form checkbox group in php - php

Question

im writing a code in php that need to take a data from html form.
i have few radio bottom and few checkbox bottom.
should i have for every bottom/label do varieble in php?
for example:this is from html
<tr>
<td>חיות שאני אוהב/ת:</td>
<td><input type="checkbox" name="cats">חתולים<br/>
<input type="checkbox" name="dogs">כלבים<br/>
<input type="checkbox" name="hamsters">אוגרים<br/>
<input type="checkbox" name="goldfish">דגי זהב<br/>
<input type="checkbox" name="human">בני אדם
</td>
</tr>
for php:
if (isset($_POST["name"]))
{
$userName = $_POST["name"];
$userYearOfBirth = $_POST["yearOfBirth"];
$soulmate = $_POST["radio"];
}

Answer 1

It would be better to group the checkbox choices so you can access them as an array on the server in PHP. Additionally, move the name of the choice into the value of the checkbox. The new "name" will be whatever you want to call the checkbox group. I am using Animals for this example:
<form name="your-form-name" action="your-form-action-url" method="post">
<table>
<tr>
<td>חיות שאני אוהב/ת:</td>
<td><input type="checkbox" value="cats" name="animals[]">חתולים<br/>
<input type="checkbox" value="dogs" name="animals[]">כלבים<br/>
<input type="checkbox" value="hamsters" name="animals[]">אוגרים<br/>
<input type="checkbox" value="goldfish" name="animals[]">דגי זהב<br/>
<input type="checkbox" value="human" name="animals[]">בני אדם
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<button type="submit">Submit</button>
</form>
On the server-side if users select more than one animal, all choices will be available in an array like this:
Array
(
[0] => cats
[1] => dogs
[2] => hamsters
[3] => goldfish
[4] => human
)
If they just select one, it'll still be an array:
Array
(
[0] => cats
)
Either way getting the results as an array lets you do something similar with the results whether they chose one or many choices from the list.
You can loop through all the choices and do whatever you need to with the data:
if (isset($_POST['animals'])) {
$animals = $_POST['animals'];
foreach ($animals as $key => $value) {
// do something with each $value .. maybe add to a database? echo back to user?
}
}

Answer 2

You actually don't need any new variables. You can use $_POST array as the variables.
Example (form side):
<form method="post">
<input type="text" name="test">
<input type="submit">
</form>
Example (PHP side):
<?php
echo $_POST['test']; // This will echo the input that named "test".
?>
The example above is valid for every method and input types.
In your case, your checkboxes will output "true" or "false" (Unless you define a value for the checkbox. If you define a value to it, it will output the defined value if the checkbox is checked.).
Example (form side):
<form method="post">
<input type="checkbox" name="test">
<input type="submit">
</form>
Example (PHP side):
<?php
if ($_POST['test'] === true)
echo "Yay! The checkbox was checked!";
else
echo "Oops! The checkbox wasn't checked!";
?>