Insert multiple checkbox values into three columns in mySQL table

Question

I have three columns in the database table and want to add 0 to 3 values (topics) from the checkboxes into the columns.

HTML:

<ul class="checkbox" id="topicarea">
                                <li><input type="checkbox" name="topic[]" value="AG">Agriculture<br /></li>
                                <li><input type="checkbox" name="topic[]" value="ART">Art<br /></li>
                                <li><input type="checkbox" name="topic[]" value="BIO">Biological Sciences<br /></li>
                                <li><input type="checkbox" name="topic[]" value="BUS">Business<br /></li>
                                <li><input type="checkbox" name="topic[]" value="COM">Communication<br /></li>
                                <li><input type="checkbox" name="topic[]" value="IT">Information Technology<br /></li>
                                <li><input type="checkbox" name="topic[]" value="EDU">Education<br /></li>
                                <li><input type="checkbox" name="topic[]" value="ENGR">Engineering<br /></li>
                                <li><input type="checkbox" name="topic[]" value="ENVS">Environmental Science<br /></li>
                                <li><input type="checkbox" name="topic[]" value="HE">Health<br /></li>
                                <li><input type="checkbox" name="topic[]" value="LANGLIT">Language and Literature<br /></li>
                                <li><input type="checkbox" name="topic[]" value="LAW">Law<br /></li>
                                <li><input type="checkbox" name="topic[]" value="PHR">Philosophy and Religion<br /></li>
                                <li><input type="checkbox" name="topic[]" value="PHYS">Physical Science<br /></li>
                                <li><input type="checkbox" name="topic[]" value="PSY">Psychology and Counseling<br /></li>
                                <li><input type="checkbox" name="topic[]" value="RECFIT">Recreation and Fitness<br /></li>
                                <li><input type="checkbox" name="topic[]" value="CON">Skilled Trade and Construction<br /></li>
                                <li><input type="checkbox" name="topic[]" value="LIBART">Social Sciences and Liberal Arts<br /></li>
                                <li><input type="checkbox" name="topic[]" value="SOCSRV">Social Services<br /></li>
                                <li><input type="checkbox" name="topic[]" value="TRANS">Transportation<br /></li>
                                <li><input type="checkbox" name="topic[]" value="OTHER">Other<br /></li>
                            </ul>

PHP: I have set three variables (topics 1, 2, and 3) But I do not know what to set them to. I figure they must loop through the checkboxes and get set when they find a value? How can I capture 0 to 3 checked values so I can insert them?

<?php
    include('local-connect.php');

    $fname = mysqli_real_escape_string($dbc, $_POST['firstname']);
    $lname = mysqli_real_escape_string($dbc, $_POST['lastname']);   
    $email = $_POST['email'];   
    $password = $_POST['pword'];    
    $address1 = $_POST['lineone'];  
    $address2 = $_POST['linetwo'];  
    $city = $_POST['city'];
    $state = $_POST['state'];
    $zip = $_POST['zip'];   
    $phone = $_POST['phone'];   
    $ageGroup = $_POST['agegroup'];

    $topic1 =       
    $topic2 = 
    $topic3 = 

    $bio = $_POST['bio'];
    $profilePic = $_POST['fileToUpload'];   

    $query = "INSERT INTO teachers(fname, lname, email, pword, address1, address2, city, state, zip, phone, ageGroup, topic1, topic2, topic3, bio, profilePic)" . 
             "VALUES('$fname','$lname','$email','$password','$address1','$address2','$city','$state','$zip','$phone','$ageGroup','$topic','$bio','$profilePic')";

    $result = mysqli_query($dbc, $query) or die('Unable to Connect to Database or the Registration is incomplete!');

    mysqli_close($dbc);

?>

paquino · Accepted Answer · 2015-03-20 00:32:10Z

1

The data you seek will be in

$_POST['topic'];

You should be able to get the top three like this:

$topic1 = $_POST['topic'][0];      
$topic2 = $_POST['topic'][1];
$topic3 = $_POST['topic'][2];

answered Mar 20, 2015 at 0:32

paquino

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Peky · Accepted Answer · 2015-03-20 00:44:05Z

1

You can't be sure that all 3 of them are set (even with client side javascript validation) so you need some validation for input.

$topics = $_POST['topic'];
if(is_array($topics)) {
  // have an array of values
  $topic1 = (array_key_exists(0, topics))? $topics[0] : 'NULL';
  $topic2 = (array_key_exists(1, topics))? $topics[1] : 'NULL';
  $topic3 = (array_key_exists(2, topics))? $topics[2] : 'NULL';
}
else {
  // have single or none value
  $topic1 = (isset($topics))? $topics : 'NULL';
  $topic2 = 'NULL';
  $topic3 = 'NULL';
}

answered Mar 20, 2015 at 0:44

Peky

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Aman Dhanda · Accepted Answer · 2015-03-20 00:25:27Z

0

You can use jquery to do this. Initialize a variable

var n=0;

When user checks a checkbox, increase value of n by 1

n++;

and simultanously check, if value of n is equal to 3. Disable all the checkboxes.

answered Mar 20, 2015 at 0:25

Aman Dhanda

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