JavaScript and PHP parameters

Question

I have a form that I validate it using the JavaScript.

Now when I submit the form I can't use the check boxes in that form.

This is a part of my JS that counts and validates the check boxes.

<script type="text/javascript">
function validateForm()
{
    //My Declarations
    var cases = addClients.caseType.length;
    var total = 0;
    var fnReturn = true;
    //My Script goes here
    for (var idx = 0; idx < cases; idx++)
    {
        if (addClients.caseType[idx].checked == true)
        total += 1;
    }
    if (total == 0)
    {
        document.getElementById('caseErr').style.visibility =" visible";
        fnReturn = false;
    }
    else
       document.getElementById('caseErr').style.visibility = "hidden";

    return (fnReturn == true)?true:false;
}
</script>

The next page that the form submits the data to is as follows (the portion of the check boxes):

<?php
$cases = $_POST['caseType'];
for ($i=0;$i<count($cases);$i++)
    echo "<li>$cases[$i] \n";

Echoing the $cases prints only one letter of the selected check box.

I want to know what I am doing wrong here.

EDIT:

This is my form

<form id="addClients" method="post" action="confirmAdd.php" onsubmit="return validateForm();">
<table border="0">
    <tr align="center">
        <th align="center">Client Last Name:</th>
        <td colspan="3" align="center"><input type="text" name="clname" width="300%"></td>
        <td id="lnErr" style="visibility:hidden">Last Name Required!</td>
    </tr>
    <tr align="center">
        <th align="center">Client First Name:</th>
        <td colspan="3" align="center"><input type="text" name="cfname" width="300%"></td>
        <td id="fnErr" style="visibility:hidden">First Name Required!</td>
     </tr>
    <tr align="center">
        <th align="center">Client Telephone:</th>
        <td colspan="3" align="center"><input type="text" name="ctel" width="300%"></td>
        <td id="telErr" style="visibility:hidden">Telephone Required (without hyphins '-')!</td>
    </tr>
    <tr align="center">
        <th>Cases:</th>
        <td align="center">Rape<input type="checkbox" name="caseType[]" value="rape"></td>
        <td align="center">Drug Accusition<input type="checkbox" name="caseType[]" value="Drug Accusition"></td>
        <td align="center">Assult<input type="checkbox" name="caseType[]" value="Assult"></td>
        <td id="caseErr" style="visibility:hidden">At least one required!</td>
    </tr>
</table>
<input type="submit" value="Add Client">
</form>

SOLUTION:

I have managed to find a solution to the problem by googling ...

first the name of each check box have []

Rape<input type="checkbox" name="caseType[]" value="rape">
Drug Accusition<input type="checkbox" name="caseType[]" value="Drug Accusition">
Assult<input type="checkbox" name="caseType[]" value="Assult">

then, in the javascript I added this part:

var t=0;
var c=addClients['caseType[]'];
for(var i=0;i<c.length;i++)
    c[i].checked?t++:null;

where addClients is the name of my form.

then I tried the PHP that I have attached, and it listed the values as it should.

@webbiedave: I have added the form to the question.

sikas
– sikas

2010-11-10 20:48:22 +00:00
Commented Nov 10, 2010 at 20:48 — sikas
– sikas, Commented Nov 10, 2010 at 20:48

Sean Thayne · Accepted Answer · 2010-11-10 21:19:40Z

3

In your input's name you need to add a [] to the end of the name.

<input type='checkbox' name='caseType[]' />



<script type="text/javascript">
    function getCheckBoxes( formID, name ) {

        var form = document.getElementById(formID);
        var checkboxes = form.getElementsByTagName('input');
        var returnArray = new Array();

        for (var i=0; i<checkboxes.length; i++) {
            if(checkboxes[i].name == name) {
                returnArray.push(checkboxes[i]);
            }
        }

        return checkBoxes;
    }

    function validateForm()
    {


        //My Declarations
        var cases = getCheckBoxes('addClients', 'caseType[]');;
        var total = 0;
        var fnReturn = true;
        //My Script goes here
        for (var idx = 0; idx < cases.length; idx++)
        {
            if (cases[idx].checked == true)
            total += 1;
        }
        if (total == 0)
        {
            document.getElementById('caseErr').style.visibility =" visible";
            fnReturn = false;
        }
        else
           document.getElementById('caseErr').style.visibility = "hidden";

        return false;
    }
</script>

edited Nov 10, 2010 at 21:19

answered Nov 10, 2010 at 20:47

Sean Thayne

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3 Comments

sikas Over a year ago

with the [], my JS doesnt work, without them it works. But the PHP doesnt work without them!!

Sean Thayne Over a year ago

@sikas You can get the checkboxes in a different way thou. I added a example. By using the extra function to grab a array of all the checkboxes with matching names from a form.

sikas Over a year ago

Thanks, I`ve been able to overcome this problem, I have posted the solution in the question.

Quentin · Accepted Answer · 2010-11-10 20:39:33Z

2

The first thing that is wrong is that addClients is undefined. Perhaps you mean document.forms.id_of_form.addClients?

The second thing that is wrong is that PHP's default form handling library, contrary to almost every other form data parsing library out there attaches special meaning to names ending in the characters []. Since you appear to be looping over a set of elements, odds are that the name of the checkboxes is addClients[] and not addClients, so you would need: document.forms.id_of_form['addClients[]'] (using square bracket notation as [] has special meaning in JavaScript too).

answered Nov 10, 2010 at 20:39

Quentin

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2 Comments

sikas Over a year ago

Dorward: How can I overcome this issue?? I have tried to set the names with the [], but the javascript had an error but PHP can process the check boxes, and without [], the JS can handle the check boxes but the PHP just displays the first letter of first of the checked check boxes.

sikas Over a year ago

Dorward: I don`t really understand you!!

FatherStorm · Accepted Answer · 2010-11-10 20:58:44Z

0

so:

$cases = $_POST['caseType'];
//normalize to an array
if(!is_array($cases))$cases=array($cases);
//iterate over the cases.
foreach($cases as $key=>$case){
echo"<li>$case</li>\r\n";
}

edited Nov 10, 2010 at 20:58

answered Nov 10, 2010 at 20:40

FatherStorm

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1 Comment

sikas Over a year ago

this is what I got after making the form submit to the given site: {"QUERY":{"GET":[],"POST":{"clname":"lastName","cfname":"firstName","ctel":"1234","caseType":["rape","Drug Accusition"]},"REQUEST":{"clname":"lastName","cfname":"firstName","ctel":"1234","caseType":["rape","Drug Accusition"]},"FILES":[]}}

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