how read dynamically generated checkbox values

Question

Following checkbox structure generated dinamically through PHP while loop, so checkbox name is same for all checkbox name="cols[]"

    <li>
<input type="checkbox" name="tab" value="table1"/>
<ul>
    <li><input type="checkbox" name="cols[]" value="t1col1"</li>
    <li><input type="checkbox" name="cols[]" value="t1col2"</li>
    <li><input type="checkbox" name="cols[]" value="t1col3"</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
<input type="checkbox" name="tab" value="table2"/>
<ul>
    <li><input type="checkbox" name="cols[]" value="t2col1"</li>
    <li><input type="checkbox" name="cols[]" value="t2col2"</li>
    <li><input type="checkbox" name="cols[]" value="t2col3"</li>
</ul>
</li>

problem is when I read value as bellow in php I unable to differentiate the values of array cols[] according to its parent categories. what is the solution for this situation

if(isset($_POST['tab']))      
{
    foreach($_POST['tab'] as $tabs_entry)
        {
            $query.=$tabs_entry.'~';
                     if(isset($_POST['cols']))
                     {
                        foreach($_POST['cols'] as $cols_entry)
                            $query.$cols_entry.',';
                        $query.="-";
                     }
         }

 }
 echo $query;

Is number of checkboxes the same per each category? Do you know number of categories in advance? — Kuba Wyrostek
– Kuba Wyrostek, Commented Jan 18, 2014 at 17:54
there are 'n' number of categories and also 'n' number of child checkboxes — Sharad Kale
– Sharad Kale, Commented Jan 18, 2014 at 18:02
Why does the while loop prevent you from changing the names? Anyway it looks like you could extract the table number from the first 2 characters of the value (t1,t2,etc.) — TiiJ7
– TiiJ7, Commented Jan 18, 2014 at 18:06
when t1col1 and t2col2 is checked then output of echo $query is: table1~t1col1,t2col1,-table2~t1col1,t2col1,- but expected output is table1~t1col1,-table2~t2col2,- — Sharad Kale
– Sharad Kale, Commented Jan 18, 2014 at 18:23

user3177179 · Accepted Answer · 2014-01-24 11:29:47Z

1

solved by using same checkbox name array for table as well as checkboxes and can split parent values and child values by adding saperator "~"(tilde) and ","(comma)

    <li>
<input type="checkbox" name="tab[]" value="table1~"/>
<ul>
    <li><input type="checkbox" name="tab[]" value="t1col1,"/></li>
    <li><input type="checkbox" name="tab[]" value="t1col2,"/></li>
    <li><input type="checkbox" name="tab[]" value="t1col3,"/></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
<input type="checkbox" name="tab[]" value="table2~"/>
<ul>
    <li><input type="checkbox" name="tab[]" value="t2col1,"/></li>
    <li><input type="checkbox" name="tab[]" value="t2col2,"/></li>
    <li><input type="checkbox" name="tab[]" value="t2col3,"/></li>
</ul>
</li>

answered Jan 24, 2014 at 11:29

user3177179

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1 Comment

Seb Over a year ago

That sounds strange. If I remember it correctly, you could use keys in the name for a checkbox and get them back in php: name="tab[table1]" or name="tab[table1][]" - not shure which one works for you.

D. Melo · Accepted Answer · 2014-01-18 18:28:45Z

I could sove it with simple adjustments in the form and an additional IF in the inner loop.

Maybe this will sove:

<form action="tab-cols.php" method="post">
    <ul>
     <li>
    <!-- Changed the name from tab to tab[], so everyone survives -->
    <input type="checkbox" name="tab[]" value="table1"/>
    <ul>
        <li><input type="checkbox" name="cols[]" value="t1col1"</li>
        <li><input type="checkbox" name="cols[]" value="t1col2"</li>
        <li><input type="checkbox" name="cols[]" value="t1col3"</li>
    </ul>
    </li>
    <li>
    <input type="checkbox" name="tab[]" value="table2"/> 
    <ul>
        <li><input type="checkbox" name="cols[]" value="t2col1"></li>
        <li><input type="checkbox" name="cols[]" value="t2col2"></li>
        <li><input type="checkbox" name="cols[]" value="t2col3"></li>
    </ul>
    </li>
    <ul>
<input type="submit" value="lalala">
</form>
<pre>
<?
$query ="  "; //added this

print_r($_POST);

if(isset($_POST['tab']))      
{
$t = 1; //added this
    foreach($_POST['tab'] as $tabs_entry)
        {
            $query.=$tabs_entry.'~';
             if(isset($_POST['cols']))
             {
                foreach($_POST['cols'] as $cols_entry){
            if(preg_match("/t".$t."(.*)/", $cols_entry) ){ //added this IF, so we can diferentiate
                        $query = $query.$cols_entry.',';                
            }

        }
                $query.="-";
             }
         $t++; //added this
         }
 }
 echo $query;

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