Request Form with Checkboxes

Wolverine68 · June 4, 2008

I created a request form with checkboxes. No matter which box or boxes are checked, when the e-mail is sent, what shows up in the e-mail says "I'd like more information on the following programs: Array"

I've pasted the code from the html form and php form below:

[b]HTML form[/b]

<body background="#EEEEEE">
<img src="pics\um-cross3.gif" height="100" width="100"><img src="pics\title.gif"><br>
<h3 align="center">Information Request Form</h3>
<div>
<form action="cgi-bin/feedback5.php" method="post">

<p><font color="blue">Thank you for visiting our website. If you would like more information, please fill out all the information in the form below. When finished, click on the "Submit" button. Be sure to include your address, e-mail, or phone so that someone can follow up with you.</font></p>
<hr width="100%">
<p>Name:&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp<INPUT TYPE="text" SIZE="35" name="name"></p>
<p>E-mail:&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp<INPUT TYPE="text" SIZE="35" name="email"></p>
<p>Phone:&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp<INPUT TYPE="text" SIZE="35" name="phone"></p>
<p>Address:   <INPUT TYPE="text" SIZE="35" name="address"></p><br>
I would like more information on the following (check all that apply):<br>
<INPUT TYPE="checkbox" NAME="Programs[]" VALUE="Adult Sunday School">Adult Sunday School<br>
<INPUT TYPE="checkbox" NAME="Programs[]" VALUE="Bible Studies"">Bible Studies<br>
<INPUT TYPE="checkbox" NAME="Programs[]" VALUE="Children's Programs">Children's programs<br>
<INPUT TYPE="checkbox" NAME="Programs[]" VALUE="Missions">Missions<br>
<INPUT TYPE="checkbox" NAME="Programs[]" VALUE="Music">Music/Choir<br>
<INPUT TYPE="checkbox" NAME="Programs[]" VALUE="Youth">Youth group<br><br>
Please add any additional comments or questions in the box below:<br>
<TEXTAREA NAME="comments" ROWS=10 COLS=60>
</TEXTAREA>
<br><br>
<input type="submit" name="submit" value="Submit"><br<br>
<hr width="100%">

</div>
</body>

</html>
____________________________

[b]PHP CODE[/b]

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 strict//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd">

<html>
<body>

<?php
$formBody="Name:$name\nEmail:$email\nPhone:$phone\nAddress:$address\nI'd like more information on the following programs: $Programs\nComments:$comments";
$headers = "From:$email";

if ($submit) {
mail("somename@someplace.com", "Church Information Request",$formBody, $headers);
}
if ($submit) {
print "Thank you. Your request has been submitted";
}


?>

</body>
</html>
_______________________

Anyone have suggestions?

Wolphie · June 4, 2008

This is because the data being sent is still in the form of an array.

<form action="myform.php" method="POST">
  <input type="checkbox" name="Program[]" value="Value 1" />
  <input type="checkbox" name="Program[]" value="Value 2" />
</form>

<?php
print $_POST['Program'][0]; // Value 1
print $_POST['Program'][1]; // Value 2
?>

Or you could return every value which exists in the array by imploding them into a string:

<?php
print implode(', ', $_POST['Program']); // Value 1, Value 2
?>

chronister · June 4, 2008

Like previous poster said, the checkboxes are coming in an array.

You have to loop through an array or hit the values directly using the index of the array.

Check out the following in the PHP manual

foreach()

while()

for()

Those are 3 loops that will allow you to loop through the results of an array. They are similar in how they work, but different in how they are used and called.

Wolphie · June 4, 2008

It isn't strictly necessary to use a loop, however it would still work. Although, a loop could also put more strain on the server (not much) but regardless, there is no need especially when it's not necessary. But choose your preferred method.

chronister · June 4, 2008

Right Wolphie,

I mentioned that you have to loop OR hit it using the index which is what you showed.

Sometimes calling it using the index isn't feasible and a loop is the only way to go. Especially if there are an indeterminate number of array items.

Not trying to negate what you said, just trying to help show all options sir.

Nate

Wolverine68 · June 4, 2008

Look at what I have now:

HTML form

<html>

<head>

<title>Request Form</title>

</head>

<h3 align="center">Information Request Form</h3>

<div>

<p><font color="blue">Thank you for visiting our website. If you would like more information, please fill out all the information in the form below. When finished, click on the "Submit" button. Be sure to include your address, e-mail, or phone so that someone can follow up with you.</font></p>

<p>Phone:&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp<INPUT TYPE="text" SIZE="35" name="phone"></p>

<p>Address: <INPUT TYPE="text" SIZE="35" name="address"></p><br>

I would like more information on the following (check all that apply):<br>

<INPUT TYPE="checkbox" NAME="Programs[]" VALUE="Adult Sunday School">Adult Sunday School<br>

<INPUT TYPE="checkbox" NAME="Programs[]" VALUE="Bible Studies"">Bible Studies<br>

<INPUT TYPE="checkbox" NAME="Programs[]" VALUE="Children's Programs">Children's programs<br>

<INPUT TYPE="checkbox" NAME="Programs[]" VALUE="Missions">Missions<br>

<INPUT TYPE="checkbox" NAME="Programs[]" VALUE="Music">Music/Choir<br>

<INPUT TYPE="checkbox" NAME="Programs[]" VALUE="Youth">Youth group<br><br>

Please add any additional comments or questions in the box below:<br>

</TEXTAREA>

</div>

</body>

</html>

________________________

PHP Code:

<html>

<body>

<?php

$formBody="Name:$name\nEmail:$email\nPhone:$phone\nAddress:$address\nI'd like more information on the

following programs: $_POST['Programs'][0, 5]\nComments:$comments";

$headers = "From:$email";

if ($submit) {

mail("KenB624@yahoo.com", "Church Information Request",$formBody, $headers);

}

if ($submit) {

print "Thank you. Your request has been submitted";

}

?>

</body>

</html>

_________________

Upon submission, I get the following error: "Parse error: parse error, unexpected T_ENCAPSED_AND_WHITESPACE, expecting T_STRING or T_VARIABLE or T_NUM_STRING in /u239/bm0umc0o/cgi-bin/feedback6.php on line 6"

Wolphie · June 4, 2008

What exactly is line 6?

However, this is wrong.

$_POST['Programs'][0, 5]

If you want to display everything that exists in the array as a string, use the implode method I proprosed.

chronister · June 4, 2008

Please use code tags when posting so it makes it easier to view.....

Looks like the error is here following programs: $_POST['Programs'][0, 5]

I believe that is line 6... .there should be no , in the second set of [].

If your trying to do a 0 through 5 then a while loop or just hand code them

<?php

$x  = 0; 
while($x < 6)
{
   $_POST['Programs'][$x];
   $x++;
}

?>

or

<?php
$checkbox0 = $_POST['Programs'][0];
$checkbox1 = $_POST['Programs'][1];
$checkbox2 = $_POST['Programs'][2];
$checkbox3 = $_POST['Programs'][3];
$checkbox4 = $_POST['Programs'][4];
$checkbox5 = $_POST['Programs'][5];
?>

Wolverine68 · June 4, 2008

Ok, it's working. Here's how I did it:

PHP Code:

<html>

<body>

<?php

$checkbox0 = $_POST['Programs'][0];

$checkbox1 = $_POST['Programs'][1];

$checkbox2 = $_POST['Programs'][2];

$checkbox3 = $_POST['Programs'][3];

$checkbox4 = $_POST['Programs'][4];

$checkbox5 = $_POST['Programs'][5];

?>

<?php

$formBody="Name:$name\nEmail:$email\nPhone:$phone\nAddress:$address\nI'd like more information on the

following programs:$checkbox0, $checkbox1, $checkbox2, $checkbox3, $checkbox4,

$checkbox5\nComments:$comments";

$headers = "From:$email";

if ($submit) {

mail("KenB624@yahoo.com", "Church Information Request",$formBody, $headers);

}

if ($submit) {

print "Thank you. Your request has been submitted";

}

?>

</body>

</html>

_____________________

However, when the form is submitted and the e-mail arrives, the print out for the checkboxes is like so:

"I'd like more information on the following programs: Adult Sunday School, Bible Studies, , , , "

In the above instance, the first two boxes were checked and the last four left blank, but three additional commas appear as if it is recognizing the boxes that weren't checked. Why?

Wolverine68 · June 4, 2008

Wolphie,

One solution you suggested was the implode:

<?php

print implode(', ', $_POST['Program']); // Value 1, Value 2

?>

If I coded it like that, then it would have printed the values of the checked boxes in the browser. How would I incorporate that into a string variable so that it gets sent in the e-mail?

DarkWater · June 4, 2008

Rofl... (sorry)

$str = implode(", ", $_POST['Program']);

Wolverine68 · June 4, 2008

Spoke a little too soon. Now, no matter which boxes are checked, the body of the e-mail that is received looks like this:

I'd like more information on the following programs: , , , , ,

<html>

<body>

<?php

$checkbox0 = $_POST['Programs'][0];

$checkbox1 = $_POST['Programs'][1];

$checkbox2 = $_POST['Programs'][2];

$checkbox3 = $_POST['Programs'][3];

$checkbox4 = $_POST['Programs'][4];

$checkbox5 = $_POST['Programs'][5];

?>

<?php

$formBody="Name:$name\nEmail:$email\nPhone:$phone\nAddress:$address\nI'd like more information on the

following programs: $checkbox0, $checkbox1, $checkbox2, $checkbox3, $checkbox4, $checkbox5

\nComments:$comments";

$headers = "From:$email";

if ($submit) {

mail("someemail@yahoo.com", "Church Information Request",$formBody, $headers);

}

if ($submit) {

print "Thank you. Your request has been submitted";

}

?>

</body>

</html>

________________________________