Is this possible - if so how? Outout errors to new page

[nodster]

Hi guys

 

I've nearly finished a contact form and am now looking to tidy it up a bit.

 

In my code i have a validation 'routine' which saves the errors (depending on whether the input has been completed [think of it as required fields]) and then displays them at the end.  This stops the form sending and shows the users where the errors are.

 

here is the code (well part of it)

 

if($name){//----> CHECK input
        }
        else{
            $error.="Please, go back and fill out your first name<br>\n";//----> ERROR if no input
            }

   ..........

if($toMessage){//----> CHECK input
        }
        else{
            $error.="You didn't fill out the message box. If you wish to ask a question, please go back and fill out the message box.<br>\n";//----> ERROR if no input
            }
//-------->ERROR FREE??
    if($error==""){
        echo "Thank you for enquiring about us! A receipt of your submission will be e-mailed to you almost immediately.";
//----------------------------------

 

How can i put the error results (if there are any) into a separate file and redirect the user to it. Basically i want to create a custom error page but show the actual errors that they have made.

 

also how do i incorporate a css layout into a php generated page?

 

Many thanks (edited to add i'm not using a DB to store anything as i don't know SQL that well)

[AndyB]

It's not very user-friendly to show the user their errors on a separate page and expect them to remember the problems when they get back to the previous page.  Why not show them the errors on the same page as the form - then they won't need to remember what they did wrong.

 

As to how you incorporate a css layout into a php generated page, that bdepends on what makes up your layout page, but prototypically -

 

<php
include("top_of_page_code.php"); // all html/css ABOVE the content
// now stick in your php generated content
include("bottom_of_page_code.php"); // all html BELOW the content
?>

[nodster]

i tried to do that very thing with JS but couldn't get it to work. Tried using onBlur, onFocusOut to run a function with a popup window but wasn't getting anywhere particularly fast.

 

so with the given code how would i display the error on the same page as as the code works on the submit button the user goes to a generated (white background) page if there are any errors.