How to echo an error message next to a form field

[redrabbit]

Ok this is the code below for validating the first name and last name of someone who enters data into the form, lets say they are both required, so the user needs to be informed when he leaves one blank, how do I echo the error message to the user in the HTML next to the input field saying firstname or lastname was left blank?

 

if (empty($fname)) {
		echo 'Please enter your firstname';
		$error = true;
		$output_form = true;
	}

	if (empty($lname)) {
		echo 'Please enter your surname';
		$error = true;
		$output_form = true;
	}

 

 

The html part of the form is:

 

<tr>			   
		<th>First Name:</th>
					<td>
						<input type="text" name="firstname" class="medium" value= "<?php  if (!empty($fname)) echo $fname; ?>" />
					</td>	
				</tr>


				<tr>
					<th>Surname:</th>
						<td>
							<input type="text" name="surname" class="large" value="<?php  if (!empty($lname)) echo $lname; ?>" />
						</td>
				</tr>

[TeddyKiller]

I usually would do this...

if (empty($fname)) {
         $errors['firstname'] = 'Please enter your firstname';
         $error = true;
         $output_form = true;
      }
         
      if (empty($lname)) {
         $errors['surname'] =  'Please enter your surname';
         $error = true;
         $output_form = true;
      }

 

<tr>            
         <th>First Name: <?php $errors['firstname'] ?></th>
                  <td>
                     <input type="text" name="firstname" class="medium" value= "<?php  if (!empty($fname)) echo $fname; ?>" />
                  </td>   
               </tr>


               <tr>
                  <th>Surname: <?php $errors['surname'] ?></th>
                     <td>
                        <input type="text" name="surname" class="large" value="<?php  if (!empty($lname)) echo $lname; ?>" />
                     </td>
               </tr>

 

Or alternatively, is putting it on the end of the field itself.

ex:

<input type="text" name="surname" class="large" value="<?php  if (!empty($lname)) echo $lname; ?>" /><?php $errors['surname'] ?>

 

Although the if !empty part, you don't really need, because if its empty.. nothing will get outputted in. It'll issue a warning, but with errors turned off you won't see it.

[redrabbit]

Thank you soooo much TeddyKiller

 

I actually did it that way but I was using numbers instead of words for the array, it makes things very confusing

 

Plus thanks for showing me how to display the error_array in the html form.

 

 

[TeddyKiller]

You mean $error[1]

It'll work that way.. for ex:

$errors[0] = 'Oh.. ERORRRRR!';

echo $errors[0];

[redrabbit]

Yes I was using that way:

 

my main obstacle here was not knowing the syntax to display the message in the html part

You have clearly highlighted that.

 

Once again thank you so much it was very much appreciated