I wonder if anyone around could possibly enlighten me a little (or indeed, a LOT) towards "Contact Us" form validation in PHP.

Basically, I've created the form & then typed in the validation related codes from 3 different books along with differerent websites so far, but ONLY, if I understood it.

However, there are only couple things that's beyond me, which can be seen from the comment around the code that I didn't understand i.e. comment typed after "//"

Much of the code is still missing bearing in mind my expectation from this form and my lack of knowledge in how to go about doing it.

This is what I'm aiming for:

>> Users MUST fill in all the fields (including radio button field and drop-down menu field)
>> If they don't then they should get a message saying so
>> If they don't fill any certain field then they should get a message saying "Please fill in your E-mail" (for example) OR if they don't select appropriate "radio button" option or "drop-down" menu option then they should get an error message saying "please select the appropriate "Title" from the drop-down list", etc. OR "please choose the means of contacting you" (by choosing appropriate radio button)
>> The "blanked" or "incorrect data entry" field should turn to "red" making it easier for user to realise what's missing

>> After user fills everything & when they click "Preview" they should get some sort of "message" (ONLY if the data is valid and ALL required fields filled) saying "Following are the details you filled in" and then underneath it, CONFIRM their title, name, e-mail, telephone number, message, ways of contacting back to them, etc. (basically, ALL the field) with "Submit" and "Edit" button. Selecting "Edit" will take them back to the form, with all the data they filled in STILL there (rather than making the re-type everything)
>> If they simply click on submit (after filling the required & valid data) then they should get a message saying "Thanks for your message, we'll be in touch shortly".

The codes that I've created as yet are as follows:

<?php include("menu.inc");?>

<div id="centerContent">

<p class="first-letter">Please fill the following form in for any enquiries that you may have:</p>
<p>

<?php

// if the form has been posted, analyse it: 
if ($_POST) {
foreach ($_POST as $field => $value) {
$value = trim($value);
}

// creating variables
$inquiry=$_POST['inquiry'];
$title=$_POST['title'];
$first_name=$_POST['first_name'];
$last_name=$_POST['last_name'];
$email=$_POST['email'];
$phone=$_POST['phone'];
$message=$_POST['message'];
$reply=$_POST['reply'];
$contact=$_POST['contact'];

// create empty error variable
$error = ""; 

// check for data in required fields
if (($inquiry == "") || ($title == "") || ($first_name == "") || ($last_name == "") || ($email == "") || ($phone == "") || ($message == "") || ($reply == "") || ($contact == "")) {
$error = "Please fill in all the required fields!";
}

// validate first_name
if ((ctype_alpha($first_name) == FALSE 
	$error = "Please enter a valid name (Alphabets only)<br/>";
}

// validate surname
if ((ctype_alpha($last_name) == FALSE {
	$error = "Please enter a valid last name (Alphabets only)<br/>";
}

// validate e-mail
if ((strpos($email, "@") === FALSE || 
	(strpos($email, ".") === FALSE ||
	(strpos($email, " ") != FALSE || // DON'T KNOW WHY USING "!=" SIGN
	(strpos($email, "@") === FALSE || // DON'T KNOW WHY USING 3 "=" SIGN
	(strpos($email, "@") > strrpos($email, "."))) {
	$error = "Please enter a valid e-mail address<br/>";
}

// validate phone
if (is_numeric($phone) == FALSE {
	$error = "Please enter a valid contact number (must contain numbers only)<br/>";
}

//If everything is OK then Confirmation of each field's data as filled by the user
else {
echo "<p><b>Nature of Inquiry:</b> $inquiry<br/>";
echo "<p><b>Title:</b> $title<br/>";
echo "<p><b>First Name:</b> $first_name<br/>";
echo "<p><b>Last Name:</b> $last_name<br/>";
echo "<p><b>E-mail:</b> $email<br/>";
echo "<p><b>Contact No.:</b> $phone<br/>";
echo "<p><b>Message:</b> $message<br/>";
echo "<p><b>Reply:</b> $reply<br/>";
echo "<p><b>Contact Method:</b> $contact<br/>";

echo "Thanks for contacting us. We will get back to you shortly!";
}
}
?>
</p>

<table class="table">

<tr class="tr">
<td class="td"><form method="post" action="<?php echo $_SERVER['PHP_SELF'] ?>">
Nature of Enquiry:</td>
<td class="td"><select name="inquiry" value="<?php echo $inquiry ?>">
<option></option>
<option>General Inquiry</option>
<option>Price Quotation</option>
<option>Comments</option>
<option>Other</option>
</select></td>
</tr>

<tr class="tr">
<td class="td">Title:</td>
<td class="td"><select name="title" value="<?php echo $title ?>">
<option></option>
<option>Mr</option>
<option>Miss</option>
<option>Mrs</option>
<option>Other</option>
</select></td>
</tr>

<tr class="tr">
<td class="td">First Name:</td>
<td class="td"><input type="text" size="30" maxlength="30" name="first_name" value="<?php echo $first_name ?>"/></td>
</tr>

<tr class="tr">
<td class="td">Last Name:</td>
<td class="td"><input type="text" size="30" maxlength="30" name="last_name" value="<?php echo $last_name ?>"/></td>
</tr>

<tr class="tr">
<td class="td">E-mail:</td>
<td class="td"><input type="text" size="30" maxlength="30" name="email" value="<?php echo $email ?>"/></td>
</tr>

<tr class="tr">
<td class="td">Contact No.:</td>
<td class="td"><input type="text" size="30" maxlength="20" name="phone" value="<?php echo $phone ?>"/></td>
</tr>

<tr class="tr">
<td class="td">Message:</td>
<td class="td"><textarea rows="10" cols="50" wrap="physical" name="message" value="<?php echo $message ?>">
</textarea></td>
</tr>

<tr class="tr">
<td class="td">Reply Required:</td>
<td class="td"><input type="radio" name="reply" value="<?php echo $reply ?>"/>Yes
<input name="reply" type="radio"/>No
<input name="reply" type="radio"/>Maybe</td>
</tr>

<tr class="tr">
<td class="td">How would you like to be contacted (if required)?<br/><br/></td>
<td class="td"><input type="radio" name="contact" value="<?php echo $contact ?>"/>E-mail
<input type="radio" name="contact"/>Telephone</td>
</tr>

<tr class="tr">
<td class="td"></td>
<td class="td"><input type="reset" name="reset" value="Reset"/>
<input type="preview" name="preview" value="Preview"/></td>
<input type="submit" name="submit" value="Submit"/></td>
</form>
</tr>
</table>
</div>

send me the include files also eg(menu.inc) i can help u on this validation

send me the include files also eg(menu.inc) i can help u on this validation

I sent you everything through the private message by replying back to your message.

(strpos($email, " ") != FALSE || // DON'T KNOW WHY USING "!=" SIGN
(strpos($email, "@") === FALSE || // DON'T KNOW WHY USING 3 "=" SIGN

(strpos($email, " ") != FALSE

is the same as

(strpos($email, " ") == TRUE

!= (NOT EQUALS) is the opposite of == (EQUALS).

strpos($email, " ") checks for the postiion of " ", (a space) in the string, $email. It will return the position of the string if found, or FALSE if it does not exist.
In this context, we are searching for a space in the email address, if a space is found (!= FALSE means it doesnt return false) then the email address must be invalid as emails dont allow spaces.


=== means something like EQUAL to and EQUIVALENT TO.

== only tests the numerical values, === will test for the numerical value as well as the type.

So === means equal to and of the same type.

its used in strpos($email, "@") === FALSE because strpos() can return 0 if the @ is at the beginning of the string.
So === makes sure that if strpos($email, "@") returns 0, then 0 === FALSE will be false, since 0 is not the same type as FALSE, even though they are equal (==)numerically.

However, I dont think having @ as the first character in an email is valid, so you should ditch the === for ==. So that it also tests that @ is in the middle of the string, and not at the first position.

Resources:
http://www.php.net/operators.comparison
http://www.php.net/manual/en/types.comparisons.php

I'd also suggest you look at:
http://www.deformedweb.co.uk/php_variable_tests.php

And also at type juggling, as automatic type conversions affect comparisons.
http://www.php.net/manual/en/language.types.type-juggling.php
http://www.php.net/manual/en/language.types.string.php

HOpe that helps with that bit...

Create your MySQL table first, to receive the submitted data. Then write a script to analyze the table and create your forms.

Select a table from
http://www.php-form-generator.com/php-script/
and click links on the next page to create different forms.

EDIT: My mistake

Got the strpos muddled up with strstr.

i already submited for asking about menu.inc where is that file it consists of entire functionality i missing it please let me send that file please <EMAIL SNIPPED>


i iwll waiting for your replay please


Thanks & Regards

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