PHP & Javascript insanity

[Karl Groves]

So, I've been fighting with this for a day now and would love some help.

I am working on:

http://www.webaccessstrategies.com/clients/mpc/renewalform.php

Because of the size of the form, users have been getting a bit trigger-
happy on the submit button.

I've found a method to disable the submit button, but now I have a problem
with my server-side validation.

The form submits to itself to do validation based on whether or not
$_REQUEST['submit'] isset.

The problem is that now that I have the javascript in place to disable the
button, $_REQUEST['submit'] is never getting set.

TIA for any guidance on what is causing this.

--
Karl Groves

http://karlcore.com

http://chevelle.karlcore.com

[Michael Winter]

Re: PHP & Javascript insanity

On 12/04/2006 14:54, Karl Groves wrote:
[color=blue]
> I am working on:
> http://www.webaccessstrategies.com/c...enewalform.php
> Because of the size of the form, users have been getting a bit trigger-
> happy on the submit button.[/color]

I'm not surprised. It's enormous! The first thing I'd suggest is
breaking it down into sections, and allow the user to move between them.
With a form that large, it might also be beneficial to allow the user to
save it in a partial state then log back in to resume at a later date.
[color=blue]
> I've found a method to disable the submit button, [...][/color]

I suggest that you lose it again: it's not good for usability. Consider
what happens if the user has problems submitting and hits the back
button to try again. How do you propose they resubmit?

[snip]
[color=blue]
> The problem is that now that I have the javascript in place to disable the
> button, $_REQUEST['submit'] is never getting set.[/color]

Disabled form controls are not successful; they don't become part of the
form data set.

Mike

--
Michael Winter
Prefix subject with [News] before replying by e-mail.

[Juan José Gutiérrez de QuevedoPérez]

Re: PHP & Javascript insanity

El Wed, 12 Apr 2006 08:54:03 -0500
Karl escribió:
[color=blue]
> The form submits to itself to do validation based on whether or not
> $_REQUEST['submit'] isset.[/color]

well, you could just add a hidden field and check for it instead.

<input type="hidden" id="issubmiting " value="1"/>

and then in your code

if(isset($_POST['issubmiting'])&&$_POST['issubmiting']=='1')
{
//process the form
}

--
Juan José Gutiérrez de Quevedo
Director Técnico (juanjo@iteisa. com)
ITEISA (http://www.iteisa.com)
942544036 - 637447953

[Karl Groves]

Re: PHP &amp; Javascript insanity

Michael Winter <m.winter@bluey onder.co.uk> wrote in
news:fV7%f.5207 7$wl.1164@text. news.blueyonder .co.uk:
[color=blue]
> On 12/04/2006 14:54, Karl Groves wrote:[/color]
[color=blue][color=green]
>> The problem is that now that I have the javascript in place to
>> disable the button, $_REQUEST['submit'] is never getting set.[/color]
>
> Disabled form controls are not successful; they don't become part of
> the form data set.[/color]

Ah, OK. So by disabling it, no value is passed. Dur. I should have known
better. Thanks for the response!


--
Karl Groves

http://karlcore.com

http://chevelle.karlcore.com

Accessibility Discussion List: http://smallerurl.com/?id=6p764du

[Areric]

Re: PHP &amp; Javascript insanity

Wow, i strongly recommend you asses what questions on that form
logically fit together and break it up into multiple pages. If i were
filling that out im pretty sure id go crazy. Even if it takes just as
long, having more susinct things can help usability.

[rlee0001]

Re: PHP &amp; Javascript insanity

Also, if this form is a renewal form for existing clients, why are you
having them re-enter all their information? Shouldn't you just show
them the information you have on file and ask for a confirmation?

I'd really hate to have to fill out this entire form every six months
when the only piece of information that has changed was my
symtoms/illness.

Also, consider client-side validation via jscript to compliment the
serverside validation.

-Robert

[Karl Groves]

Re: PHP &amp; Javascript insanity

"Areric" <josh.schramm@g mail.com> wrote in news:1144851661 .619216.39750
@u72g2000cwu.go oglegroups.com:
[color=blue]
> Wow, i strongly recommend you asses what questions on that form
> logically fit together and break it up into multiple pages. If i were
> filling that out im pretty sure id go crazy. Even if it takes just as
> long, having more susinct things can help usability.
>[/color]

I've already "strongly recommended it" to the client. They didn't want to
hear it.



--
Karl Groves

http://karlcore.com

http://chevelle.karlcore.com

Accessibility Discussion List: http://smallerurl.com/?id=6p764du

[Karl Groves]

Re: PHP &amp; Javascript insanity

"rlee0001" <robeddielee@ho tmail.com> wrote in news:1144852867 .175801.148370
@i39g2000cwa.go oglegroups.com:
[color=blue]
> Also, if this form is a renewal form for existing clients, why are you
> having them re-enter all their information? Shouldn't you just show
> them the information you have on file and ask for a confirmation?
>
> I'd really hate to have to fill out this entire form every six months
> when the only piece of information that has changed was my
> symtoms/illness.
>[/color]

Client required it.
There's only so many times you can say "I don't really think that's a good
idea", before you just throw your hands up and do what they ask.



--
Karl Groves

http://karlcore.com

http://chevelle.karlcore.com

[fletch]

Re: PHP &amp; Javascript insanity

Here's how I disable a button on submit

<input type="submit" onclick="Please Wait(this)" />

the javascript is

function PleaseWait(butt on)
{
button.value='P LEASE WAIT';
button.style.co lor='red';
button.onclick= function() {
alert('Please Wait');
return false;
}
return true;
}

We also do server side checking for duplicate form posts on all forms
received.

[Jerry Stuckle]

Re: PHP &amp; Javascript insanity

fletch wrote:[color=blue]
> Here's how I disable a button on submit
>
> <input type="submit" onclick="Please Wait(this)" />
>
> the javascript is
>
> function PleaseWait(butt on)
> {
> button.value='P LEASE WAIT';
> button.style.co lor='red';
> button.onclick= function() {
> alert('Please Wait');
> return false;
> }
> return true;
> }
>
> We also do server side checking for duplicate form posts on all forms
> received.
>[/color]

You can't unless you send the page back to the client. Javascript is
client-side, while PHP is server-side.

--
=============== ===
Remove the "x" from my email address
Jerry Stuckle
JDS Computer Training Corp.
jstucklex@attgl obal.net
=============== ===

[fletch]

Re: PHP &amp; Javascript insanity

Well, I do.

(client) form -> *submit* -> submit button disabled -> (server now)
form compared to previous forms -> form validated -> form saved to
session -> form processed or represented to user to fix (client again).
[color=blue]
> Javascript is client-side, while PHP is server-side.[/color]

yup.

[Richard Levasseur]

Re: PHP &amp; Javascript insanity

An easy method of accomplishing this would be to have a hidden field
with the submit value and leave the button unnamed.