how do i pass a radio button name that is an array variable, to next page?

dcparham · February 21, 2009

searched miles of links, some on this forum, nothing seems to answer this simple question: [using php5 and mySQL backend, dynamically building multiple groups of radio buttons.] each radio button is named with an array variable name, and its value is an a variable. --->when i submit the form, how do i retrieve the value of the selected radio button?<--- you'll note in radio1.php, $arrCategory[$i] value is "gender." so in radio2.php if i capture $_POST['gender']; it does so easily. however, i need to capture the radio buttons which exist only with variable names. so, radio2.php needs to collect only the radio buttons selected, and its value. if the answer is given, i can apply to the larger app:

//this is radio1.php; passes control to radio2.php

<html>

<body>

<?php

$arrCategory=array(2);

$arrValue=array(2);

$i=0;

$j=1;

$arrCategory[$i]='gender';

$arrValue[$i]='[XY]';

$arrValue[$j]='[XX]';

echo("<input type='radio' name='".$arrCategory[$i]."' value='".$arrValue[$i]."'>XY");

echo("<input type='radio' name='".$arrCategory[$i]."' value='".$arrValue[$j]."'>XX");

?>

</form></body></html>

//this is radio2.php

<html>

<body>

<?PHP

echo $_POST['gender']; //###THIS WORKS

//echo $_POST['$arrCategory[$i]']; //###THIS DOES NOT WORK.

?>

</body>

</html>

HELP PLEASE? many many hours with this so far. [converting an ASP app that already handles this scenario fine.]

samshel · February 21, 2009

is this complete code ?

in radio2.php, where are you defining $arrCategory and $i ?

dcparham · February 23, 2009

thx, samshel - point taken; say $1=0;. still an error. if we were to start even simpler[not using an array, but simply a variable], say on radio1.php the radio was defined as follows[showing the operative stmts]:

---radio1.php...>

$arrCategory='gender';

$arrValue='[XY]';

echo("<input type='radio' name='".$arrCategory."' value='".$arrValue."'>XY");

<---

--- and radio2.php...>

echo $_POST['$arrCategory'];

<---

[still yet...] ERRMSG:

Notice: Undefined index: $arrCategory in C:\Inetpub\wwwroot\survey\radio2.php on line 7

PHP Notice: Undefined index: $arrCategory in C:\Inetpub\wwwroot\survey\radio2.php on line 7

*[so, same concept - PHP not passing radio variable names passing to next page.]*

SamShel, thx mucho for your time and effort - really really would like a breakthrough; utilizing 2MUCH time on this ["can't sleep" until the working-ASP project is converted to PHP and mySQL!]

samshel · February 23, 2009

1) u need $i not $1

2) u need to define $arrCategory also on radio2.php.

if you are getting value of $_POST['gender']; properly, that means posting is working properly !

dcparham · February 24, 2009

Thank you, SamShel - u r right, i meant "i". so, yes the post is working, but the mystery is how from radio2.php page, to receive the post of a radio button whose original name was generated by a variable name; the variable name might be 'gender', but it never looks like that on page1, because 'gender' is the value drawn from a mysql table. this is the actual stmt:

"echo("<tr><td width='20px'><input type='radio' name='".$row['var1']."' value='".$row['surveyTopic']."'></td>");"

so, how can i from page2, get the value selected by receiving the post of a variable name?

i did not withhold the original code to be difficult, because the concept is basically how to receive the value of each of possibly multiple radio buttons chosen. i.e., the radios from which to choose are part of a survey, like this:

[category] ACCOUNTING

[radio"ACCOUNTING"]> How to file check requests

[radio"ACCOUNTING"]> Filing Expense Reimbursements

[category] HR

[radio "HR"]> Communication Skills

[radio "HR"]> Time Management Skills

[radio "HR"]> Reducing Stress in the Workplace

etc...

and each set of radio buttons are named by a query value, $row['var1'], which is the result of a mysql stmt: $sql_1 = "SELECT DISTINCT(surveyCategory) as var1 FROM surveyTopics GROUP BY surveyCategory;";

so, now from page2, how do i $_POST['$row['var1']']?

you are the only one responding, i really appreciate it! i just feel like i am missing something and have been looking into ISSET function to try and capture, at the submit, the radios which are chosen, and what each value is from each radio if it is chosen.