Processing Forms

[webpager]

Hi All
I am processing an application form within a script and, as the visitors first attempt to send their details is usually incorrect I am returning the completed form with the incorrect fields highlighted. Normal text fields are no problem but I wonder if there is a simple way of returning the value of check boxes, drop down menus and all the other, more complicated form elements.
I could simply return the fields in which the error occurred but I have found that this confuses the visitor even more as they think their other info has been forgotten.
Thanks in nticipation
Keith

 

[siberian]

This is trivial if you use CGI.pm to generate your forms, it automatically should do this. If you need to manually implement you can just do :

print $query->radio_group(-name=>'group_name',
-values=>['eenie','meenie','minie'],
-default=>'meenie',
-linebreak=>'true',
-labels=>\%labels);


perldoc CGI for more info.

 

[webpager]

Thanks for the reply siberian but I'm not sure I understand your answer.
I process the form input and check the validity of each item (passport still valid, age - over 18 etc.). If there is an invalid item I simply set the values of the text field to the visitors input and return the original form. My problem is displaying the correct value of a 'drop down menu' or 'radio button'. The visitors selection has to be selected on the returned form. I know I could hard code it but you guys usually have a simple way of doing this task.

Where is perldoc cgi?

Thanks

 

[siberian]

Correct, if you use CGI.pm to generate your form's you can use it to also set the defaults IN the form elements. Look here:

print $query->radio_group(-name=>'group_name',
-values=>['eenie','meenie','minie'],
-default=>'meenie',
-linebreak=>'true',
-labels=>\%labels);

That names (-name) the radio group as 'group_name'.

It sets the radio buttons 'eenie','meenie' and 'minie'.
It sets the default(-default) to 'meenie'.

It aligns them vertically

It then labels each option with the values in %labels


By changing the value of -default you can preset what appears. So, in this case you might set -default to whatever the user entered on the form they submitted from.

 

[siberian]

Oh and type 'perldoc CGI' at the command line under uNIX. Not sure under Windows. You can read the CGI docs here:

http://search.cpan.org/~lds/CGI.pm-3.00/CGI.pm

 

[webpager]

Thanks siberian - much clearer now although I'll have to put mi thinking head on to get it into the script.

Will give it a whirl and post my findings back here.

I'm using W98 on my home server so will find the docs there.

Once again thanks

Keith