PHP: REQUEST_METHOD as basic error handling for html form

Question

I am using input from a html form to output arrays containing the value inputted. I would like to carry out basic error handling that states what fields were left empty, a error message if no fields are inputted and then if all of the fields are inputed. However, my code isn't doing as I would like. It works elsewhere in my code but I can not figure out the difference.

EDIT: I am getting "Notice: Undefined index: ageChoice" and "Notice: Undefined index: colourChoice"

HTML

<form action="profileFilter.php" method="POST">
    <p>Age: <br>
            <input type="radio" name="ageChoice" value="1">1 
            <input type="radio" name="ageChoice" value="2">2

    <p>Colour: <br>
            <input type="radio" name="colourChoice" value="Tabby">Tabby: 
            <input type="radio" name="colourChoice" value="Ginger">Ginger 

    <input type="submit" name="button">   
    </form>

ProfileArray.class.php

class ProfileArray {
 Public function dataArray() {
                $profileArray = array( 
                    array(  'Name' => 'Toby',
                            'Age' => 3, 
                            'Colour' => 'Ginger',
                            'Gender' => 'Male',     
                            'Personality' => 'Gentle',
                                                ),

                    array(  'Name' => 'Cassie',
                            'Age' => 2, 
                            'Colour' => 'Tabby',
                            'Gender' => 'Female',
                            'Personality' => 'Playful',
                                                ),
                                );

                    return $profileArray;
                    }
            }

profileFilter.php

include ("ProfileArray.class.php");
$object = new ProfileArray();
$profileArray = $object->dataArray();

if($_SERVER["REQUEST_METHOD"] == "POST") {

$passedAgeChoice = $_POST['ageChoice'];
$passedcolourChoice = $_POST['colourChoice']; 
$errorMessage = "";

    if (!empty($passedAgeChoice)) {
        echo $errorMessage = "WARNING: You have not entered an age to search for<br>";
    }

    if (!empty($passedColourChoice)) {
        echo $errorMessage = "WARNING: You have not entered a colour to search for<br>";
    }


    if ($errorMessage == TRUE) {
        echo '<h4 class="error">You have inputted nothing to search for</h4><a href="catMatch.html" class="error_button"> Go back and try again</a>';
    }

//If there are no errors submit the form
    if ($errorMessage == "") {
         echo '<h4 class="error">Here are your full search results</h4><a href="catMatch.html" class="error_button"> Back to Homepage</a><br>';
    }

}

$passedcolourChoice != $passedColourChoice (letter case) and error reporting would have helped you out here. — Funk Forty Niner
– Funk Forty Niner, Commented Jun 3, 2016 at 1:18
check for errors php.net/manual/en/function.error-reporting.php — Funk Forty Niner
– Funk Forty Niner, Commented Jun 3, 2016 at 1:24
I think you mean to check if it's empty, then error, i.e. if(empty(... instead of if(!empty(... — Jeff Puckett
– Jeff Puckett, Commented Jun 3, 2016 at 1:24
However and besides what @JeffPuckettII pointed out, it's best to use isset() with radio buttons, rather than empty(). — Funk Forty Niner
– Funk Forty Niner, Commented Jun 3, 2016 at 1:27
empty() is mostly used for strings/lengths (text inputs), isset() are best for radio/checkboxes, take my word on this ;-) Use an isset() / !isset() against the POST arrays, rather than assigning variables to POST arrays (which is most likely why you're getting those notices), then using conditional statements after. You're actually working /coding harder than you should. — Funk Forty Niner
– Funk Forty Niner, Commented Jun 3, 2016 at 1:36

Funk Forty Niner · Accepted Answer · 2016-06-03 01:46:02Z

2

Use isset() and !isset() for everything here and you won't get any warnings. As I mentioned in comments, isset() is best used for radio buttons (and checkboxes).

empty() is mostly used for string inputs, lengths etc.

Sidenote: $passedcolourChoice has also been replaced with $passedColourChoice.
Variables are case-sensitive.

You can omit $passedAgeChoice = $_POST['ageChoice']; $passedcolourChoice = $_POST['colourChoice']; and use the below:

if(isset($_POST['ageChoice'])){

    $passedAgeChoice = $_POST['ageChoice'];

}

if(isset($_POST['colourChoice'])){

    $passedColourChoice = $_POST['colourChoice'];

}

$errorMessage = "";

    if (!isset($passedAgeChoice)) {
        echo $errorMessage = "WARNING: You have not entered an age to search for<br>";
    }

    if (!isset($passedColourChoice)) {
        echo $errorMessage = "WARNING: You have not entered a colour to search for<br>";
    }


    if ($errorMessage == TRUE) {
        echo '<h4 class="error">You have inputted nothing to search for</h4><a href="catMatch.html" class="error_button"> Go back and try again</a>';
    }

answered Jun 3, 2016 at 1:46

Funk Forty Niner

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8 Comments

cigarette_unicorn Over a year ago

This worked! However my final statement if ($errorMessage == TRUE) {... this runs if there are any errors at all and opposed to when they are all blank. Any suggestions there?

Jeff Puckett Over a year ago

@eainnem this is when you want to use empty - to check if a string is empty. $errorMessage is a string, so use if(!empty($errorMessage)) instead of if ($errorMessage == TRUE)

Funk Forty Niner Over a year ago

@JeffPuckettII haha! - I know Jeff. But seeing that there were no answers given at the time and comments were starting to pile up, I figured I'd put one in. I did though tell the OP in this comment that it was "nite nite" for me, and couldn't respond after since my head was embedded deep in my pillow. As for Stack paying me enough; hehe, well if I had a nickel for every comment I left and every answer I've given so far, I'd probably have a "paid" house by now ;-)

Funk Forty Niner Over a year ago

@eainnem I'm glad everything turned out well. I had gone to bed following my last comment to you last night, so I was unable to respond at the time. Cheers and you're very much welcome.

Funk Forty Niner Over a year ago

@JeffPuckettII "this is when you want to use empty - to check if a string is empty" - Yes, absolutely. Thanks for that comment Jeff :-)

|

Navid · Accepted Answer · 2016-06-03 01:54:12Z

0

In profileFilter.php change two lines

$passedAgeChoice = (isset ($_POST['ageChoice'])) ?$_POST['ageChoice']:'';
$passedcolourChoice =(isset ($_POST['clourChoice'])) ? $_POST['colourChoice']:'';

Best practice: don't use global variables (e.g. $_POST, $_GET) directly. Try to validate them before use.

answered Jun 3, 2016 at 1:54

Navid

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