Validating Form data agains a database record.

How about...

If request.form("textfield") <> rs("database field")
Then response.write("the fields do not match")

and

If Len(textfield)<>8 Then
      error_message = ("<p>It has got to be 8 characters</p>")
End If

response.write(error_message)

How can I create a function to do this onsubmit?

Sorry.  I leaped to the assumption of doing with VBscript in ASP.  Obviously this has to be server side coding (since you're checking against a database).  The way I'd do it is after the user hits the Submit Form button, I'd check to be sure the field isn't blank, then open the database & see if the data is there (my first example), then I'd check the length of the text field.  Do you want it to update the database if isn't there & is 8 characters long?  Will ASP work for you?

I dont want to update. I just want to verify that the user is inputting the correct number (one that exists in the database) If its not the correct number I want to give them a message box. If it is then I will show them a set of results based on their input.

Well here is a suggestion - how about checking that the data is of proper format prior to submitting the form?

For this you would need a javascript function

<script language="javascript">
function verifyForm(){
  var testString=document.myForm.myField.value.length;
  if(testString==8){
    return true;
  }else{
    return false;
  }
}

<form name="myForm" action="fileThatCallsDatabase" method="post" onSubmit="javascript:verifyForm();">

if onsubmit gets false the submit process should be aborted if I did the code right. I don't have a setup to test it. But I did verify the commands so it should work.

As for the database verification, you need to use a server side script. But from what I understand, the value you are checking in the database needs to be 8 characters long, so why make a database call after the database check? Wouldn't that be a little redundant?

If you can tell me what database and languages you are able to use, I may be able to help you further.

Just my two cents, hope the script helps you!
Red010Knight

Ken will this work onsubmit or should I just plug it in after the form?

I am now getting an error on line 22,

Error Type:
Microsoft VBScript compilation (0x800A03F6)
Expected 'End'

Whats wrong with this statement?

<% @LANGUAGE="VBSCRIPT" %>
<%
Option Explicit
Response.Buffer = True
'On Error Resume Next
Call OpenConnection()
Dim rstProjectNum, strSQLProjectNum, strUserProjNumber
      
      strUserProjNumber = Request.Form("txtProjectNumber")
      strSQLProjectNum = "SELECT * FROM tblProject WHERE strProjectNumber='" & strUserProjNumber & "'"
      
      Call LoadRecordSet(rstProjectNum, strSQLProjectNum)
            If request.form("txtProjectNumber") = rstProjectNum.Fields("strProjectNumber") Then
                        response.write("SOME DATA HERE")
                  Else

                        If Len(textfield)<>4 Then
                       Msgbox("The project number has to be 4 characters")
                              Response.Redirect ("PM_inputproject.asp")
                        End If

                  Else
                        'Msgbox ("you left the field blank")
                        'Response.Redirect ("PM_inputproject.asp")
            End If
Call CloseConnection()
%>

Hi,

RedKnight is correct in that the length comparison should take place on the client.  Why do you want to waste the user's time with a server call?

<script language="javascript" type='text/javascript'>

function verifyForm(fieldObj)
{
  if (8 != fieldObj.value.length)
  {
      alert(fieldObj.name + ' must be 8 characters')
      fieldObj.focus();
      return false;
  }
 else return true;
}


<form name="myForm" action="fileThatCallsDatabase" method="post" onSubmit="return(verifyForm(this.fieldname)">



Vinny

Thanks for the points.  I agree with the folks above that I'd check for 8 characters on the client before I ran the server side check against the database.  But to answer your question, in the example I gave, the form is straight HTML so you can use the form you've got.  I just included it so you could see that I called the data element in the form "formfield".

Thats what I did! :)

Thanks everyone!