Contact Form Coding Help

[saucy6969]

I am working on my latest project for a friend using a template and was wondering how to make the contact form work which had the coding already there. I have never used a contact form before and was just wondering what I need to do to make it functionable. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Cheers

<div class="article">
          <h2><span>Send us</span> a message</h2>
          <div class="clr"></div>
          <form action="#" method="post" id="sendemail">
            <ol>
              <li>
                <label for="name">Name (required)</label>
                <input id="name" name="name" class="text" />
              </li>
              <li>
                <label for="email">Email Address (required)</label>
                <input id="email" name="email" class="text" />
              </li>
              <li>
                <label for="website">Website</label>
                <input id="website" name="website" class="text" />
              </li>
              <li>
                <label for="message">Your Message</label>
                <textarea id="message" name="message" rows="8" cols="50"></textarea>
              </li>
              <li>
                <input type="image" name="imageField" id="imageField" src="images/submit.gif" class="send" />
                <div class="clr"></div>
              </li>
            </ol>
          </form>
        </div>
      </div>

[ehpratah]

hi first you need to change you form action

from
<form action="#" method="post" id="sendemail">
to

<form action="youraction.php" method="post" id="sendemail">

then can you show as your script on sending email as you've said you already have the script for it and by the way what you've posted is not yet the code its just markup..we need to see your actual script the one that will process all the data that the user inputted on your form.

[saucy6969]

ehpratah, unfortunately that was all i was given in the template. :( I am knew to this whole thing with contact forms. Is there something else I should be doing or know about?

[ehpratah]

Hi there are tons of good tut our there on d net regarding forms and email you just need to pick the simpliest one

heres a good sample

http://www.freecontactform.com/email_form.php

try not just to copy it but also understand whats the meaning of very line

also you need to configure first your php.ini if your working locally

http://roshanbh.com.np/2007/12/sending-e-mail-from-localhost-in-php-in-windows-environment.html

[saucy6969]

Thanks ehpratah. Will give this a go and let you know how it goes. I appreciate your help!

[saucy6969]

ehpratah, I used the freecontact form site as an example and put in the info necessary (i think) but it still doesnt want to work. When I hit the submit button, it just opens a window of coding :(

<form name="contactform" method="post" action="send_form_email.php">
<table width="600px">
<tr>
 <td valign="top">
  <label for="first_name">First Name *</label>
 </td>
 <td valign="top">
  <input  type="text" name="first_name" maxlength="50" size="30">
 </td>
</tr>
<tr>
 <td valign="top"">
  <label for="last_name">Last Name *</label>
 </td>
 <td valign="top">
  <input  type="text" name="last_name" maxlength="50" size="30">
 </td>
</tr>
<tr>
 <td valign="top">
  <label for="email">Email Address *</label>
 </td>
 <td valign="top">
  <input  type="text" name="email" maxlength="80" size="30">
 </td>
</tr>
<tr>
 <td valign="top">
  <label for="telephone">Telephone Number</label>
 </td>
 <td valign="top">
  <input  type="text" name="telephone" maxlength="30" size="30">
 </td>
</tr>
<tr>
 <td valign="top">
  <label for="comments">Comments *</label>
 </td>
 <td valign="top">
  <textarea  name="comments" maxlength="1000" cols="25" rows="6"></textarea>
 </td>
</tr>
<tr>
 <td colspan="2" style="text-align:center">
  <input type="submit" value="Submit">
 </td>
</tr>
</table>
</form>



and for the PHP file:

<?php
if(isset($_POST['email'])) {

    // EDIT THE 2 LINES BELOW AS REQUIRED
    $email_to = "[e-mail]";
    $email_subject = "Tradetech Building Group Website Inquiry";


    function died($error) {
        // your error code can go here
        echo "We are very sorry, but there were error(s) found with the form you submitted. ";
        echo "These errors appear below.<br /><br />";
        echo $error."<br /><br />";
        echo "Please go back and fix these errors.<br /><br />";
        die();
    }

    // validation expected data exists
    if(!isset($_POST['first_name']) ||
        !isset($_POST['last_name']) ||
        !isset($_POST['email']) ||
        !isset($_POST['telephone']) ||
        !isset($_POST['comments'])) {
        died('We are sorry, but there appears to be a problem with the form you submitted.');       
    }

    $first_name = $_POST['first_name']; // required
    $last_name = $_POST['last_name']; // required
    $email_from = $_POST['email']; // required
    $telephone = $_POST['telephone']; // not required
    $comments = $_POST['comments']; // required

    $error_message = "";
    $email_exp = '/^[A-Za-z0-9._%-]+@[A-Za-z0-9.-]+\.[A-Za-z]{2,4}$/';
  if(!preg_match($email_exp,$email_from)) {
    $error_message .= 'The Email Address you entered does not appear to be valid.<br />';
  }
    $string_exp = "/^[A-Za-z .'-]+$/";
  if(!preg_match($string_exp,$first_name)) {
    $error_message .= 'The First Name you entered does not appear to be valid.<br />';
  }
  if(!preg_match($string_exp,$last_name)) {
    $error_message .= 'The Last Name you entered does not appear to be valid.<br />';
  }
  if(strlen($comments) < 2) {
    $error_message .= 'The Comments you entered do not appear to be valid.<br />';
  }
  if(strlen($error_message) > 0) {
    died($error_message);
  }
    $email_message = "Form details below.\n\n";

    function clean_string($string) {
      $bad = array("content-type","bcc:","to:","cc:","href");
      return str_replace($bad,"",$string);
    }

    $email_message .= "First Name: ".clean_string($first_name)."\n";
    $email_message .= "Last Name: ".clean_string($last_name)."\n";
    $email_message .= "Email: ".clean_string($email_from)."\n";
    $email_message .= "Telephone: ".clean_string($telephone)."\n";
    $email_message .= "Comments: ".clean_string($comments)."\n";


// create email headers
$headers = 'From: '.$email_from."\r\n".
'Reply-To: '.$email_from."\r\n" .
'X-Mailer: PHP/' . phpversion();
@mail($email_to, $email_subject, $email_message, $headers);  
?>

<!-- include your own success html here -->

Thank you for contacting us. Tradetech Building Group will be in touch with you very soon.

<?php
}
?>

[ehpratah]

When I hit the submit button, it just opens a window of coding

what do you mean by it..?you need to install first a server if your using windows you can try installing first xampp or wamp or lamp for linux base OS. you cant run anyserver side application without a server running on your system.

[saucy6969]

I see what you mean. Got it sorted out. Thanks so much for your help.