how do i extract values from an array to show on a html page

[rotaryfreak]

hello,

im trying to build an application that will incorporate a "forgot password" feature. in order for my feature to work correctly, i am asking the user to type in his/her email address and he/she will have to answer a security question.

<form id="form1" name="form1" method="get" action="emailRetrieve.php" >
    	<label>Please enter your email address:</label><br/>
  		<label> Email address: <input type="text" name="emailText" id="emailText" size="50" /><br/><br/>
			  
              Secret Question: <br/>
              Secret Answer: <input type="text" name="secretAnswer" id="secretAnswer" size="49" /><br/>
       		
		</label>
        <input type="submit" value="Submit"/>
		</label>
	</form>

in my php script, i created an array with only 3 questions. Every time the page is refreshed, or other users use the "forgot password" feature, i am implementing a random function which chooses a random index of the array and will hence display a different question every time.

my problem is, when i hardcode the php script into the html page right after the "Secret Question" it works perfectly fine and i see the questions randomly changing when the page is refreshed. The problem now is that i need to send that same question for verification in my database. I can not access this variable outside the .html page. Now, when i move the php block to another file, i can not randomly generate my question and insert it into the html page. i know i have to use the $_POST method but whatever i try is not working

can anyone shed some light on this? how to i use php to randomly generate an index in my array and then insert it into my html page?

the code that im using for my 3 random questions is:

 <?php

$securQueArr = array("1" => "what was your first car", "2" => "what is your mothers name", "3" => "which city were you born in");
$randInt = rand(1,3);


$securityQuestion = $securQueArr[$randInt];

?> 

any ideas?

[TheServant]

In your form you need something like:

<p>Secret Question: <?php echo $securityQuestion; ?></p>

To display the question.

You will also need to send the $securityQuesti on through to your processing script which can either be done with $_SESSION's or $_POST. I am going to recommend $_POST (which is less secure) because all you're doing is sending the question. To do that, I suggest having a hidden input with the question number as the value:

<input type="hidden" name="Q_Num" value="<?php echo $randInt; ?>" />

Then in your processing script you can get the question number used like:

// Validation of $_POST variables
$Q_Num = $_POST['Q_Num'];

[rotaryfreak]

it seems to be almost working :| i get an error:
Notice: Undefined variable: securityQuestio n in C:\Program Files\Wamp Server\www\Movi e Database\EmailP wd.php on line 20

and when i look at line 20, it's this line:

Secret Question: <?php echo $securityQuesti on; ?>

strange because i do define the value in my script...but, at least now im getting some input after Security Question

any ideas?

[TheServant]

Are you defining it above that line? Is the case all the same? If yes to both of those, post your page code and let me have a look.

[rotaryfreak]

:) worked perfectly. here's what i did. After you asked if it was defined, i included the entire php script above the Secret Question line, and modified my emailRetrieve.p hp $Q_Num = $_POST['Q_Num']; to $Q_Num = $_GET['Q_Num'];
now my question changed randomly AND i have access to it through my emailRetrieve.p hp script so i can validate it against the entry in my database. Everything works perfectly, thank you so much!

[TheServant]

No problem, glad it works.

Didn't notice your form method was GET, but, if you're happy with that, then great ;)