Multiple Checkboxes HTML w/PHP: Error with Foreach

[Doc20]

Hey all..

 

I have been messing around with some code with a form that has checkboxes on them, and the option of selecting more than one checkbox to submit to the database.  However, I keep getting the error," Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in (mydirectory)".

 

I have followed many tutorials and I don't see anything I am doing differently that they are, so I'm sure this is a simple fix, of something I am overlooking, or I am just horrible at this (new person).

 

Here is the snippet of the HTML code for the checkboxes.

<label>
  <input type="checkbox" name="project_list[]" value="chat"/> 
  Chat Project (age 18+ requirement)</label>
<br />
<label>
  <input type="checkbox" name="project_list[]" value="forums"/>
  Forums Project (age 18+ requirement)</label>
<br />
<label>
  <input type="checkbox" name="project_list[]" value="content"/>
  Content/Editorial Project (postcasts, blogging, etc.)</label>
<br />
<label>
  <input type="checkbox" name="project_list[]" value="technology"  />
  Technology Project</label>
<br />
<label>
  <input type="checkbox" name="project_list[]" value="marketing"/>
  Marketing, Promotions and Publicity</label>
<br />
<label>
  <input type="checkbox" name="project_list[]" value="designartwork"/>
  Design and Artwork</label>

 

Here is the PHP code that I am using to do this.

include 'db.php';

mysql_select_db('skylers_training');

if($_POST['submit'])

{
$project_lists = $_POST['project_list'];

foreach($project_lists as $list); //This is the line the code is getting the error on.

 

And the section of the INSERT MYSQL CODE for this part.

$reginsert = mysql_query("INSERT INTO  ... // the rest of the code (that works fine) follows this.

'$list' // This is the line that is supposed to send data from the checklists to the database. 

 

 

When I submit the form, in addition to the error, nothing is submitted to the database table for the list (everything else works fine).

 

Any insight into this, would be appreciated.

 

Thanks!

 

 

[codebyren]

From memory, checkboxes only appear in $_POST if something was actually checked so you can never assume that $_POST['project_list'] will always exist.

 

Try the following to see what's going on:

 

<?php
if (isset($_POST['submit']))
{
$project_lists = isset($_POST['project_list']) ? $_POST['project_list'] : array();  # this is called a ternary operator

if (is_array($project_lists) && count($project_lists) > 0)
{
	// Sweet. Do 'foreach' statement here.
}
else
{
	echo "Something went wrong.  Take a look at what was posted: <br />";
	print_r($_POST);
	exit;
}
}
?>

 

Hope that helps.

[Doc20]

That fixed the error, but it still isn't submitting all the checkboxes to the database, only submitting the last one checked.

 

So if I check Chat, Forums, and Technology -- only technology is actually submitted.

 

In an ideal world, if I checked the 3 checkboxes, they would all get submitted together, just like (with commas separating them):

 

chat, forums, tech

 

I could make separate database rows for each project, but I was trying to be coding efficient and process them all together instead of separately.

 

Any more help would be appreciated.

[codebyren]

I can't see how you are building your SQL queries in the code you provided but basically you need to convert the array checkbox values into a comma separated list yourself. Something like:

 

<?php
// Assume $project_lists array has been validated and looks like this:
$project_lists = array('chat', 'forums', 'tech');

// Make it into a comma separated list
$project_lists_string = explode(',', $project_lists);  // "chat,forums,tech"

// Do SQL query with new comma-separated value now
// ...
?>

[Doc20]

When I try doing what you gave me, I get the error: 

 

Warning: explode() expects parameter 2 to be string, array given in /home/skylers/public_html/trainingmodsite/regsubmit.php on line 31

 

I will post all the code I have so you can see if there is something I am doing wrong, right, or what not.

 

Here is the code for the HTML form (starting at the checkbox section).

  <p><strong>Do you have an idea about the projects you might be interested in?</strong><br />
    <em>Please let us know if there is a specific part of the site that you are interested in contributing towards.</em><br />
<br />
<label>
  <input type="checkbox" name="project_list[]" value="chat"/> 
  Chat Project (age 18+ requirement)</label>
<br />
<label>
  <input type="checkbox" name="project_list[]" value="forums"/>
  Forums Project (age 18+ requirement)</label>
<br />
<label>
  <input type="checkbox" name="project_list[]" value="content"/>
  Content/Editorial Project (postcasts, blogging, etc.)</label>
<br />
<label>
  <input type="checkbox" name="project_list[]" value="technology"  />
  Technology Project</label>
<br />
<label>
  <input type="checkbox" name="project_list[]" value="marketing"/>
  Marketing, Promotions and Publicity</label>
<br />
<label>
  <input type="checkbox" name="project_list[]" value="designartwork"/>
  Design and Artwork</label>
  </p>
  <p>
    <input type="submit" name="submit" id="submit" value="Submit" />
  </p>
</form>

 

 

Here is the processing file, regsubmit.php

<?

include 'db.php';

mysql_select_db('skylers_training');

if (isset($_POST['submit']))
{
$project_lists = isset($_POST['project_list']) ? $_POST['project_list'] : array();  # this is called a ternary operator

if (is_array($project_lists) && count($project_lists) > 0)
{

foreach($project_lists as $list);	


}	


else
{
	echo "Something went wrong.  Take a look at what was posted: <br />";
	print_r($_POST);
	exit;
}

// Assume $project_lists array has been validated and looks like this:
$project_lists = array('chat', 'forums', 'content', 'technology', 'marketing', 'designartwork');

// Make it into a comma separated list
$project_lists_string = explode(',', $project_lists); 	


$reginsert = mysql_query("INSERT INTO registrations (name, age, username, email, skype, timezone, discussion, meaning, whyjoin, team_purpose, achieve, gyc_change, project_list) VALUES('$_POST[name]','$_POST[age]','$_POST[username]','$_POST[email]','$_POST[skype]','$_POST[timezone]','$_POST[discussion]','$_POST[meaning]','$_POST[whyjoin]','$_POST[team_purpose]','$_POST[achieve]','$_POST[gyc_change]','$project_lists_string')") or die(mysql_error());





/*if (!mysql_query($reginterest))
  {
  die('Error: ' . mysql_error()); 

}*/
echo "
   <script type='text/javascript'>
       alert(\"Your Registration of Interest has been successfully submitted.  Please allow for up to 30 days to hear back from us.\");
   </script>
	";
mysql_close();


}

?>

 

I appreciate the help I have been given so far.  I'm still relatively new to PHP (not taken a class in my life -- trying to learn things by myself).

 

Hope all the code can help you guys figure out why the error message and provide a fix for it not submitting the data properly.

 

Here is what I want the PHPMyAdmin to look like on a successful submission.

 

 

 

 

[attachment deleted by admin]

[dcro2]

I think they meant implode...

$project_lists_string = implode(',', $project_lists);  // "chat,forums,tech"

[Doc20]

Changing it to implode fixed the error, I now get no error!

 

However, when I check was submitted, the value submitted into the database is simply just "array"

 

Here is my processing code again.

<?

include 'db.php';

mysql_select_db('skylers_training');

if (isset($_POST['submit']))
{
$project_lists = isset($_POST['project_list']) ? $_POST['project_list'] : array();  # this is called a ternary operator

if (is_array($project_lists) && count($project_lists) > 0)
{

foreach($project_lists as $list);	


}	


else
{
	echo "Something went wrong.  Take a look at what was posted: <br />";
	print_r($_POST);
	exit;
}

// Assume $project_lists array has been validated and looks like this:
$project_lists = array($_POST['project_list']);

// Make it into a comma separated list
$project_lists_string = implode(',', $project_lists); 	


$reginsert = mysql_query("INSERT INTO registrations (name, age, username, email, skype, timezone, discussion, meaning, whyjoin, team_purpose, achieve, gyc_change, project_list) VALUES('$_POST[name]','$_POST[age]','$_POST[username]','$_POST[email]','$_POST[skype]','$_POST[timezone]','$_POST[discussion]','$_POST[meaning]','$_POST[whyjoin]','$_POST[team_purpose]','$_POST[achieve]','$_POST[gyc_change]','$project_lists_string')") or die(mysql_error());





/*if (!mysql_query($reginterest))
  {
  die('Error: ' . mysql_error()); 

}*/
echo "
   <script type='text/javascript'>
       alert(\"Your Registration of Interest has been successfully submitted.  Please allow for up to 30 days to hear back from us.\");
   </script>
	";
mysql_close();


}

?>

 

 

 

[attachment deleted by admin]

[dcro2]

Take a look at this line:

$project_lists = array($_POST['project_list']);

You're inserting something that should be an array into another array.

 

Actually, you should just get rid of that line, since you're setting it correctly further up in the code.

[Doc20]

Ahh, that solved it!  MUCH THANKS!  Everything works as it should!