Stopping an empty form being submitted

Hello there, I have a form and when data is inputted it goes into the table and I can get it out pefectly fine, the problem I have is that if the promary key is empty it will not submit, but if any of the other fields are empty except the primary key then the forms submits.

Is there a way to stop the form submitting unless all the fields are filled in first?

Code: ( text )

<?php
// this starts the session
session_start();
?>
<?php
$db_name="project"; // Database name
$tbl_name="member"; // Table name
// Connect to server and select database.
mysql_connect($_SESSION['host'], $_SESSION['username'], $_SESSION['password'])or die("cannot connect");
mysql_select_db("$db_name")or die("cannot select DB");
// Get values from form
$memberno=$_POST['Member_No'];
$surname=$_POST['Surname'];
$forename=$_POST['Forename'];
$address=$_POST['Address'];
$dob=$_POST['DOB'];
// Insert data into mysql
$sql="INSERT INTO $tbl_name(Member_No, Surname, Forename, Address, DOB)VALUES('$memberno', '$surname', '$forename', '$address', '$dob')";
$result=mysql_query($sql);
// if successfully insert data into database, displays message "Successful".
if($result){
header('Location: blank.php');
}
else {
echo "ERROR";
}
// close connection
mysql_close();
?>

Any help or ideas would be very welcome.

Thank you in advanced.

ronverdonk

Moderator

4,138 Posts

March 27th, 2008
09:30 PM
#2

Re: Stopping an empty form being submitted

Where is the submitting form? I assume it is a separate script. You can test the POSTed values and, when any of them is blank, re-display the form in the other script. like

Code: ( text )

// Test values from form
if (!isset($_POST['Member_No']) OR $_POST['Member_No'] == '' OR
!isset($_POST['Surname']) OR $_POST['Surname'] == '' OR
!isset($_POST['Forename']) OR $_POST['Forename'] == '' OR
!isset($_POST['Address']) OR $_POST['Address'] == '' OR
!isset($_POST['DOB']) OR $_POST['DOB'] == '' )
// handle error and goto form script

A lot easier is to combine the form script and the form 'catcher' script so you can, whenever an error occurs, just re-display the form again with all the fields, that were filled in and valid, re-displayed in the form.

But then you'll have to show the form script code.

But this way the form is always submitted because you do the checking at the server side. If you want to do the checking before submission at the client side, you'll have to use JavaScript validation and submission.

Ronald

__________________
RTFM is an almost extinct art form.

TheServant

Needs Regular Fix

441 Posts

March 27th, 2008
09:52 PM
#3

Re: Stopping an empty form being submitted

Quote:

Originally Posted by ronverdonk

But this way the form is always submitted because you do the checking at the server side. If you want to do the checking before submission at the client side, you'll have to use JavaScript validation and submission.

I agree, the way I do it is check everything is good on the client side with javascript (it just checks if the input is write and if it's not it will display an error box, otherwise it submits it). Then when you get to the sevrer side you use something like ronverdonk's code above with it's own validation.

Basically this reduces the processing required on the server side, it lets the user know their input is wrong instantly instead of having to submit a form and reload the page, and most importantly, if the user has disabled javascript, you can still validate their info using php on the server side.

flexsingh

Newbie

17 Posts

March 27th, 2008
10:00 PM
#4

Re: Stopping an empty form being submitted

Quote:

Originally Posted by ronverdonk

Where is the submitting form? I assume it is a separate script. You can test the POSTed values and, when any of them is blank, re-display the form in the other script. like

Code: ( text )

// Test values from form
if (!isset($_POST['Member_No']) OR $_POST['Member_No'] == '' OR
!isset($_POST['Surname']) OR $_POST['Surname'] == '' OR
!isset($_POST['Forename']) OR $_POST['Forename'] == '' OR
!isset($_POST['Address']) OR $_POST['Address'] == '' OR
!isset($_POST['DOB']) OR $_POST['DOB'] == '' )
// handle error and goto form script

Hmm this is my form sorry

Code: ( text )

<html>
<br>
<br>
<head>
<h1><font face="sans-serif, Arial" font color="white">Add Member Page!</h1>
</head>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<body background="main background1.jpg" link="blue" vlink="blue">
<table width="350" border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="1">
<tr>
<td><form name="update member form" method="post" action="updatemember_ac.php">
<table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="3">
<tr>
<td colspan="3" align="center"><strong><font face="sans-serif, Arial" font color="white">Insert Data Into mySQL Database </strong></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font face="sans-serif, Arial" font color="white">Member No</td>
<td>:</td>
<td><input name="Member_No" type="int" id="Member_No" value="from below"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font face="sans-serif, Arial" font color="white">Surname</td>
<td>:</td>
<td><input name="Surname" type="varchar" id="Surname"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font face="sans-serif, Arial" font color="white">Forename</td>
<td>:</td>
<td><input name="Forename" type="varchar" id="Forename"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font face="sans-serif, Arial" font color="white">Address</td>
<td>:</td>
<td><textarea name="Address" cols="16" row="4" id="Address"></textarea></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font face="sans-serif, Arial" font color="white">DOB</td>
<td>:</td>
<td><input name="DOB" type="date" id="DOB" value="YYYY-MM-DD"></td>
</tr>
<td colspan="3" align="center"><input type="submit" name="Submit" value="Finish"></td>
</tr>
</table>
</form>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<br><br>
<br><br>
<table align="right" width="600" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="3" >
<tr>
<td align="center" width="30%"><b><u><font face="sans-serif, Arial" font color="white">Member No</b></u></td>
<td align="center" width="40%"><b><u><font face="sans-serif, Arial" font color="white">Membership Start Date</b></u></td>
<td align="center" width="30%"><b><u><font face="sans-serif, Arial" font color="white">Membership No</b></u></td>
</tr>
</table>
</body
</html>

I duno where that code should go. I think I understand what you mean though, I can only check if there was data inputted in after the submission, I really just wanted it to say sorry please fill in all fields first because it creates alot of empty spaces which aint really good for the presentation.

I really have no knowledge of javascripts so if you could provide any code, I know its a huge ask but it would be soo appreciated.

Thank you for your quick responce.

ronverdonk

Moderator

4,138 Posts

March 27th, 2008
11:42 PM
#8

Re: Stopping an empty form being submitted

In order to give a helping hand, I combined your two scripts into one script. This contains the validation, the insertion into the db, prinnting of the error message (if any), displaying the form and filling in all the fields that were correctly filled in the first time. I have not tested this, but it should run with (maybe) some changes at your side.

Code: ( text )

<?php
// this starts the session
session_start();
$error='';
if (isset($_POST['Submit'])) {
// check the passed values
if (!isset($_POST['Member_No']) OR $_POST['Member_No'] == '' OR
!isset($_POST['Surname']) OR $_POST['Surname'] == '' OR
!isset($_POST['Forename']) OR $_POST['Forename'] == '' OR
!isset($_POST['Address']) OR $_POST['Address'] == '' OR
!isset($_POST['DOB']) OR $_POST['DOB'] == '' ) {
$error="Error, you must fill in all fields in this form";
}
else {
$db_name="project"; // Database name
$tbl_name="member"; // Table name
// Connect to server and select database.
mysql_connect($_SESSION['host'], $_SESSION['username'], $_SESSION['password'])or die("cannot connect");
mysql_select_db("$db_name")or die("cannot select DB");
// Get values from form
$memberno=$_POST['Member_No'];
$surname=$_POST['Surname'];
$forename=$_POST['Forename'];
$address=$_POST['Address'];
$dob=$_POST['DOB'];
// Insert data into mysql
$sql="INSERT INTO $tbl_name(Member_No, Surname, Forename, Address, DOB)VALUES('$memberno', '$surname', '$forename', '$address', '$dob')";
$result=mysql_query($sql)
or die("INSERT error: ".mysql_error());
// if successfully insert data into database, displays message "Successful".
echo "Successfully inserted in database";
// close connection
mysql_close();
exit;
}
if ($error > '')
echo "<span style='color:red;'>$error</span>";
} // END if submitted
?>
<html>
<br>
<br>
<head>
<h1><font face="sans-serif, Arial" color="black">Add Member Page!</h1>
</head>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br
<body background="main background1.jpg" link="blue" vlink="blue">
<table width="350" border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="1">
<tr>
<td>
<form name="update member form" method="post" action="<?php $_SERVER['PHP_SELF'] ?>">
<table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="3">
<tr>
<td colspan="3" align="center"><strong><font face="sans-serif, Arial" color="black">Insert Data Into mySQL Database </strong></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font face="sans-serif, Arial" color="black">Member No</td>
<td>:</td>
<td><input name="Member_No" type="int" id="Member_No" value="from below"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font face="sans-serif, Arial" color="black">Surname</td>
<td>:</td>
<td><input name="Surname" type="varchar" id="Surname" value="<?php echo (isset($_POST['Surname'])) ? $_POST['Surname'] : ""; ?>"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font face="sans-serif, Arial" color="black">Forename</td>
<td>:</td>
<td><input name="Forename" type="varchar" id="Forename" value="<?php echo (isset($_POST['Forename'])) ? $_POST['Forename'] : ""; ?>"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font face="sans-serif, Arial" color="black">Address</td>
<td>:</td>
<td><textarea name="Address" cols="16" rows="4" id="Address"><?php echo (isset($_POST['Address'])) ? $_POST['Address'] : ""; ?></textarea></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font face="sans-serif, Arial" color="black">DOB YYYY-MM-DD</td>
<td>:</td>
<td><input name="DOB" type="date" id="DOB" value="<?php echo (isset($_POST['date'])) ? $_POST['date'] : ""; ?>"></td>
</tr>
<td colspan="3" align="center"><input type="submit" name="Submit" value="Finish"></td>
</tr>
</table>
</form>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<br><br>
<br><br>
<table align="right" width="600" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="3" >
<tr>
<td align="center" width="30%"><b><u><font face="sans-serif, Arial" color="black">Member No</b></u></td>
<td align="center" width="40%"><b><u><font face="sans-serif, Arial" color="black">Membership Start Date</b></u></td>
<td align="center" width="30%"><b><u><font face="sans-serif, Arial" color="black">Membership No</b></u></td>
</tr>
</table>
</body>
</html>

Good luck!

Ronald