[SOLVED] Can't find a way to preserve a form-value in a Joomla-component

[koda]

Hello,

 

First - I am a complete noob at PHP and HTML, and that's why I'm stuck!!

 

I'm trying to make a slight modification to a Joomla component called "Chordbase". What it does, is the ability to have a database of songs - with song lyrics and guitar/piano chords shown. It shows a list of songs (by name), and by clicking a songname - it displays the songlyrics (with chordnames above the songtext).

 

Now; I'm adding an extra functionality to Chordbase. The function I'm trying to make - is to have the chords shown below the song, as chord-images. By the help of a dropdown-box (select-box), one can choose between one of these:

- dont show chord-images

- show guitar chord images

- show piano chord images

 

I've gotten so far where I it actually works - in sense of that I can choose i.e. "Show guitar chords" and press the "Update" button (behind the select-box). Then, the chords ARE shown below the song!! The trouble comes when I press "Printer friendly".... I will come back to that in a minute!

 

Most of the "action" going on in this Joomla-component, is divided into these php-scripts:

 

chordbase.php    (the "main" program)

 

chordbase.html.php  (makes the top-screenpart of the songview - where it gives a "menu" with different options,

                            like "Printer friendly" or "Edit song".... and so on...  IT'S HERE I ADDED MY DROPDOWN-BOX).

 

song.class.php  (displays the songtext / chordnames.  IT'S IN HERE I ADDED THE CODE TO DISPLAY

                        CHORD-IMAGES).

 

In a function called  "function songHeader" in "Chordbase.html.php" I've added the code like this:

 

 

<form action="index.php?option=com_chordbase&Itemid=<?php echo $Itemid ?>&task=viewSong&song_id=<?php echo $song_id ?>&pop="0"" method="post">
<select name="showchords">

   <option value="dontshow" >Don't show chords</option>
   <option value="showguitar">Show guitar chords</option>
   <option value="showpiano">Show piano chords</option> -->

<input type="submit" name="submit" value="Update">
</select>

 

 

So far, so good.... BUT  --- and here's a HUGE trauma (yes, I'm almost going nuts here):

-> When I choose "Printer friendly" and the song shows up in a new window- the chords are gone!!

 

I've so far found out this:

When I select "Printer friendly" - ALL variables I'm using for checking whether chords are going to be shown or not - they are RESET (null-value).

 

I've added the variable $_POST['showchords'] in function "song.class.php" to check/evaluate if the chord-images are going to be shown (it's in this function I've added some programming to show the chord-images). Each time "Printer friendly" is called - this variable is EMPTY.

 

Another thing (this is maybe one major reason for this problem):

- usually, when the song itself is shown - it calls up Joomla's "index.php" - i.e. like this:

[code:1]index.php?option=com_chordbase&Itemid=<?php echo $Itemid ?>&task=viewSong&song_id=<?php echo $song_id ?>&pop="0"[/code:1]
But, when "Printer friendly" is called - Chordbase does this by calling Joomla's "index2.php", like this:

<?php echo $mosConfig_live_site ?>/index2.php?option=com_chordbase&Itemid=<?php echo $Itemid ?>&task=viewSong&showChords=<?php echo $showChords == "no"?"no":"yes" ?>&song_id=<?php echo $song_id ?>&pop=1" target="_blank">Printer friendly</a>]

--> this code is located in "chordbase.html.php" (as one of the menu-choices).

 

So, I assume that because of the different approach of calling the function for showing the song (in "song.class.php") - it looses all knowledge of the content of this variable i mentioned further above...

How to deal with this - is far, far  beyond my knowledge and skills

 

 

HOW in the world can I get it to REMEMBER that I chose "Show guitar chords" when I select "Printer friendly"??

 

I've tried absolutely "everything" my ignorant mind could find on the internet (Google)...

 

- koda