How to replace attributes with HTML Element content(plain text) with PHP

Question

I making a form that will take contact info and send it to an email. It works expect the cities which I have more than 2000 options. The cities drop down sends the value, which is just a number. I want the form to send the city, which is HTML element content not the value number in the attribute. I do not want to replace the 2000 different values with the cities. I know a loop would the way to go but I don't know how to create it.

HTML -

<option value="2" >Los Angeles - CA</option>

PHP -

$city = $_REQUEST['city'] ;

if ($_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD'] == 'POST') {
       mail( "$webmaster_email", "Submission", "$city,"From:$email" );
header( "Location: $thankyou_page" );

Why a loop? Use an array.

Barmar
– Barmar

2013-07-03 19:39:40 +00:00
Commented Jul 3, 2013 at 19:39 — Barmar
– Barmar, Commented Jul 3, 2013 at 19:39
how and where are the 2000 cities options stored?

stackErr
– stackErr

2013-07-03 19:39:48 +00:00
Commented Jul 3, 2013 at 19:39 — stackErr
– stackErr, Commented Jul 3, 2013 at 19:39
I have a gigantic list of 2000 options

user2101421
– user2101421

2013-07-03 19:43:07 +00:00
Commented Jul 3, 2013 at 19:43 — user2101421
– user2101421, Commented Jul 3, 2013 at 19:43
Are you willing to add Javascript to your page?

Barmar
– Barmar

2013-07-03 19:50:43 +00:00
Commented Jul 3, 2013 at 19:50 — Barmar
– Barmar, Commented Jul 3, 2013 at 19:50

DontVoteMeDown · Accepted Answer · 2013-07-03 20:12:22Z

1

I believe you want to send the text and not the value from the option. Right?

I suggest you to create this element on your form: <input type='hidden' id='city_name' name='city_name' /> to hold the select value with JavaScript when user select his desired option. Then, create and event on the select like this:

<select onchange="document.getElementById('city_name').value=this.options[this.selectedIndex].text;">

So you'll have the $_POST['city_name'] available on your PHP code.

edited Jul 3, 2013 at 20:12

answered Jul 3, 2013 at 19:45

DontVoteMeDown

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4 Comments

user2101421 Over a year ago

Correct I want to capture the plain HTML text within the element. Then I want to send it to the email not a number because when the office gets the number they won't know what to do with it.

DontVoteMeDown Over a year ago

So that code will do it for you. I didn't tested it, but it should work. By the way, syntax highlight's showing that you have and error on your code in here "$city, fix that to this "$city", or you'll have a syntax error.

user2101421 Over a year ago

forgive my newest but is this all the Js I need in the head?<script type="text/javascript"> onchange="document.getElementById('city_name').value=this.options[this.selectedIndex].text;" </script>

DontVoteMeDown Over a year ago

Its not that way. Look my edit. The event goes on the select tag like this: <select onchange="document.getElementById('city_name').value=this.options[this.selectedIndex].text;">

sinaneker · Accepted Answer · 2013-07-03 19:43:46Z

1

Use an array! Example:

<?php
    $cities = array(
        '0' => 'New York - NY',
        '1' => '...'
        '2' => '...'
    );
    if (isset($cities[$_REQUEST['city']])) {
        $city = $cities[$_REQUEST['city']];
    } else {
        $city = $_REQUEST['city'];
    }

    if ($_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD'] == 'POST') {
        mail( "$webmaster_email", "Submission", "$city,"From:$email" );
        header( "Location: $thankyou_page" );
    }
?>

answered Jul 3, 2013 at 19:43

sinaneker

16811 bronze badges

Comments

Marc B · Accepted Answer · 2013-07-03 19:49:34Z

0

Presumably you produced that <option> list with something on the server, e.g. an array:

$locations = array(
   ...
   2 => 'Los Angeles - CA'
   ...
);

then you'd simply have

$place = $locations[$_REQUEST['city']];

to get the text for the option.

Alternatively, you embed the full city name in the option:

<option value="Los Angeles - CA">Lost Angeles - CA</option>

edited Jul 3, 2013 at 19:49

answered Jul 3, 2013 at 19:40

Marc B

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3 Comments

Barmar Over a year ago

The question says he doesn't want to rewrite all the options in the second way.

stackErr Over a year ago

@user2101421 where is this list? In your JS or HTML or on a database?

Marc B Over a year ago

@barmar: doesn't matter. either there's a list of the options available to the code somewhere, or the html list has to be rewritten. The form will submit 2 as written in the OP's code, and there is NO way to translate that 2 into Los Angeles without some kind of lookup/translation system.

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