php code writing to phpmyadmin - php

Question

I have some php code that writes to my database (phpmyadmin) into a table called b83hi_out_of_office. I am entering a custom message and the username from an html form.
The data does get written to the table, but it also is adding extra blank rows.
Does anyone know why this is and how I can fix it?
<form method="post" action="">
<p>Out of Office Message</p>
<p><input type="radio" name="RadioGroup" value="off" id="RadioGroup_0" checked="checked"> OFF<br>
<input type="radio" name="RadioGroup" value="on" id="RadioGroup_1"> ON
</p>
<p><label>Custom Out of Office Message</label>
<input type="text" name="custommessage" size="30" maxlength="25"/></p>
<p><input type="submit" name="submit" value="Submit" /></p>
</form>
<?php
$message = $_POST[custommessage];
//get user info
$user = JFactory::getUser();
// Get a db connection.
$db = JFactory::getDbo();
// Create a new query object.
$query = $db->getQuery(true);
// Insert columns.
$columns = array('username', 'message');
// Insert values.
$values = array($db->quote($user->username), $db->quote($message));
// Prepare the insert query.
$query
->insert($db->quoteName('b83hi_out_of_office'))
->columns($db->quoteName($columns))
->values(implode(',', $values));
// Set the query using our newly populated query object and execute it.
$db->setQuery($query);
$db->execute();
?>

Answer 1

My guess would be that your script is running every time the form is loaded (So you get a blank row inserted when you load the form, then the correct row inserted when you submit it.).
The easiest way around this would be to check that a $_POST value is set.
Example:
<?php
if(isset($_POST['submit'])) {
$message = $_POST[custommessage];
//get user info
$user = JFactory::getUser();
// Get a db connection.
$db = JFactory::getDbo();
// Create a new query object.
$query = $db->getQuery(true);
// Insert columns.
$columns = array('username', 'message');
// Insert values.
$values = array($db->quote($user->username), $db->quote($message));
// Prepare the insert query.
$query
->insert($db->quoteName('b83hi_out_of_office'))
->columns($db->quoteName($columns))
->values(implode(',', $values));
// Set the query using our newly populated query object and execute it.
$db->setQuery($query);
$db->execute();
}
?>
With that change, you are not inserting any data unless the form has been sent.
A better option would be to have your php script as a seperate file, and having the action="" of the form pointing to that file.