12 replies to this topic

[heyman]

Inserting a value into a form help



Hello ,

I am looking for a cgi script that will automatically insert a value into a text input field, when a link is clicked

The scenario:

we sell machines, and costumers have the option of requesting a quote, I would like to have the model # of the machine automatically inserted into the quote when the costumer clicks the "request a quote" link.


thanks

[chrishirst]

The actual how will depend on the server side technology, but all you need to do is to pass the value as a querystring with the link, retrieve it from the request collection and insert it to the form.

[heyman]

"The actual how will depend on the server side technology"



FreeBSD operating system, version 4.8-STABLE.
Apache is used and has the following modules installed:
mod_env
mod_php
mod_setclass
mod_log_config
mod_mime
mod_negotiation
mod_status
mod_include
mod_autoindex
mod_dir
mod_cgi
mod_asis
mod_imap
mod_actions
mod_userdir
mod_alias
mod_rewrite
mod_access
mod_auth
mod_frontpage
mod_auth_anon
mod_auth_dbm
mod_digest
mod_expires
mod_headers
mod_unique_id
mod_setenvif


Is that what you were looking for?

Links to tutorials or script would also help, thanks.

[Renagade Master]

I would have a link like this:

CODE

<a href="www.yoursite.com?request_quote.php?model=12345>SOHO Quote</a>

Then the request_quote.php would return a html file with this in it:

CODE

<input type="text" value="12345" name="ref_num" />

Don't know if a script is available for this, but it shouldn't be that difficult with some PHP knowledge or a good book.


HTH - Renegade.

[linux_lover]

Heres a bit of Javascript code to do what you are asking:

CODE

<form name="myform">
<input type="text" name="moo" />
</form>

<script language="javascript">
function populateField(form, field, str){
 document[form][field].value = str;
}
</script>

<a href="javascript: populateField('myform', 'moo', 'Some value')">Click</a>

Just pass the formname, field, and a string to the populateField function via the a href and jobs a good'n. You could also call the function via the onmouseup event.

You could mix this with PHP to get the variable from the query string or write a bit of JS to parse it... or do it all in PHP even - but then you would have to make the page refresh methinks.

Cheers

LiLo

[heyman]

Thanks Lilo,

Pardon me if you have already said this but if you wanted to pass the "some value" to a form on a different page of your website, how would you do that ?

[linux_lover]

That would be what Chris said, use the querystring

www.yourwebsite.com?var=someval&var2=anotherval

You can get the args from the querystring (the variables) by using a function like this:

CODE

function getArgs() {
    var args = new Object;
    var query = location.search.substring(1);
    var pairs = query.split("&");
    for(var i=0; i<pairs.length; ++i) {
 var pos = pairs[i].indexOf('=');
 if(pos == -1) continue;
 var argname = pairs[i].substring(0, pos);
 var value = pairs[i].substring(pos + 1);
 args[argname] = unescape(value);
    }
    return args;
}

//then get the variables like this:

querystring = getArgs();
alert (querystring.var);

Then you would set the form like I said in the last post...

Personally I would use PHP rather than Javascript, but it depends what you have got available on your server - Javascript pretty much everyone can use.

LiLo

[Kev]

You've got PHP so you don't need to use Javascript. Client side coding is dodgy at best - what if your user has JS turned off?

Product link:

CODE

<a href="quote_request.php?m=1234" title="Get a quote for Model 1234!">Model 1234</a>

And in quote_request.php:

CODE

<?php
$m = trim($_GET['m']);
?>
<input type ="text" id="m" value="<?php $m; ?>" />

[linux_lover]

Client side coding is dodgy at best - what if your user has JS turned off?

Couldnt agree more Doing multiple variations of code for every browser gets on my nerves too. I didnt read the bit where he said he had php... bad me.

[heyman]

I've set up the code that Kev posted

but I can't get the "1234" to show up in the text field when I click on the link

what am I doing wrong?

[Randy]

A slight error in the provided code, assuming you're passing the data to a page that is being processed by php.

Instead of this:

CODE

<?php
$m = trim($_GET['m']);
?>
<input type ="text" id="m" value="<?php $m; ?>" />

Try this:

CODE

<?php
$m = trim($_GET['m']);
?>
<input type ="text" id="m" value="<?php echo $m; ?>" />

[Kev]

A slight error in the provided code, assuming you're passing the data to a page that is being processed by php.

Instead of this:

CODE

<?php
$m = trim($_GET['m']);
?>
<input type ="text" id="m" value="<?php $m; ?>" />

Try this:

CODE

<?php
$m = trim($_GET['m']);
?>
<input type ="text" id="m" value="<?php echo $m; ?>" />

Ouch, good spot Randy. Sorry heyman. Next time I'll actually look at what I'm typing

[Randy]

I'm used to troubleshooting my own code Kev.

Practice makes perfect they say. Doesn't keep me from mucking things up on a daily (hourly?) basis, but I have gotten much better at spotting stuff.