PHP, more versitile everyday!

bcarl314 · 06-27-2002, 11:28 AM

I just discovered this little how-to-do in php that I though I would share.

I didn't know that you could have multiple submit buttons in a form and determine which one was clicked on in php. Example:

Code:

<html>
<body>
   <form action="myPhp.php" method="post">
      <input type="text" name="fName">
      <input type="submit" name="update" value="Update Name">
      <input type="submit" name="delete" value="Remove My Name">
   </form>
</body>
</html>

and the php file goes like this...

Code:

<?php
if(isset($update)) {
  print "You're name has been updated";
  //do other stuff
}
else if(isset($delete)) {
  print "You have been removed";
  //do other something
}
else {
  print "Huh, I didn't get that? What do you want to do???";
  //default something
}
?>

I'm sure you php gurus knew this, but I just discovered it last night in a trial and error frenzy (ie debugging) session.

Spookster · 06-27-2002, 01:27 PM

I knew you can detect the name of the button pushed but I hadn't thought of using it in that way. Nice idea. Thanks for sharing.

Jeewhizz · 06-27-2002, 02:09 PM

You can indeed. Just another little thing yo might find useful...

if($delete) is the same as if(isset($delete))

Jee

firepages · 06-27-2002, 02:56 PM

... but sadly (IMO) you need to get used to ..

$_POST[delete];
or
$_HTTP_POST_VARS[delete];

best start now as soon enough you will have no choice ;(

SYP}{ER · 06-27-2002, 08:37 PM

Is that what they have in store for the next PHP?! Geez, that'll be a huge pain for a whole lot of people. Or no one will update.

Fitzbean · 06-28-2002, 12:21 PM

I hear ya - that's silly in my opinion.

You can also have multiple buttons with the same name, and determine the action by the value.. like..

<html>
<body>
<form action="myPhp.php" method="post">
<input type="text" name="fName">
<input type="submit" name="action" value="Update">
<input type="submit" name="action" value="Cancel">
<input type="submit" name="action" value="Remove">
</form>
</body>
</html>

<?
if($action == 'Update') {
print "You're name has been updated";
//do other stuff
}
else if($action == 'Delete') {
print "You have been removed";
//do other something
}
else {
print "Canceling....";
//default something
}
?>

ClubCosmic · 07-03-2004, 01:09 PM

this is a good post!

i also have used that method but with checkboxes instead. i think i'll use buttons instead because it looks nicer on a form. its a good idea to always include an else statement at the end in case neither button is selected.

raf · 07-04-2004, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fitzbean

IYou can also have multiple buttons with the same name, and determine the action by the value

This is what i always do, because in a multi-purpose page, you then only need to check if for instance $_POST['action'] is set and if not, go directly to your formbuilding. If set, then i use a switch like

switch ($_POST['action']){
case 'delete':
...
break;
case 'update':
...
break;
default:
$info = 'No action selected. Form is reloaded.';
}

to determine which part of the formprocessing needs to be exectued.

Nightfire · 07-04-2004, 11:09 AM

Heh, this is an old thread, almost as old as le spook

carl_mcdade · 07-04-2004, 03:51 PM

Because PHP programmers can't get it through threir heads to use $_Request a lot of ISPs are going with the default of register_globals on again.

It is really stupid and annoying to see that they have upgraded PHP consistently and then suddenly register_globals is on again. But this guy has the right solution to getting it straight before you roll out your code to multiple sites like I did.

http://martin.f2o.org/php/portable