php form validation: highlight incorrect fields

There doesnt seem to be any other error checking carried out with this code, that is a real priority, to make sure that the entries are valid.
i'm real busy at the moment with other parts of this site, would it be possible for someone to adapt my code with the changes i want, theres 329 points in it for you.

robjmills

Will have a look at this in the morning and make suggestions, if somebody else hasn't fixed it for you by then. One thing though - postcodes are a nightmare (trust me, I've tried), so will look at some other way.

Cheers

You should look into validating the form with javascript first. This way, you never leave the page if there are recognizeable errors in the code. And The code doesn't look very complex for errors you would need to check for. But the code for such is rather involving as I'm not a fan of form validation scripts cause I tend to go SERIOUSLY overboard with the checks to the point that getting improper data is almost impossible as I look at string length, Special charachters, abbreviations, proper seperation (ie 1234567890 is actually 123-456-7890 and so forth. There are numerous scripts out there that can validate different parts of the form and I will try to list a few for you before I goto bed. But you would have the form action be something like:
<input type="button" onclick="javascript:validateThisForm()"> or something similar.

Here is a tutorial for how to set it up:
http://developer.apple.com/internet/javascript/validation.html
A set of sample code for dressing it up:
http://www.aaronsw.com/weblog/000559

This does the basics for email:
http://www.javascripter.net/faq/validati.htm
This link may help securing the address and phone fields (I don't have time to see how effective they are)
http://www.vtfb.org/vfbmember/overview.htm

Well these should give you the syntax you need and some good ideas behind what would need to be done to prevent false data from being entered into your forms.

Good Luck and sorry I don't have the time to help you further with it. But Javascript and PHP are a VERY nice combination of languages - so if you don't already know how to use it and work with it, I suggest you learn as it makes web dev ten times easier - IMHO.

Red010Knight

Ok, this is how I do it.........

First you will need this bit of code in the head section of the page (assume you will need it within the the function 'pagetop($pagename)'
so may need to add errors to the fuction via global or as arg eg. pagetop($pagename, $errorList)) :

<?php
      // Generate error styles
      if($errorList) {
            echo "
      <style>";
            foreach($errorList as $_err['k'] => $_err['v']) {
                  echo "
            #{$_err['k']}      { border: 2px solid #FF0000 }";
            }
            echo "
      </style>\n";
      }
?>

This create the styles for the error fields...


<?php
      require 'functions.php';
      include 'db.php';

      $pagename = "SUBSCRIBE";

      $name = $_POST['name'];
      $email = $_POST['email'];
      $phone = $_POST['phone'];
      $house_number = $_POST['house_number'];
      $street = $_POST['street'];
      $town = $_POST['town'];
      $postcode = $_POST['postcode'];
      $county = $_POST['county'];
      $submit = $_POST['submit'];

      pagetop($pagename);

      if (!$submit)
                    {
                    echo '
                    If you are interested in further details please complete this form</a>
                    ';

                    ?>
                    <br><br>
                    <form method="post" action="<? echo $PHP_SELF; ?>">
                    <table width="75%" cellpadding="4">
                           <tr>
                                    <td>Name:</td>
                                    <td><input type="text" name="name" id="name"></td>
                           </tr>
                           <tr>
                                    <td>Email:</td>
                                    <td><input type="text" name="email" id="email"></td>
                           </tr>
                           <tr>
                                    <td>Telephone Number:</td>
                                    <td><input type="text" name="phone" id="phone"></td>
                           </tr>
                           <tr>
                                    <td>House Name/Number:</td>
                                    <td><input type="text" name="house_number" id="house_number"></td>
                           </tr>
                           <tr>
                                    <td>Street:</td>
                                    <td><input type="text" name="street" id="street"></td>
                           </tr>
                           <tr>
                                    <td>Town:</td>
                                    <td><input type="text" name="town" id="town"></td>
                           </tr>
                           <tr>
                                    <td>Postocde:</td>
                                    <td><input type="text" name="postcode" id="postcode"></td>
                           </tr>
                           <tr>
                                    <td>County:</td>
                                    <td><input type="text" name="county" id="county"></td>
                           </tr>
                           <tr>
                                    <td>&nbsp;</td>
                                    <td><input type="Submit" name="submit" value="Add"></td>
                           </tr>
                    </table>
                    </form>
                    <?
                    }
                    else
                    {
                           // set up error list array
                           $errorList = array();
                           $count = 0;

                           // validate text input fields
                           if (!$name) {
                                                  $errorList['name'] = "Invalid entry: Name";
                                                  }

                           if (!$email) {
                                                         $errorList['email'] = "Invalid entry: Email";
                                                         }

                           if (!$phone)
                                                         {
                                                         $errorList['phone'] = "Invalid entry: phone";
                                                         }

                           if (!$house_number)
                                                         {
                                                         $errorList['house_number'] = "Invalid entry: House Number";
                                                         }

                           if (!$street)
                                                         {
                                                         $errorList['street'] = "Invalid entry: Street";
                                                         }

                           if (!$town)
                                                         {
                                                         $errorList['town'] = "Invalid entry: Town";
                                                         }


                           if (!$postcode)
                                                         {
                                                         $errorList['postcode'] = "Invalid entry: postcode";
                                                         }

                           if (!$county)
                                                         {
                                                         $errorList['county'] = "Invalid entry: county";
                                                         }

                                                         // check for errors
                           // if none found...
                           if (sizeof($errorList) == 0)
                           {
                                    // generate and execute query
                                    $query = "INSERT INTO subscription(name, email, phone, house_number, street, town, postcode, county) VALUES('$name', '$email', '$phone', '$house_number', '$street', '$town', '$postcode', '$county' )";
                                    $result = mysql_query($query) or die ("Error in query: $query. " . mysql_error());

                                    // print result
                                    echo "<font size=-1>Insert Successful. <a href=index.php>Go back to the main menu</a>.</font>";

                           }
                           else
                           {
                                    // errors found
                                    // print as list
                                    echo "<font size=-1>The following errors were encountered: <br>";
                                    echo "<ul>";
                                    foreach($errorList as $error)
                                    {
                                           echo "<li>$error</li>";
                                    }
                                    echo "</ul>The fields with the errors are bordered in red.</font>";
                                    echo '<a href="javascript:history.back()">Return to subscription page</a>';
                           }
                    }

?>
<?

pagebottom()

?>

Much like shmert has done :)