PHP variables from form data - php

Question

I have a PHP script that I am trying to use to pull form data from a html document, process it and then write the data to a mysql database table.
I can get the script to write to the mysql database ok but it is only passing empty strings, I have declared variables as empty strings at the start of the script, these are then passed $_POST data from the form elements, but it appears not to be working, I have tried every which way of quotation and concatenation without success.
When I echo the variables they are there but just empty, heres the codes, its quite a long form but most of the variables are processed the same way, any help would be greatly appreciated, I'm pretty new to PHP.
<?PHP
//Create null variables
$datereportId = "";
$timereportId = "";
$nameinvolvedId = "";
$maleinvolvedId = "";
$femaleinvolvedId = "";
$addressinvolvedId = "";
$telinvolvedId = "";
$deptinvolvedId = "";
$jobinvolvedId = "";
$supinvolvedId = "";
$cjemployId = "";
$othemployId = "";
$contractId = "";
$visitId = "";
$paxId = "";
$publicId = "";
$apronId = "";
$terminalId = "";
$hangarId = "";
$terminalId = "";
$othlocationId = "";
$captainId = "";
$csId = "";
$aircraftId = "";
$fltnoId = "";
$seatnoId = "";
$sectorId = "";
$accbyId = "";
$relationId = "";
$dateaccId = "";
$timeaccId = "";
$weathercondId = "";
$weathercommentsId = "";
$normdutyId = "";
$normdutnId = "";
$areacleanyId = "";
$areacleannId = "";
$heatyId = "";
$heatnId = "";
$ppeyId = "";
$ppenId = "";
$equipyId = "";
$equipnId = "";
$commentsId = "";
$accna1Id = "";
$accfi2Id = "";
$accex3Id = "";
$accel4Id = "";
$accco5Id = "";
$accob6Id = "";
$accfa7Id = "";
$accsl8Id = "";
$accma9Id = "";
$accpl10Id = "";
$accst11Id = "";
$accve12Id = "";
$accph13Id = "";
$accsh14Id = "";
$accth15Id = "";
$accot16Id = "";
$acccomments17Id = "";
$injna1Id = "";
$injab2Id = "";
$injla3Id = "";
$injbu4Id = "";
$injbr5Id = "";
$injfa6Id = "";
$injir7Id = "";
$injbl8Id = "";
$injfr9Id = "";
$injin10Id = "";
$injre11Id = "";
$injcr12Id = "";
$injel13Id = "";
$injco14Id = "";
$injsh15Id = "";
$injot16Id = "";
$injcomments17Id = "";
$bodna1Id = "";
$bodab2Id = "";
$bodba3Id = "";
$bodch4Id = "";
$bodhe5Id = "";
$bodey6Id = "";
$bodea7Id = "";
$bodno8Id = "";
$bodte9Id = "";
$bodha10Id = "";
$bodar11Id = "";
$bodle12Id = "";
$bodkn13Id = "";
$bodan14Id = "";
$bodfo15Id = "";
$bodot16Id = "";
$bodcomments17Id = "";
$faidyId = "";
$faidnId = "";
$faidy_nameId = "";
$fkityId = "";
$fkitnId = "";
$fkity_nameId = "";
$doctyId = "";
$doctnId = "";
$docty_commentId = "";
$hospyId = "";
$hospnId = "";
$hospy_commentId = "";
$medic_commentId = "";
$wit1nameId = "";
$wit1addrId = "";
$wit1telId = "";
$wit2nameId = "";
$wit2addrId = "";
$wit2telId = "";
$wit3nameId = "";
$wit3addrId = "";
$wit3telId = "";
$submitbyId = "";
$submitbyemailId = "";
$submitbytitleId = "";
$submitbydeptId = "";
$sexinvolvedId = "";
$orginvolved = "";
$location = "";
$normalduty = "";
$areaclean = "";
$heating = "";
$ppeworn = "";
$equipcheck = "";
$accnature = "";
$injnature = "";
$bodnature = "";
$firstaid = "";
$fakused = "";
$doctor = "";
$hospreq = "";
//If form is submitted populate data
if ($_SERVER["REQUEST_METHOD"] == "POST")
{
//Populate variables with sanitised data variables
//$datereportId = test_input($_POST["id_datereport"]);
//$timereportId = test_input($_POST["id_timereport"]);
$nameinvolvedId = test_input($_POST["id_nameinvolved"]);
$maleinvolvedId = test_input($_POST["id_maleinvolved"]);
$femaleinvolvedId = test_input($_POST["id_femaleinvolved"]);
$addressinvolvedId = test_input($_POST["id_addressinvolved"]);
$telinvolvedId = test_input($_POST["id_telinvolved"]);
$deptinvolvedId = test_input($_POST["id_deptinvolved"]);
$jobinvolvedId = test_input($_POST["id_jobinvolved"]);
$supinvolvedId = test_input($_POST["id_supinvolved"]);
$cjemployId = test_input($_POST["id_cjemploy"]);
$othemployId = test_input($_POST["id_othemploy"]);
$contractId = test_input($_POST["id_contract"]);
$visitId = test_input($_POST["id_visit"]);
$paxId = test_input($_POST["id_pax"]);
$publicId = test_input($_POST["id_public"]);
$apronId = test_input($_POST["id_apron"]);
$terminalId = test_input($_POST["id_terminal"]);
$hangarId = test_input($_POST["id_hangar"]);
$terminalId = test_input($_POST["id_terminal"]);
$othlocationId = test_input($_POST["id_othlocation"]);
$captainId = test_input($_POST["id_captain"]);
$csId = test_input($_POST["id_cs"]);
$aircraftId = test_input($_POST["id_aircraft"]);
$fltnoId = test_input($_POST["id_fltno"]);
$seatnoId = test_input($_POST["id_seatno"]);
$sectorId = test_input($_POST["id_sector"]);
$accbyId = test_input($_POST["id_accby"]);
$relationId = test_input($_POST["id_relation"]);
//$dateaccId = test_input($_POST["id_dateacc"]);
//$timeaccId = test_input($_POST["id_timeacc"]);
$weathercondId = test_input($_POST["id_weathercond"]);
$weathercommentsId = test_input($_POST["id_weathercomments"]);
$normdutyId = test_input($_POST["id_normduty"]);
$normdutnId = test_input($_POST["id_normdutn"]);
$areacleanyId = test_input($_POST["id_areacleany"]);
$areacleannId = test_input($_POST["id_areacleann"]);
$heatyId = test_input($_POST["id_heaty"]);
$heatnId = test_input($_POST["id_heatn"]);
$ppeyId = test_input($_POST["id_ppey"]);
$ppenId = test_input($_POST["id_ppen"]);
$equipyId = test_input($_POST["id_equipy"]);
$equipnId = test_input($_POST["id_equipn"]);
$equipcommentsId = test_input($_POST["id_equipcomments"]);
$accna1Id = test_input($_POST["id_accna1"]);
$accfi2Id = test_input($_POST["id_accfi2"]);
$accex3Id = test_input($_POST["id_accex3"]);
$accel4Id = test_input($_POST["id_accel4"]);
$accco5Id = test_input($_POST["id_accco5"]);
$accob6Id = test_input($_POST["id_accob6"]);
$accfa7Id = test_input($_POST["id_accfa7"]);
$accsl8Id = test_input($_POST["id_accsl8"]);
$accma9Id = test_input($_POST["id_accma9"]);
$accpl10Id = test_input($_POST["id_accpl10"]);
$accst11Id = test_input($_POST["id_accst11"]);
$accve12Id = test_input($_POST["id_accve12"]);
$accph13Id = test_input($_POST["id_accph13"]);
$accsh14Id = test_input($_POST["id_accsh14"]);
$accth15Id = test_input($_POST["id_accth15"]);
$accot16Id = test_input($_POST["id_accot16"]);
$acccomments17Id = test_input($_POST["id_acccomments17"]);
$injna1Id = test_input($_POST["id_injna1"]);
$injab2Id = test_input($_POST["id_injab2"]);
$injla3Id = test_input($_POST["id_injla3"]);
$injbu4Id = test_input($_POST["id_injbu4"]);
$injbr5Id = test_input($_POST["id_injbr5"]);
$injfa6Id = test_input($_POST["id_injfa6"]);
$injir7Id = test_input($_POST["id_injir7"]);
$injbl8Id = test_input($_POST["id_injbl8"]);
$injfr9Id = test_input($_POST["id_injfr9"]);
$injin10Id = test_input($_POST["id_injin10"]);
$injre11Id = test_input($_POST["id_injre11"]);
$injcr12Id = test_input($_POST["id_injcr12"]);
$injel13Id = test_input($_POST["id_injel13"]);
$injco14Id = test_input($_POST["id_injco14"]);
$injsh15Id = test_input($_POST["id_injsh15"]);
$injot16Id = test_input($_POST["id_injot16"]);
$injcomments17Id = test_input($_POST["id_injcomments17"]);
$bodna1Id = test_input($_POST["id_bodna1"]);
$bodab2Id = test_input($_POST["id_bodab2"]);
$bodba3Id = test_input($_POST["id_bodba3"]);
$bodch4Id = test_input($_POST["id_bodch4"]);
$bodhe5Id = test_input($_POST["id_bodhe5"]);
$bodey6Id = test_input($_POST["id_bodey6"]);
$bodea7Id = test_input($_POST["id_bodea7"]);
$bodno8Id = test_input($_POST["id_bodno8"]);
$bodte9Id = test_input($_POST["id_bodte9"]);
$bodha10Id = test_input($_POST["id_bodha10"]);
$bodar11Id = test_input($_POST["id_bodar11"]);
$bodle12Id = test_input($_POST["id_bodle12"]);
$bodkn13Id = test_input($_POST["id_bodkn13"]);
$bodan14Id = test_input($_POST["id_bodan14"]);
$bodfo15Id = test_input($_POST["id_bodfo15"]);
$bodot16Id = test_input($_POST["id_bodot16"]);
$bodcomments17Id = test_input($_POST["id_bodcomments17"]);
$faidyId = test_input($_POST["id_faidy"]);
$faidnId = test_input($_POST["id_faidn"]);
$faidy_nameId = test_input($_POST["id_faidy_name"]);
$fkityId = test_input($_POST["id_fkity"]);
$fkitnId = test_input($_POST["id_fkitn"]);
$fkity_nameId = test_input($_POST["id_fkity_name"]);
$doctyId = test_input($_POST["id_docty"]);
$doctnId = test_input($_POST["id_doctn"]);
$docty_commentId = test_input($_POST["id_docty_comment"]);
$hospyId = test_input($_POST["id_hospy"]);
$hospnId = test_input($_POST["id_hospn"]);
$hospy_commentId = test_input($_POST["id_hospy_comment"]);
$medic_commentId = test_input($_POST["id_medic_comment"]);
$wit1nameId = test_input($_POST["id_wit1name"]);
$wit1addrId = test_input($_POST["id_wit1addr"]);
$wit1telId = test_input($_POST["id_wit1tel"]);
$wit2nameId = test_input($_POST["id_wit2name"]);
$wit2addrId = test_input($_POST["id_wit2addr"]);
$wit2telId = test_input($_POST["id_wit2tel"]);
$wit3nameId = test_input($_POST["id_wit3name"]);
$wit3addrId = test_input($_POST["id_wit3addr"]);
$wit3telId = test_input($_POST["id_wit3tel"]);
//$submitbyId = test_input($_POST["id_submitby"]);
//$submitbyemailId = test_input($_POST["id_submitbyemail"]);
//$submitbytitleId = test_input($_POST["id_submitbytitle"]);
//$submitbydeptId = test_input($_POST["id_submitbydept"]);
$sexinvolvedId = $maleinvolvedId . $femaleinvolvedId;
$orginvolved = $cjemployId . $othemployId . $contractId . $visitId . $paxId . $publicId;
$location = $apronId . $terminalId . $hangarId . $terminalId . $othlocationId;
$normalduty = $normdutyId . $normdutnId;
$areaclean = $areacleanyId . $areacleannId;
$heating = $heatyId . $heatnId;
$ppeworn = $ppeyId . $ppeyId;
$equipcheck = $equipyId . $equipnId;
$accnature = $accna1Id . $accfi2Id . $accex3Id . $accel4Id . $accco5Id . $accob6Id . $accfa7Id . $accsl8Id . $accma9Id . $accpl10Id . $accst11Id . $accve12Id . $accph13Id . $accsh14Id . $accth15Id . $accot16Id;
$injnature = $injna1Id . $injab2Id . $injla3Id . $injbu4Id . $injbr5Id . $injfa6Id . $injir7Id . $injbl8Id . $injfr9Id . $injin10Id . $injre11Id . $injcr12Id . $injel13Id . $injco14Id . $injsh15Id . $injot16Id;
$bodnature = $bodna1Id . $bodab2Id . $bodba3Id . $bodch4Id . $bodey6Id . $bodea7Id . $bodno8Id . $bodte9Id . $bodha10Id . $bodar11Id . $bodle12Id . $bodkn13Id . $bodan14Id . $bodfo15Id . $bodot16Id;
$firstaid = $faidyId . $faidnId;
$fakused = $fkityId . $fkitnId;
$doctor = $doctyId . $doctnId;
$hospreq = $hospyId . $hospnId;
}
//Sanitise all variables
function test_input($data)
{
$data = trim($data);
$data = stripslashes($data);
$data = htmlspecialchars($data);
return $data;
}
//Mandatory variable handling, define variables and set to empty values
$nameErr = $emailErr = $posErr = $depErr = $dateErr = $timeErr = $dateErr1 = $timeErr1 = "";
if ($_SERVER["REQUEST_METHOD"] == "POST")
{
if (empty($_POST["id_submitby"]))
{$nameErr = "Name is required";}
else
{$submitbyId = test_input($_POST["id_submitby"]);}
if (empty($_POST["id_submitbyemail"]))
{$emailErr = "Email is required";}
else
{$submitbyemailId = test_input($_POST["id_submitbyemail"]);}
if (empty($_POST["id_submitbytitle"]))
{$posErr = "Job title is required";}
else
{$submitbytitleId = test_input($_POST["id_submitbytitle"]);}
if (empty($_POST["id_submitbydept"]))
{$depErr = "Department is required";}
else
{$submitbydeptId = test_input($_POST["id_submitbydept"]);}
if (empty($_POST["id_datereport"]))
{$dateErr = "Date is required";}
else
{$datereportId = test_input($_POST["id_datereport"]);}
if (empty($_POST["id_timereport"]))
{$timeErr = "Time is required";}
else
{$datereportId = test_input($_POST["id_datereport"]);}
if (empty($_POST["id_dateacc"]))
{$dateErr1 = "Date is required";}
else
{$datereportId = test_input($_POST["id_dateacc"]);}
if (empty($_POST["id_timeacc"]))
{$timeErr1 = "Time is required";}
else
{$datereportId = test_input($_POST["id_timeacc"]);}
}
$email = test_input($_POST["id_submitbyemail"]);
if (!preg_match("/([\w\-]+\#[\w\-]+\.[\w\-]+)/",$email))
{
$emailErr1 = "Invalid email format";
}
spamcheck($_POST["id_submitbyemail"]);
function spamcheck($field)
{
//filter_var() sanitizes the e-mail
//address using FILTER_SANITIZE_EMAIL
$field=filter_var($field, FILTER_SANITIZE_EMAIL);
//filter_var() validates the e-mail
//address using FILTER_VALIDATE_EMAIL
if(filter_var($field, FILTER_VALIDATE_EMAIL))
{
$submitbyemailId_OK = $field;
return $submitbyemailId_OK;
}
else
{
$submitbyemailId_OK = "Spam email error";
return $submitbyemailId_OK;
}
}
//Check for null or empty variables and assign mysql value
function checkNull($var)
{
if($var == '')
{
$var = '--';
}
else
{
$var = $var;
}
}
//Apply checkNull to variables
checkNull($datereportId);
checkNull($timereportId);
checkNull($nameinvolvedId);
checkNull($addressinvolvedId);
checkNull($telinvolvedId);
checkNull($deptinvolvedId);
checkNull($jobinvolvedId);
checkNull($supinvolvedId);
checkNull($othlocationId);
checkNull($captainId);
checkNull($csId);
checkNull($aircraftId);
checkNull($fltnoId);
checkNull($seatnoId);
checkNull($sectorId);
checkNull($accbyId);
checkNull($relationId);
checkNull($dateaccId);
checkNull($timeaccId);
checkNull($weathercondId);
checkNull($weathercommentsId);
checkNull($equipcommentsId);
checkNull($acccomments17Id);
checkNull($injcomments17Id);
checkNull($bodcomments17Id);
checkNull($faidy_nameId);
checkNull($fkity_nameId);
checkNull($docty_commentId);
checkNull($hospy_commentId);
checkNull($medic_commentId);
checkNull($wit1nameId);
checkNull($wit1addrId);
checkNull($wit1telId);
checkNull($wit2nameId);
checkNull($wit2addrId);
checkNull($wit2telId);
checkNull($wit3nameId);
checkNull($wit3addrId);
checkNull($wit3telId);
checkNull($submitbyId);
checkNull($submitbyemailId);
checkNull($submitbytitleId);
checkNull($submitbydeptId);
checkNull($sexinvolvedId);
checkNull($orginvolvedId);
checkNull($locationId);
checkNull($normaldutyId);
checkNull($areacleanId);
checkNull($heatingId);
checkNull($ppewornId);
checkNull($equipcheckId);
checkNull($accnatureId);
checkNull($injnatureId);
checkNull($bodnatureId);
checkNull($firstaId);
checkNull($fakusedId);
checkNull($doctorId);
checkNull($hospreqId);
//Create mysql connection
$host = '';
$id = 'u1282431_skelly';
$pwd = '';
$db = 'db1282431_healthsafety';
$connection = #mysqli_connect($host, $id, $pwd, $db);
//Check connection
if (mysqli_connect_errno())
{
echo "Failed to connect" . mysqli_connect_error();
}
//Insert entries from form into table
$sql="INSERT INTO healthsafety (datereport, timereport, nameinvolved, sexinvolved, addressinvolved, telinvolved, deptinvolved, jobinvolved, supinvolved, orginvolved, location, othlocation, captain, cs, aircraft, fltno, seatno, sector, accby, relation, dateacc, timeacc, weathercond, weathercomments, normalduty, areaclean, heating, ppeworn, equipcheck, equipcheckcomments, accnature, accother, injnature, injother, bodnature, bodother, firstaid, firstaidby, fakused, fakusedby, doctor, doctorinfo, hospreq, hospinfo, medcomment, wit1name, wit1addr, wit1tel, wit2name, wit2addr, wit2tel, wit3name, wit3addr, wit3tel, submitbyname, submitbyemail, submitbytitle, submitbydept)
VALUES
('$_POST[id_datereport]', '$timereportId', '$nameinvolvedId', '$sexinvolvedId', '$addressinvolvedId', '$telinvolvedId', '$deptinvolvedId', '$jobinvolvedId', '$supinvolvedId', '$orginvolvedId', '$locationId', '$othlocationId', '$captainId', '$csId', '$aircraftId', '$fltnoId', '$seatnoId', '$sectorId', '$accbyId', '$relationId', '$dateaccId', '$timeaccId', '$weathercondId', '$weathercommentsId', '$normaldutyId', '$areacleanId', '$heatingId', '$ppewornId', '$equipcheckId', '$commentsId', '$accnatureId', '$acccomments17Id', '$injnatureId', '$injcomments17Id', '$bodnatureId', '$bodcomments17Id', '$firstaid', '$faidy_nameId', '$fakusedId', '$fkity_nameId', '$doctorId', '$docty_commentId', '$hospreqId', '$hospy_commentId', '$medic_commentId', '$wit1nameId', '$wit1addrId', '$wit1telId', '$wit2nameId', '$wit2addrId', '$wit2telId', '$wit3nameId', '$wit3addrId', '$wit3telId', '$submitbyId', '$submitbyemailId', '$submitbytitleId', '$submitbydeptId');";
//Entry success or failure message
if (!mysqli_query($connection,$sql))
{
//Error message if entry fails
die('Error: ' . mysqli_error($connection));
}
else
{
//output success html page if entries were successfully added:
echo "Entries added";
}
?>

Answer 1

I will try to give you the main concept and you can then apply it to your case. Say you have a form like this:
<form action="path/to/handler/file.php" method="post">
Name: <input type="text" name="name">
Email: <input type="text" name="email">
Phone: <input type="text" name="phone">
<input type="submit" name="submit" value="Submit">
</form>
Now in the handler file:
if (!empty($_POST)) {
foreach ($_POST as $key => $value) {
${$key} = htmlspecialchars(trim($value), ENT_QUOTES, 'UTF-8');
}
}
This snippet of code will give you the next:
// supposing that the next values are those the user entered
$name = "john doe";
$email = "john.doe#gmail.com";
$phone = "55555555";
Now you can deal with these variables ($name, $email and $phone) to do whatever you want, like to check if a variable is empty or not, check if it is a valid email or not, check if it is an number or not, etc... and then save them in the database.

Answer 2

try using something like this, to get the propper contents:
function give_get($varname)
{
if (isset($_GET[$varname])) return trim($_GET[$varname]);
else return "";
}
function give_post($varname)
{
if (isset($_POST[$varname])) return trim($_POST[$varname]);
else return "";
}