Difficulty inserting checkbox array values into DB

[TecTao]

I am stumped on why an array of checkboxe values won't insert into multiple rows of the DB table.

 

After hours of searching forums and php code sites and testing different suggestions, I finally found one that creates the check boxes dynamically from a category DB table, but when the form is submitted, doesn't insert the checkbox values, or user ID variable into rows.

 

Here is the code for creating the check boxes.  Calls the values from the DB table and it works just fine.

 

The URL to view source is http://sourceandquote.com/_fcps/checkbox1a.php

<?php
include("include/session.php");
  /* insert code to connect to your database here */  
  
  /* get the checkbox labels */
  $skills = get_checkbox_labels("_categories_dsfp");
  
  /* create the html code for a formatted set of
     checkboxes */
  $html_skills = make_checkbox_html($skills, 3, 400, "skills[]");

?>


<!-- Begin checkbox html application -->

<form name="skills" method="POST" action="insertskills.php">

<?php echo "$html_skills"; ?>
   <br>
<input type="submit" value="Submit">
</form>


<?php

function get_checkbox_labels($table_name) {

  /* make an array */
  $arr = array();
  
  /* construct the query */
  $query = "SELECT * FROM $table_name";
  
  /* execute the query */
  $qid = mysql_query($query);

  /* each row in the result set will be packaged as
     an object and put in an array */
  while($row= mysql_fetch_object($qid)) {
    array_push($arr, $row);
  }
  
  return $arr;
}

/* Prints a nicely formatted table of checkbox choices.
   
   $arr is an array of objects that contain the choices
   $num is the number of elements wide we display in the table
   $width is the value of the width parameter to the table tag
   $name is the name of the checkbox array
   $checked is an array of element names that should be checked
*/   


function make_checkbox_html($arr, $num, $width, $name, $checked) {
  
  /* create string to hold out html */
  $str = "";
  
  /* make it */
  $str .= "<table width=\"$width\" border=\"0\">\n";
  $str .= "<tr>\n";

  /* determine if we will have to close add
     a closing tr tag at the end of our table */
  if (count($arr) % $num != 0) {
    $closingTR = true;
  }
  
  $i = 1;
  if (isset($checked)) {
    /* if we passed in an array of the checkboxes we want
       to be displayed as checked */
    foreach ($arr as $ele) {
      $str .= "<td><input type=\"checkbox\" name=\"$name\" value=\"$ele->id\"";
      foreach ($checked as $entry) {
    if ($entry == $ele->value) {
      $str .= "checked";
          continue;
        }
      }
      $str .= ">";
      $str .= "$ele->value";

      if ($i % $num == 0) {
        $str .= "</tr>\n<tr>";
      } else {
        $str .= "</td>\n";
      }
      $i++;
    }
  
  } else {
    /* we just want to print the checkboxes. none will have checks */
    foreach ($arr as $ele) {
      $str .= "<td><input type=\"checkbox\" name=\"$name\" value=\"$ele->id\">";
      $str .= "$ele->value";
      
      if ($i % $num == 0) {
        $str .= "</tr>\n<tr>";
      } else {
        $str .= "</td>\n";
      }
      $i++;
    }
  
  }

  /* tack on a closing tr tag if necessary */
  if ($closingTR == true) {
    $str .= "</tr></table>\n";
  } else {
    $str .= "</table>\n";
  }

  return $str;
}


?>

 

When submitted, here is the code on the submit page for inserting into DB.  Doesn't work.

 

<?php
include("include/session.php");
$uid = "1234";


/* the function we call to insert.
   the $skills argument is the skills array that
   is sent to the script when the user hits the submit button
*/
function insert_skills($uid, $skills) {
   
   /* first, we'll delete any entries this user already has
      in the table */
   purge_lookup("lookup_skills", $uid);
   
   /* now create the sql insert query */
   $query = create_checkbox_query($skills, "lookup_skills", $uid);
   
   /* execute the query */
   mysql_query($query);
}



/* helper function for insert_skills().
   removes all rows in $table with $uid */
function purge_lookup($table, $uid) {
  $q = "DELETE FROM $table, WHERE uid = '$uid'";
  mysql_query($q);
}



/* helper function for insert_skills().
   generates the sctual SQL query */
function create_checkbox_query($arr, $table, $uid) {
   $q = "INSERT INTO $table (uid, skill_id) VALUES";
  
   foreach ($arr as $check) {
     $q .=  " ( $uid , $check )" . ",";
   }
   
   /* remove the last comma and return */  
   return substr($q, 0, -1);
}

?>

 

Although the submit page contains a function to search and delete any entries from the user, this is not necessary.  I am just having trouble trying to get the array from the checked boxes to pass and insert into the DB.

 

Thanks in advance for any assistance.

[soak]

All looks reasonable. What does a var_dump of $arr look like before you foreach it in create_checkbox_query. Also, what does the query ($q) look like?

[TecTao]

I did var_dump($arr); and it's returning NULL

 

I guess this means nothing is being passed?

[soak]

Where's teh code that sets $skills

[TecTao]

I believe it's in the first part of code example 1.

 

Here's the url http://sourceandquote.com/_fcps/checkbox1a.php to view source with the var_dump($arr); set near the bottom of the page to display the array.

[soak]

So where does insert_skills() get called?