Help with session variables needed

[garyed]

I have a php page that has about 50 separate data entries that I want to have the user be able to leave the page & return without losing all the data already entered. I'm assuming I would need to use session variables to make that happen so someone please correct me if I'm wrong. Below is a sample of the the code I'm using for just one variable. 

<?php 
/* Start session & put variables into session so the user can leave page & return without losing everything */
session_start();
if ($_POST['windows']!="") { $_SESSION['windows']=$_POST['windows'];}
?>
<form method="POST" action="">
<table> <tbody>
<tr>
  <td style="text-align: right;">
 Windows   </td>
     <td><input name="windows" style="background-color:#FFFFCC;width:60px;" maxlength="10"  value="<?php if (isset($_SESSION['windows'])){ echo $_SESSION['windows'];}else{echo $_POST['windows'];} ?>"type="text">
   
 </td> </tr>
 <tr><td> <input type="submit" value="Calculate"></td></tr> </tbody></table>


 </form>

All the data entered is then used for calculations so my questions are:

1 - Is there an easier way to do this without repeating the code for all 50 separate variables?

2 - Once data is entered into a field it still comes back even if I empty out the field.

 

Any help appreciated

[garyed]

Since no one has replied can I assume that there is nothing wrong with my code & I just need to do the same thing for all my variables that I want used in the session? 

[mac_gyver]

you can save all the data using one statement -

$_SESSION['post'] = $_POST;

you would reference any specific value using - $_SESSION['post']['windows']

[Eiseth]

I have a php page that has about 50 separate data entries that I want to have the user be able to leave the page & return without losing all the data already entered. I'm assuming I would need to use session variables to make that happen so someone please correct me if I'm wrong. Below is a sample of the the code I'm using for just one variable. 

 

1 - Is there an easier way to do this without repeating the code for all 50 separate variables?

 

Any help appreciated

 

Use function

function get_value($var)
{
	return (isset($_SESSION[$var]) && !empty($_SESSION[$var])) ? $_SESION[$var] : $_POST[$var];
}

// then on your html
<td><input name="windows" style="background-color:#FFFFCC;width:60px;" maxlength="10"  value="<?php echo get_value('windows'); ?>"type="text">
<td><input name="other_input" style="background-color:#FFFFCC;width:60px;" maxlength="10"  value="<?php echo get_value('other_input'); ?>"type="text">
<td><input name="another_one" style="background-color:#FFFFCC;width:60px;" maxlength="10"  value="<?php echo get_value('another_one'); ?>"type="text">

[garyed]

Thanks to both of you for the help,

 

I really like the idea of using a function too. 

[mac_gyver]

if you have a form with more than about 5 fields in it, you would want to dynamically produce it rather than typing-out/copy-pasting code 50 times. you would define the fields somewhere (array, database table) and use php code to produce the form by looping over the definition.