Dropdown Menu

[nitation]

Hello,

 

Am trying to validate a drop down menu using PHP. I am actually processing my form on the same page.

 

please help  ???

 

<select name="initials" id="initials"  tabindex="100">
                <option value="" selected >...</option>
			<option value="Mr" >Mr</option>
                <option value="Mrs" >Mrs</option>

                <option value="Ms" >Ms</option>
                <option value="Miss" >Miss</option>
                <option value="Dr" >Dr</option>
                <option value="Rev" >Rev</option>
                <option value="Sr" >Sr</option>
              </select>

[ag3nt42]

what exactly are you trying to validate here?

[nitation]

Am trying to check if a user selected a value. if not, it shouldn't submit

[.josh]

Okay so you told us what you're trying to do, but you didn't tell us what the problem is, and you didn't show us any code.

[nitation]

i was trying with this.

<?php if(empty($surname)){
$msg='Check Lastname Error';

}?>

But its not working. Can you show me a way to validate it ???

[ag3nt42]

Am trying to check if a user selected a value. if not, it shouldn't submit

 

well its going to submit regardless of php validation here.. because php cannot validate this UNLESS you submit it..

 

What I would do is use some JS for this validation and say if "initials" ==""; then alert('SELECT SOMETHING!')

 

also ID and NAME are the exact same attribute.. you can't use both..

 

try this code:

(JS)

<script>

if(document.getElementById('initials').value=="")

{

alert('Please Select Initials!');

document.getElementById('initials').focus();

}

 

</script>

[nitation]

do you mean i can not test to see if a user selected from the options in php??

[ag3nt42]

no you can test for it but you MUST SUBMIT the form in order to run php code on it

 

to validate BEFORE SUBMIT you cannot use php You'll need to use JS

[nitation]

I am not that good with javascript. Please kindly show me how to validate a drop down menu using javascript.

 

Regards

[ag3nt42]

 

try this code:

(JS)

<script>

if(document.getElementById('initials').value=="")

{

alert('Please Select Initials!');

document.getElementById('initials').focus();

}

 

</script>

[.josh]

I am not that good with javascript. Please kindly show me how to validate a drop down menu using javascript.

 

Regards

 

Form validation with javascript is not a good idea.  People can just turn off javascript and happily go on their way sending your server whatever they want. You should only use javascript as a "feature" to help reduce requests to your server.  Field left blank? use javascript to give a popup or something, before the form is sent.  But check if it's blank with php just the same.

[ag3nt42]

very good advice

[nitation]

@crayon

 

is it possible to validate a drop down menu using php. the reason am going for javascript is because ag3nt42 advised to do so.

 

Please provide help crayon on how to use php instead of javascript. Note, am processing my form on the same page

[lilwing]

Why do it with javascript, when you can do it with CSS?

 

http://www.alistapart.com/articles/hybrid

[.josh]

example:

 

<?php

// your form
$form = <<<SOMEFORM
  <form action = '{$_SERVER['PHP_SELF']}' method = 'post'>
     some text <input type = 'text' name = 'sometext'>
     <input type = 'submit' value = 'submit'>
  </form>
SOMEFORM;

// if no posted vars, echo form
if(!$_POST) {
  echo $form;
// if nothing entered in field (or blank spaces) make an error msg
} elseif (!$_POST['sometext'] || trim($_POST['sometext'] == '')) {
  $error = "must fill out field.<br />";
} 

// if there's an error msg, echo it and form again
if ($error) {
  echo $error;
  echo $form;
// otherwise, form is validated
} else {
  // do something with $_POST['sometext'] here
}
?>

[ag3nt42]

Why do it with javascript, when you can do it with CSS?

 

http://www.alistapart.com/articles/hybrid

 

i'm pretty sure your confusing a JavaScript code snippet with css.  if you read it, it says

 

Their snippet of JavaScript looks like this:

 

unless i'm missing something

[ag3nt42]

@crayon

 

is it possible to validate a drop down menu using php. the reason am going for javascript is because ag3nt42 advised to do so.

 

Please provide help crayon on how to use php instead of javascript. Note, am processing my form on the same page

 

I recommend the JS if your going for PRE submit validation if you don't care when it validates then just go stricly with php and forget the JS.. you only use the JS for a bonus or not at all. Its not something to rely on.