Here's an example. It came out somewhat ugly as a result of trying to keep it short, but hopefully you'll get the idea.
I normally tend to put the actual processing of a form in a different file like Yash, but with forms such as these it's not very practical, unless you include() the other source file. Otherwise you'll have to redirect back and forth with a bunch of form variables in a querystring
PHP:
<?php
function VerifyForm(&$values, &$errors)
{
// Do all necessary form verification
if (strlen($values['name']) < 3)
$errors['name'] = 'Name too short';
elseif (strlen($values['name']) > 50)
$errors['name'] = 'Name too long';
// Needs better checking ;)
if (!ereg('.*@.*\..{2,4}', $values['email']))
$errors['email'] = 'Email address invalid';
if (strlen($values['text']) == 0)
$errors['text'] = 'Text required';
return (count($errors) == 0);
}
function DisplayForm($values, $errors)
{
?>
<html>
<head>
<title>Yadda yadda</title>
<style>
TD.error
{
color: red;
font-weight: bold;
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<?php
if (count($errors) > 0)
echo "<p>There were some errors in your submitted form, please correct them and try again.</p>";
?>
<form action="<?= $_SERVER['PHP_SELF'] ?>" method="POST">
<table>
<tr>
<td>Name:</td>
<td><input type="text" size="30" name="name" value="<?= htmlentities($values['name']) ?>"/>
<td class="error"><?= $errors['name'] ?></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Email:</td>
<td><input type="text" size="30" name="email" value="<?= htmlentities($values['email']) ?>"/>
<td class="error"><?= $errors['email'] ?></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top">Text:</td>
<td>
<textarea name="text" cols="30" rows="6"><?= htmlentities($values['text']) ?></textarea>
</td>
<td class="error"><?= $errors['text'] ?></td>
</tr>
<tr><td colspan="2" align="center"><input type="submit" value="Submit"></tr>
</table>
</form>
</body>
</html>
<?php
}
function ProcessForm($values)
{
mail('[email protected]', 'Form test', $values['text'], "From: \"{$values['name']}\" <{$values['email']}>");
// Replace with actual page or redirect :P
echo "<html><head><title>Thank you!</title></head><body>Thank you!</body></html>";
}
if ($_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD'] == 'POST')
{
$formValues = $_POST;
$formErrors = array();
if (!VerifyForm($formValues, $formErrors))
DisplayForm($formValues, $formErrors);
else
ProcessForm($formValues);
}
else
DisplayForm(null, null);
?>
Note that the <?= ?> syntax is officially deprecated, so it's bad habit. I'm just being lazy here
I'm actually making a copy of the $_POST array here, which doesn't seem necessary. However, this method allows you to make adjustments to the form values that will appear back into the "retry" form.
If you aren't familiar with pass-by-reference variables, the &$variable syntax prevents PHP4 from making a copy of the passed variable. Instead, the local variable name will point to the same variable in memory, allowing you to make modifications to it that will be visible outside the function scope.
Alternatively, you could use global variables, but in general global variables are best avoided.
