Php search form

[rajthampi]

Hi guys

This is my first post here and I am a beginner with PHP. I am trying to build a php mysql search page. The search parameters are many (text boxes and checkboxes) on submit the page call itself to execute the search.

Now I am stuck with one issue. As soon as the user submits the form, all the text boxes and checkboxes get cleared (normal behavior) and fetches the results after clearing the form, leaving the user in a wild guess what was been entered into the text columns as well which were the checkboxes select prior submission.

 

Is there any work arounds to deal with this situation? I mean I don't want the form field elements to be cleared. I tried to retrieve the values from $_POST and assign to the text boxes, however running out of clues with checking the checkboxes. Please help

 

regards,

 

[harristweed]

<input type="checkbox" value=" yes" name="checkbox" <?php if($_POST['checkbox']=="yes")echo " checked = \"checked\" ";?> >

[rajthampi]

My checkboxes are dynamically written as below:

<?php

$query="select column_name fldnm, column_comment fldcomment from

information_schema.columns where table_name='burial_listing'

and column_name not in ('dod','id')";

$result = mysql_query($query) or die(mysql_error());

while($row = mysql_fetch_array($result))

{

echo "<input type=\"checkbox\" name=\"items[]\" value = \"".$row["fldnm"]."\">".$row["fldcomment"]."<br>";

}

?>

 

 

btw thank you very much for the post.

 

[jcbones]

Try using in_array()

 

<?php
$query="select column_name fldnm, column_comment fldcomment from
information_schema.columns where table_name='burial_listing'
and column_name not in ('dod','id')";
$result = mysql_query($query) or die(mysql_error());
while($row = mysql_fetch_array($result))
   {
   $checked = (isset($_POST['items']) && in_array($row['fldnm'],$_POST['items'])) ? ' checked="checked"' : NULL;
   echo '<input type="checkbox" name="items[]" value = "'.$row["fldnm"].'" ' . $checked . '>'.$row["fldcomment"]."<br>";
   }
?>

[rajthampi]

Thank you jcbones. I am yet to get back at work. I will try the code and post my comments.

 

regards,

[StefanRSA]

PLEASE PLEASE also take note... I also struggle a lot building a search. Eventually after getting the search to do what I want I ran into a new problem... SLOW searches....

 

Sometimes a search query can take up to 40sec if the columns you are searching are not indexed in your DB...

 

So... VERY IMPORTANT and I hope I could help! Index every column in the DB that you want to search!

[rajthampi]

Thanks Stefan for your input. Slowly I am getting convinced about using Ajax to deal with this situation. I found some nice tutorials and examples and planning to migrate into an Ajax based solution which will save me loads of time.

 

Thank you guys. One more question. How do I mark this thread as solved?