html and javascript same name for multiple inputs - how to?

Question

I have never done anything like this, and I would like to know how to do it. I need to put 4 inputs into a sub array if it is field out

I know that when i $_POST the form to the server it sends the names of the inputs but how do I get the input to be allowed to have the same name

for example

the sub array i need it to be in is offers here is what i dont know. How do i get the following inputs

<input name="offers[]['minspend']" value="15.00"/>
<input name="offers[]['minspend']" value="5.00"/>

<input name="offers[]['minspend']" value="19.00"/>
<input name="offers[]['minspend']" value="8.00"/>

<input name="offers[]['minspend']" value="30.00"/>
<input name="offers[]['minspend']" value="7.00"/>

<input name="offers[]['minspend']" value="100.00"/>
<input name="offers[]['minspend']" value="10.00"/>

is this correct or wrong?

thanks

Generally there isn't a problem with sending multiple input's with the same name to the server. If you run either firebug or fiddler you can watch the request being sent to the server and see how the inputs get passed. I would just name the inputs "offers" as it should be received by the server as offers[] — scrappedcola
– scrappedcola, Commented Sep 13, 2012 at 4:04

Gus · Accepted Answer · 2012-09-13 04:11:13Z

2

It depends a bit on the back end technology that processes your request (java, php, whatnot), but from an html standpoint multiple elements with the same name will just send their value with the same parameter name. You don't need any special [] syntax.

GET /mypage.html?offer=15.00&offer=5.0&offer=19.0 (etc, could be post too)

Most languages that provide built in support for html requests represent this request as a map, with a key named "offer" and a value that is an array or list containing the values submitted.

For example http://docs.oracle.com/javaee/6/api/javax/servlet/ServletRequest.html#getParameterMap()

answered Sep 13, 2012 at 4:11

Gus

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6 Comments

Nathan Wall Over a year ago

From the looks of it ($_POST), the asker is using PHP. In all PHP examples I've ever seen, the special bracket notation [] is always present. I don't know if it's required or not, but my impression is that it is.

Gus Over a year ago

I've done very limited amounts of php, but this is an http thing... if such a thing is done in php, it probably is a naming convention. (Not sure though).

Gus Over a year ago

the comments in the docs seem to support this notion: note the example where they name something 55 repeatedly... php.net/manual/en/reserved.variables.post.php

Nathan Wall Over a year ago

That example is a radio input. It only has one value when sent to the server. If multiple values will be sent to the server, I'm pretty sure PHP requires the [] notation in order to signify to PHP to represent it as an array.

Gus Over a year ago

ah typical of php, the [] is a shortcut to get Php to do something... php.net/manual/en/reserved.variables.post.php#87650 it causes the array to contain a convenient set of values...

|

Prasanth · Accepted Answer · 2012-09-13 05:23:29Z

This form

<input name="offers['minspend'][]" value="15.00"/>
<input name="offers['minspend'][]" value="5.00"/>

<input name="offers['minspend'][]" value="19.00"/>
<input name="offers['minspend'][]" value="8.00"/>

<input name="offers['minspend'][]" value="30.00"/>
<input name="offers['minspend'][]" value="7.00"/>

<input name="offers['minspend'][]" value="100.00"/>
<input name="offers['minspend'][]" value="10.00"/>

on doing var_dump($_POST) [assuming form method=post] give:

array(1) {
    ["offers"] = > array(1) {
        ["\'minspend\'"] = > array(8) {
            [0] = > string(5)"15.00"
            [1] = > string(4)"5.00"
            [2] = > string(5)"19.00"
            [3] = > string(4)"8.00"
            [4] = > string(5)"30.00"
            [5] = > string(4)"7.00"
            [6] = > string(6)"100.00"
            [7] = > string(5)"10.00"
        }
    }
}

So, that is how you do it.

you can remove 's around minspend. they aren't needed.

You were almost there. offers[]['minspend'] means that you get:

array(){
    array(){
        'minspend' => "15.00"
    }
    array(){
        'minspend' => "5.00"
    }
    .. and so on
}

So what is happening is, when you do something like arr[] = 1, 1 is inserted into array arr.

Captain Jack Sparrow · Accepted Answer · 2012-09-13 04:19:55Z

0

Well first let me tell you what i understood from the question. You want multiple input fields to have same name and then you want to select them all to perform some action. If this is the case i'd like to present a different approach - why don't you assign same class (cssclass) to all the controls you want to have same name. That way you'll be able to select them all together using document.getElementsByClassName("yourclassName"). which will return you an array of all the elements having class attribute as yourclassName. Or if you wanna stick to name then you can use document.getElementsByName("elementName"); which returns you an array of elements having name as elementName. Hope its helpful.

edited Sep 13, 2012 at 4:19

answered Sep 13, 2012 at 4:07

Captain Jack Sparrow

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2 Comments

Rhyono Over a year ago

To stay more inline with what they want: could use Name instead of ClassName.

Nathan Wall Over a year ago

The OP mentioned sending the fields to the server. In this case, name matters, not class.

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