Identifying form field names and values with foreach loop

[Thorby68]

I have a simple dynamic form with 5 input fields

<input type=text name=name />
<input type=text name=height />
<input type=text name=length />
<input type=text name=width />
<input type=text name=weight />

If the user needs more than one of the same item they can add additional input fields.

<input type=text name=height_+1 />
<input type=text name=length_+1 />
<input type=text name=width_+1 />
<input type=text name=weight_+1 />

where +1 is calculated using PHP.

However, once the form is posted, I would like to add the combined weight of all the items together, and then insert each item into a database. To achieve this I tried to use the following.

$name=$_POST['name'];
foreach ( $_POST as $name => $value)
{ 
	$field_name=$name;
	$field_value=$value;
}

This is OK when I echo $field_name and $field_value, because I can see a list of all values and from which field they originate. But I would like to assign each value a variable (preferably the same as the input name in the form) so I can perform my calculation and commit each set of data to the database.

I was thinking of something like

$name=$_POST['name'];
foreach ( $_POST as $name => $value)
{ 
	$field_name=$name;
	$field_value=$value;
        if(strstr($fields_name,"height"))
	{
            $height_[]=$value;
        }
        if(strstr($fields_name,"length"))
	{
            $height_[]=$value;
        }
}

This seems very long winded, and prone to error, and still I wouldn't know how many weight fields to add together.

Can anyone help???

[simplypixie]

Can you clarify - are you trying to calculate the total weight of multiples of the same item or the total weight of multiple items?

[Thorby68]

Many thanks for your help.

in one instance I may have

<input type=text name=name />
<input type=text name=height />
<input type=text name=length />
<input type=text name=width />
<input type=text name=weight />

Where I have to calculate the total weight of 1 item, then submit the data to the database with

mysql_query(INSERT INTO table (name, height, length, width, weight) VALUES ('$name', '$height', '$length', '$width', '$weight')

but I will also be faced with the following

<input type=text name=name />
<input type=text name=height_1 />
<input type=text name=length_1 />
<input type=text name=width_1 />
<input type=text name=weight_1 />

<input type=text name=height_2 />
<input type=text name=length_2 />
<input type=text name=width_2 />
<input type=text name=weight_2 />

<input type=text name=height_3 />
<input type=text name=length_3 />
<input type=text name=width_3 />
<input type=text name=weight_3 />

where I need to calculate

$total_weight=$weight+$weight_1+$weight_2+$weight_3;

and add 3 items to the database, where name is the same for all 3 items.

mysql_query(INSERT INTO table (name, height, length, width, weight) VALUES ('$name', '$height', '$length', '$width', '$weight'), ('$name', '$height_1', '$length_1', '$width_1', '$weight_1'), ('$name', '$height_2', '$length_2', '$width_2', '$weight_2'), ('$name', '$height_3', '$length_3', '$width_3', '$weight_3')

Indeed, the instances of height, length, width, weight could be from 1 to 100, dependent on the user using the form.

Again many thanks, I hope this helps.

[diafol]

This seems a bit wasteful. How about using name arrays in your forms?

SO initial form fields:

<input type='text' name='name' />
<input type='text' name='height[]' />
<input type='text' name='length[]' />
<input type='text' name='width[]' />
<input type='text' name='weight[]' />

then you just have multiples of these:

<input type='text' name='height[]' />
<input type='text' name='length[]' />
<input type='text' name='width[]' />
<input type='text' name='weight[]' />

Are you adding them interactively via javascript? If not, perhaps an idea to do so, e.g. with an [+] button or similar.

Your server-side form handling code then, just needs to do this:

$no_items = count($_POST['height']); //returns number of items sent
$weights = (array) $_POST['weight']; 
$total_weight = array_sum($weights); //maybe should be checked for is number - you could use array_map for this

Again the table setup looks a little odd as you have repeat fields, a better setup POSSIBLY would be:

ITEMS
item_id (PK)
item_name

ITEM_DETAILS
itemd_id (PK)
item_id (FK)
weight
height
length
width

Just a thought. As I have no idea how this data should be used, I can't say.

[Thorby68]

Many thanks I'll give it a go...It may also help me sort out the data in preparation for the database insert.

Also, I'll be sure to post my findings so it may help others.

[Thorby68]

Many thanks ardav.
With your considerable help I've been able to prepare my data and insert said data into DB.

Form
I have one constant

<input type='text' name='customer number' value='1'/>

I also have a set of data items that can be repeated unlimited times

<input type='text' name='weight[]' />
<input type='text' name='length[]' />
<input type='text' name='width[]' />
<input type='text' name='height[]' />

If I need to add more items, I use javascript newdiv.innerHTML and ni.appendChild(newdiv) to repeat above.

Server Side

// get the constant
$customer_number=$_POST['customer_number'];

//get data arrays by type
$weight = (array) $_POST['weight']; 
$length = (array) $_POST['length'];
$width = (array) $_POST['width'];
$height = (array) $_POST['height'];

//Count number of times each set of data occurs (-1 accounts for first item being zero)
$no_items = count($_POST['weight'])-1;

//start counter to help process data
$num=0;

//loop through each array to ensure each item is correctly matched with it's data set
while($num<=$no_items)
{
	$weight[$num]=$weight[$num];
	$length[$num]=$length[$num];
	$width[$num]=$width[$num];
	$height[$num]=$height[$num];
        
        //add set of data and constant to database
        $query=mysql_query("INSET in table (customer_number, weight, length, width, height) VALUES ('$customer_number', '$weight[$num]', '$length[$num]', '$width[$num]', '$height[$num]')";

        //increase number for new pass of the loop
        $num++;
}

Job Done!
Many Thanks

[diafol]

Glad tohear. Mark thread solved.