Pass multiple variable through single checkbox - php

Question

I am not sure the best way to do this or if it's even possible. Basically I have a checkbox that looks like this:
php
foreach($clients as $client){
echo'
<input type="checkbox" name="client_data[]" value="'.$class_id.'">
'.$client['first_name'].' ('.$client['nickname'].') '.$client['last_name'].'
<br />';
} // foreach($client
HTML looks like this
<form method="post" action="">
<input type="checkbox" value="?" name="client_data[]">
Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson<br>
<input type="checkbox" value="?" name="client_data[]">
Steve (Puddin) Robinson<br>
<input type="submit" value="Add" name="exist_to_class">
</form>
When the form is submitted I want to insert the
$first_name, $nickname, $lastname
into the db with a query that looks like this:
mysql_query("INSERT INTO `clients` (`user_id`, `first_name`, `last_name`, `nickname` `class_id`)
VALUES ('$user_id', '$first_name, '$last_name', '$nickname', '$class_id')");
Is this possible or am I even close on how I am attempting to set this up? I have not had much luck so far.
My db table looks like this:
I need to be able to enter the client multiple time with different class_id's.
What is the best way to accomplish this?
Here is the code that call the function to insert data into db:
if (isset($_POST['exist_to_class'])){
if (empty($_POST['client_data']) === true){
$errors [] = 'You much select a client to be added to the class.';
} else {
if (isset($_POST['client_data']) && !empty($_POST['client_data']));
list($first_name, $nickname, $last_name) = explode('|', $_POST['client_data']);
exist_client_to_class($class_id);
header('Location: view_class.php?class_id='.$class_id.' ');
}
} //isset
And here is my query:
function exist_client_to_class($class_id, $user_id){
$class_id = (int)$class_id;
$user_id = (int)$user_id;
mysql_query("INSERT INTO `clients` (`user_id`, `first_name`, `last_name`, `nickname` `class_id`)
VALUES ('$user_id', '$first_name, '$last_name', '$nickname', '$class_id')");
}
What am I doing wrong?

Answer 1

You can't pass more than one variable through a single checkbox. Marc B is right, in that if this is a database-backed application then the right way to do it would be to have the checkbox send the ID for the person who's selected, and use the ID to look up whatever information you need about them.
If you're not using a database, a quick-and-dirty way to do this would be to put the information about the person into an array and then run it through serialize() to turn it into a string and use that as the value attribute. On the other end you can run it through unseialize() to get back the array with the values you wanted.
Remember that if you do this, you need to either escape your sql query or (very strongly preferred) use a prepared query.

Answer 2

okay, you may path string in value as Asad suggested and than split it on the server, like this
foreach($clients as $client){
echo'
<input type="checkbox" name="client_data" value="'.$class_id.'|'.$client['first_name'].'|'.$client['nickname'].'|'.$client['last_name'].'">
'.$client['first_name'].' ('.$client['nickname'].') '.$client['last_name'].'
<br />';
} // foreach($client
and on the server have something like
list($class_id, $first_name, $nickname, $last_name) = explode('|', $_POST['client_data'])
mysql_query("INSERT INTO `clients` (`user_id`, `first_name`, `last_name`, `nickname` `class_id`)
VALUES ('$user_id', '$first_name, '$last_name', '$nickname', '$class_id')");
I am not sure where from $class_id variable in template and $user_id in the model, so you have to figure it out, also drawback here is that if in some variable will be placed delimiter | data will be split wrong. To avoid it you may use hidden inputs associated somehow with the main checkbox (javascript, logic or whaterver will play best in your case)
UPD: oh yea you may serialize/unserialize data as array http://us3.php.net/serialize as octern suggestion