_id'. When you select an option, its value is passed along to the form action page.

So if a user selects fashion. The value 2 is posted in $_POST['catid']

On your form action you can retieve this value by placing it in a variable

$category=$_POST['catid']

Once you know the value, you can do whatever you like. If you want to specify a different action depending on the selection made. You can just test for which value was passed.

if $category=1 do this

if $category=2 do something else

if $category =3 mountain bike out of an aeroplane.

ecjughead · April 14, 2008

I understand part of what you're saying but I still can't get it to work

<form action="review.php" align="center" method="post">
                <p>Type:
        	<select name="wtype" id="wtype" size="1">
            	 	<?php
		$type_set = @mysql_query('SELECT id, type FROM types');
				if (!$type_set) {
		exit('<p>Error performing query: ' . mysql_error() . '</p>');
		}
		while ($row = mysql_fetch_array($type_set)) {
		echo "<option value=\"{$row['id']}\">{$row['type']}</option>";
		}
		?>
            	        </select>
                        <input type="submit" value="Go">
                        </p>
                        </form>

I have "$_GET['type']" on my review.php page and I have a echo line to check it but nothing comes over

poleposters · April 14, 2008

Ok. Easy. If you look at your select menu you have

<option value=\"{$row['id']}\">{$row['type']}</option>"

The $row['type'] is the 'name' of the select item. ie This is what gets printed on the select menu.

$row['id'] is the 'value'. This is the actual piece of information that is posted. You need to use that to process the form.The $GET variable which store this value is the name of your select menu. ie the selection will be passed as $_GET['wtype']

This is basic HTML.Remember that PHP is a way of dynamically outputting HTML code. If you don't understand how the HTML is working, PHP will be very difficult for you.

ecjughead · May 1, 2008

Solved this by using single field forms that redirected to the correct page based on the action item.

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[SOLVED] Help with form action-submit button

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