Receiving form variables as an array

[DG]

I have setup an HTML page were the user will be able to set the number
of text boxes they want to enter data in. The number of text boxes
will be saved as a hidden form variable. Below is a quick HTML code
that will show what im talking about.

<Form>
<input type="textbox" name="n1">
<input type="textbox" name="n2">
<input type="textbox" name="n3">
<input type="hidden" name="num_boxes " value="3">


When the user submits the data, it pass the info to a PHP page where
the info will be used to insert into a mysql database. What is the
best way to go about doing this? There are two methods i came up with,
and 1 will be a pain to do, and the other im not sure how to
accomplish.

1. Perform if /else statements such as
if($n1 != ""){
insert $n1 into table
}
if($n2 != ""){
insert $n2 into table
and continue upto a max value

This would work if there were 3 textboxes, however what if there are
30? Then this is extremely inefficient.


2. Save $n1 to $n3 into an array so that i could just perform a loop
for(int $i = 0; $i<$num_boxes;$ i++){
insert $array[i] into table

is method two possible? If so, can someone point me in the right
direction?
Thanks for your help.

[stephan beal]

Re: Receiving form variables as an array

DG wrote:[color=blue]
> 1. Perform if /else statements such as
> if($n1 != ""){
> insert $n1 into table
> }
> if($n2 != ""){
> insert $n2 into table
> and continue upto a max value
>
> This would work if there were 3 textboxes, however what if there are
> 30? Then this is extremely inefficient.[/color]

something like this will iterate until nX is not set:

$i = 1;
while( true ) {
$varname = "n$i";
if( ! isset( $_POST[$varname] ) ) break;
$val = $$varname; # yes, that's two $$
....
}

of course, adjust $_POST to whatever you like.

--
----- stephan beal
Registered Linux User #71917 http://counter.li.org
I speak for myself, not my employer. Contents may
be hot. Slippery when wet. Reading disclaimers makes
you go blind. Writing them is worse. You have been Warned.

[stephan beal]

Re: Receiving form variables as an array

stephan beal wrote:[color=blue]
> $val = $$varname; # yes, that's two $$[/color]

That will only work if nX is in the global space. It is far better to pull
it from $_{POST,GET}.


--
----- stephan beal
Registered Linux User #71917 http://counter.li.org
I speak for myself, not my employer. Contents may
be hot. Slippery when wet. Reading disclaimers makes
you go blind. Writing them is worse. You have been Warned.

[stephan beal]

Re: Receiving form variables as an array

stephan beal wrote:[color=blue]
> $i = 1;
> while( true ) {
> $varname = "n$i";[/color]

Sorry, i forgot this very important part: ++$i

--
----- stephan beal
Registered Linux User #71917 http://counter.li.org
I speak for myself, not my employer. Contents may
be hot. Slippery when wet. Reading disclaimers makes
you go blind. Writing them is worse. You have been Warned.

[Jochen Daum]

Re: Receiving form variables as an array

Hi DG!
On 25 Jul 2003 07:47:34 -0700, programguru@hot mail.com (DG) wrote:
[color=blue]
>I have setup an HTML page were the user will be able to set the number
>of text boxes they want to enter data in. The number of text boxes
>will be saved as a hidden form variable. Below is a quick HTML code
>that will show what im talking about.
>
><Form>
><input type="textbox" name="n1">
><input type="textbox" name="n2">
><input type="textbox" name="n3">
><input type="hidden" name="num_boxes " value="3">
>
>
>When the user submits the data, it pass the info to a PHP page where
>the info will be used to insert into a mysql database. What is the
>best way to go about doing this? There are two methods i came up with,
>and 1 will be a pain to do, and the other im not sure how to
>accomplish.
>[/color]
3.

<input type="textbox" name="n[]">
<input type="textbox" name="n[]">
<input type="textbox" name="n[]">


Try that...

HTH, Jochen


--
Jochen Daum - CANS Ltd.
PHP DB Edit Toolkit -- PHP scripts for building
database editing interfaces.

http://sourceforge.net/projects/phpdbedittk/