very complex form question

[pouncer]

I create my form bu php code, creating a textbox for each field in my table:

 

$results = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM $cat");
$num = mysql_num_fields($results);
$i = 0;

while ($i < $num) {
$name  = mysql_field_name($results, $i);

if ($name != 'item_id' && $name != 'image_URL') {
	echo $name . ":<br>";

	echo "<input name=\"txt_" . $name . "\" type=\"text\" id=\"txt_" . $name . "\" size=\"60\"\>";
	echo "<br><br>";
}
$i++;
};

echo " <input class=\"style74\" name=\"Add_item\" type=\"submit\" id=\"Save_Item\" value=\"Add item\">";

 

So for e.g, if there was a field called 'title' in the table, it would create a textbox with name 'txt_title'

 

But now I need to insert the record into the form, when they fill the form in. How do i get all the $_POST's from the text boxes? can someone please help me.

[simcoweb]

Ok, so I have this right, you want to create the form using PHP and also populate the text boxes with what is entered into the fields of your database?

[pouncer]

No. That code I posted creates the text boxes in the form, on the page, for every single field in the $cat table.

 

 

Now when I fill the form out, I need to somehow check each fields data with the $_POST and do the necessary insert into my table.

I'm not sure how to loop through it and get each fields $_POST though.

[simcoweb]

Ok, that's easy enough.

 

<?php
// first snag the field data from POST
$name = $_POST['name'];
$address = $_POST['address'];
$email = $_POST['email'];

// match those to your field names and one for each field

// mysql stuff
$sql = "INSERT INTO tablename (field1, field2, field3, etc.) VALUES '$name', '$address', '$email' ";
$results = mysql_query($sql) or die(mysql_error());
if(!$results) {
echo "Insert did not work. Try again";
} else {
echo "Records inserted successfully!";
}
?>

[pouncer]

no mate. i don't mean like that. sorry i wasn't clear enough.

 

The fields are not a fixed set of fields, I've created forms for users to add/delete fields to the tables etc. So i can't do as you have posted incase users add new fields which means I will have to add a new $_POST variable.

 

So the code I posted creates the form by looping the $cat table and outputting a text box for each field in that $cat table.

 

 

I think i need to now loop the $cat table again, and get the field names and then somehow check the post like

$_POST['txt_$name'];

 

but that didnt work

 

I tried something like:

				if (isset($_POST['Add_item'])) {
					echo "Clicked on add item<br>";

					$results = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM $cat");
					$num = mysql_num_fields($results);

					$i = 0;

					while ($i < $num) {
						$name  = mysql_field_name($results, $i);

						if ($name != 'item_id' && $name != 'image_URL') {
							echo $_POST['txt_.$name'];
						}


						$i++;
					};


				}

but it just echos; Clicked on add item

it should echo the contents of each field which i filled in.

[simcoweb]

Ok, so let's see if i'm clear on this. Not only are you getting the field names from the database but you are also allowing the user to create new ones named whatever they want and however many they want... is that right? Then you want to build a form based upon what they've created in the database... is that right for step 2? Then i'm also going to have to assume that you have a separate table for each person. Otherwise, exponentially, you could have someone looking at 1,000+ fields if they showed up late for the party. In other words, if i'm the 20th guy to come to the site and the previous 19 have each added a few fields and your code loops through that same table to display the form for me then it could contain things like "do you have pink bunny slippers". Not sure how this is structured in your database.

[pouncer]

Yes. These tables are category tables, like movies,dvds,cars etc. Users can add new fields to these tables.

 

Now I have created a form for the users, by looping the table.

Now I just need to insert the data when users fill the form in, into the table.

[pouncer]

I tried this

 

				$results = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM $cat");
					$num = mysql_num_fields($results);

					$i = 0;

					while ($i < $num) {
						$name  = mysql_field_name($results, $i);
						$txtbox = "txt_" . $name;

						if ($name != 'item_id' && $name != 'image_URL') {
							echo $_POST['$txtbox'];
						}


						$i++;
					};

 

the:

echo $_POST['$txtbox'];

 

it doesnt seem to work, anyone see what im doing wrong?