Access value of selected option in <select> element with PHP - php

Question

I am trying to create a simple form that will send data to a PHP script upon submitting the form. I am able to access all of the textbox values, and have successfully implemented variables for each of them. However, when I try to access the value of a combo box on my form, I get this error in the PHP:
Notice: Undefined index: cmbProvince in C:\inetpub\wwwroot\krAssignment4\scripts\index.php on line 15
HTML
<form id="orderForm" action="scripts/index.php" method="post" onsubmit="return validateForm()">
<fieldset id="customerInfo">
<legend>Customer Information</legend>
<label for="txtFirstName">Name:</label><br>
<input type="text" id="txtFirstName" name="txtFirstName"
placeholder="First Name" autofocus="true"
oninput="formatFirstName()">
<input type="text" id="txtLastName" name="txtLastName"
placeholder="Last Name" oninput="formatLastName()"><br><br>
<label for="txtAddress">Address:</label><br>
<input type="text" id="txtAddress" name="txtAddress" placeholder="Address"
oninput="formatAddress()"><br>
<input type="text" id="txtCity" name="txtCity" placeholder="City"
oninput="formatCity()">
<select id="cmbProvince" name="cmbProvince">
<option value="on">ON</option>
<option value="qc">QC</option>
<option value="mb">MB</option>
<option value="sk">SK</option>
<option value="ab">AB</option>
<option value="bc">BC</option>
<option value="nb">NB</option>
<option value="nl">NL</option>
<option value="ns">NS</option>
<option value="nu">NU</option>
<option value="pe">PE</option>
<option value="nt">NT</option>
<option value="yt">YT</option>
</select><br>
<input type="text" id="txtPostalCode" name="txtPostalCode"
placeholder="Postal Code" oninput="displayPostalCode()">
<br><br>
<!-- Button that will display the order form -->
<input type="button" id="btnOrder" value="Order"
onclick="showOrderInformation()">
</fieldset><br>
<fieldset id="orderInfo">
<legend>Order Information</legend>
<label for="cmbProduct">Product:</label><br>
<select id="cmbProduct">
<option> -- Select -- </option>
<option>Blackberries</option>
</select>
 # 
<input type="number" id="txtQuantity" name="txtQuantity" value="1"
step="1" min="1" max="50" oninput="displayTotalTax()"><br><br>
</fieldset>
<br><br>
<!-- Button to submit the form to PHP after validation -->
<input type="submit" id="btnSubmit" value="Submit">
</form>
PHP (lines 10 - 19)
/* Capture the user input from the HTML form */
$strFirstName = $_POST['txtFirstName'];
$strLastName = $_POST['txtLastName'];
$strAddress = $_POST['txtAddress'];
$strCity = $_POST['txtCity'];
$strProvince = $_POST['cmbProvince'];
$strPostalCode = $_POST['txtPostalCode'];
Am I typing something wrong? Or missing something? Everything except the combo box is working.
Let me know if I need to include anything else. Thanks!
EDIT
Here is what happens when I try var_dump($_POST);:
Notice: Undefined index: cmbProvince in C:\inetpub\wwwroot\krAssignment4\scripts\index.php on line 15
Notice: Undefined index: cmbProduct in C:\inetpub\wwwroot\krAssignment4\scripts\index.php on line 18
array(6) { ["txtFirstName"]=> string(7) "Kendall"
["txtLastName"]=> string(4) "Roth"
["txtAddress"]=> string(19) "22 Resolution Drive"
["txtCity"]=> string(8) "Millbank"
["txtPostalCode"]=> string(7) "K2K 2K2"
["txtQuantity"]=> string(1) "2" }

Answer 1

Your code works for me with a little bit changes, try this:
<form id="orderForm" action="scripts/index.php" method="post" onsubmit="return validateForm()">
<fieldset id="customerInfo">
<legend>Customer Information</legend>
<label for="txtFirstName">Name:</label><br>
<input type="text" id="txtFirstName" name="txtFirstName"
placeholder="First Name" autofocus="true"
oninput="formatFirstName()">
<input type="text" id="txtLastName" name="txtLastName"
placeholder="Last Name" oninput="formatLastName()"><br><br>
<label for="txtAddress">Address:</label><br>
<input type="text" id="txtAddress" name="txtAddress" placeholder="Address"
oninput="formatAddress()"><br>
<input type="text" id="txtCity" name="txtCity" placeholder="City"
oninput="formatCity()">
<select id="cmbProvince" name="cmbProvince">
<option value="on">ON</option>
<option value="qc">QC</option>
<option value="mb">MB</option>
<option value="sk">SK</option>
<option value="ab">AB</option>
<option value="bc">BC</option>
<option value="nb">NB</option>
<option value="nl">NL</option>
<option value="ns">NS</option>
<option value="nu">NU</option>
<option value="pe">PE</option>
<option value="nt">NT</option>
<option value="yt">YT</option>
</select><br>
<input type="text" id="txtPostalCode" name="txtPostalCode"
placeholder="Postal Code" oninput="displayPostalCode()">
<br><br>
<!-- Button that will display the order form -->
<input type="button" id="btnOrder" value="Order"
onclick="showOrderInformation()">
</fieldset><br>
<fieldset id="orderInfo">
<legend>Order Information</legend>
<label for="cmbProduct">Product:</label><br>
<select id="cmbProduct" name="cmbProduct"> //changes is in this code
<option> -- Select -- </option>
<option value="Blackberries">Blackberries</option>
</select>
 # 
<input type="number" id="txtQuantity" name="txtQuantity" value="1"
step="1" min="1" max="50" oninput="displayTotalTax()"><br><br>
</fieldset>
<br><br>
<!-- Button to submit the form to PHP after validation -->
<input type="submit" id="btnSubmit" value="Submit">
</form>
In your index.php write:
<?php
if(isset($_POST) && !empty($_POST)){
echo "<pre/>";print_r($_POST);die;
}
?>
Output:-
Array
(
[txtFirstName] => a
[txtLastName] => b
[txtAddress] => c
[txtCity] => d
[cmbProvince] => qc
[txtPostalCode] => e
[cmbProduct] => Blackberries
[txtQuantity] => 1
)

Answer 2

Kendall, you were:
missing name for your <select id="cmbProduct">, and
missing value for your cmbProduct options as well
Putting in 'disabled selected' is a good practice as well as people won't be able to select the 'select' option :)
Your code
<select id="cmbProduct">
<option> -- Select -- </option>
<option>Blackberries</option>
</select>
Correct code
<select id="cmbProduct" name="cmbProduct>
<option value="select" disabled selected> -- Select -- </option>
<option value="blackberries">Blackberries</option>
</select>