CODEWITHSUNDEEP
phpformsvalidation
captain
captain

Reputation: 1827

How to use extract() to get the values of a form?

I'm just learning PHP and I'm following a tutorial. Now I'm on the part where we examine server-side form validation and the tutorial uses the request_import_variables to get the values and validate them. But this method is deprecated now. How can I get the values from a form that are stored in an array? I tried using extract but I'm not that familiar with the syntax and I don't get the result that I want. Here is the code.

<?php
//In this example I'm going to get the values of the form 
//and validate them on the server.
if(isset($_POST['Form'])) {
    //import_request_variables isn't supported anymore by php
    //import_request_variables("p", "z");
    extract($_POST['Form'], EXTR_PREFIX_ALL, "z");
    $missingFields = array();
    $required = array("FName"=>"First Name", "LName"=>"Last Name");

    while(list($var, $val) = each($required)){
        if(isset($zForm[$var]) && $zForm[$var] != ''){
            if(is_string($zForm[$var]))
                print "Everything ok <br />";
            else
                print "You have to provide a valid first and last name <br />";
        }
        else {
            $missingFields[$var] = $val;
        }
    }

    if(count($missingFields)){
        print "You missed out one or more fields:<br />";

        while(list($var, $val) = each($missingFields)){
            print $val . "<br />";
        }
    }
    else {
        print "Form passed!<br />";
        var_dump($zForm['Languages']);
        exit;
    }
}
?>

<form method="post" action="formValidation.php">
First Name: <input type="text" name="Form[FName]" /> (required)<br />
Last Name: <input type="text" name="Form[LName]" /> (required) <br />
Age: <input type="text" name="Form[Age]" /><br /><br />
Languages known:<br />
<input type="checkbox" name="Form[Languages][]" value="PHP" checked="checked"> PHP</input>
<input type="checkbox" name="Form[Languages][]" value="CPP"> C++</input>
<input type="checkbox" name="Form[Languages][]" value="Delphi"> Delphi</input>
<input type="checkbox" name="Form[Languages][]" value="Java"> Java</input>
<input type="submit" />

As a result I get You missed one or more fields First Name Last Name

Here is the section of the tutorial I'm stuck

Upvotes: 0

Views: 2544

Answers (1)

Sergey Chizhik
Sergey Chizhik

Reputation: 617

Avoid extracting variables! Instead of this you should work with array directly. Discussion about this bad extract practice is here.

As for your, code, you made a little mistake here: 

extract($_POST['Form'], EXTR_PREFIX_ALL, "z");

This extract will make variables from $_POST['Form'] array, such as $z_FName, $z_LName, $z_Age, etc.

The code from tutorial: 

import_request_variables("p", "z");

This import_request_variables will make variables from $_POST array, so it will be just $z_Form.

So you need change

extract($_POST['Form'], EXTR_PREFIX_ALL, "z");

to

extract($_POST, EXTR_PREFIX_ALL, "z");

And change $zForm to $z_Form.

If you'll debug such cases, you may have a look to a get_defined_vars function.

Upvotes: 2

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