Simple PHP Validation Help?

[tonyking]

Hello, I have a very simple form where a user will enter a "code". I want to check that code to make sure it matches a list of codes. If it does the code will be emailed to me, and they would be redirected to a success page. If it doesn't match one of the valid codes, they would be redirected to an error page.

Here's my code so far:


<?php
$to = "my email";
$subject = "Code";
$email = "my email";
$message = $_REQUEST['code'] ;
$headers = "From: $email";
$sent = mail($to, $subject, $message, $headers) ;
if($sent)
{header( 'Location: http://www.mysite.com/success.html' ) ; }
else
{header( 'Location: http://www.mysite.com/error.html' ) ; }
?>


As you can see no validation of the submitted code, I have no idea how to do this with php, but I know it's not hard.

All I really need is something simple where I can manually code 15 - 20 codes into the form and check for a match. Can anyone help?

[Moshambi]

Are you going to be storing the codes in a database?

[tonyking]

Eventually yes, but for right now I don't mind hard coding 10 into the script itself just to get me by.

[Moshambi]

Well first you need to set up a form:



<form action="submitcode.php" method="post">
<input type="text" name="usercode" /><br />
<input type="submit" name="submit" />
</form>


then you are going to need to make a check in your PHP file submitcode.php for this example:



$usercode = $_POST['usercode'];
$realcode = "123abc";

if(strcasecmp($usercode, $realcode) == 0)
{
echo "They Match!";
}
else
{
echo "Invalid code!";
}


I would also like to note a few things.

FIRST! I hvae not tested this code I simply just created it in the reply box just now.

Second. The strcasecmp() will match a string "XXAA" to "xxAa"....it is case insensitive.

Third. If you are going to do this from a database there will be some different code.

I hope this basic example gives you an idea how to go about this, also I hope this post helped you out :)

[/code]

[tonyking]

Thanks, one question as I don't know the syntax. How do I code it for multiple "real codes"? There will be 10 or so.

[Moshambi]

You could easily do it using an array:



$realcode = array('code1', 'code2', 'code3', 'code4', 'code5'); // You can put as many as you need in here...

$match = "false";
// Now to loop through the array...
foreach ($codes as $value)
{
if(strcasecmp($realcode[$value], $usercode) == 0)
{
$match = "true";
}
}

if($match == "true")
{
echo "Valid Code!";
}
else
{
echo "Invalid Code!";
}

[tonyking]

Awesome I think that's exactly what I need, then I can just replace the "Valid Code" message with an email script & redirect.

[Moshambi]

Yup you should be able to. But if you have troubles with it you can always post here :) hope it all goes well for you

[tonyking]

Or not.. >.< Wish I knew this stuff better. here's the code I am using:


<?php
$usercode = $_POST['code'];
$codes = array('1', '2', '3', '4', '5');
$match = "false";

foreach ($codes as $value)
{
if(strcasecmp($realcode[$value], $usercode) == 0)
{
$match = "true";
}
}

if($match == "true")
{
$to = "info@n2flash.com";
$subject = "Raffle Code";
$email = "info@n2flash.com";
$message = $_REQUEST['code'] ;
$headers = "From: $email";
$sent = mail($to, $subject, $message, $headers) ;
if($sent)
{header( 'Location: http://www.n2flash.com/success.html' ) ; }
else
{header( 'Location: http://www.n2flash.com/error.html' ) ; }
}
else
{
header( 'Location: http://www.n2flash.com/error.html' ) ;
}

?>


If i submit a 1, 2 ,3, 4 or 5 or anything else... It directs to the error page, and no email is sent.

If I leave the form blank, it goes to success and sends an email. Is there somethign wrong with what I have?

[Moshambi]

Ok 1 thing that might be making it mess up...but I'm not positive about this is where you do your foreach loop try using a different variable for $codes as that is what you named your array...

if that doesn't work could you show your html page too please?


EDIT: I just noticed that you should just name you array to $realcodes for this line here:
if(strcasecmp($realcode[$value], $usercode) == 0)

[tonyking]

Ok I made some changes and still have erros.

Here's the form:


<form name="raffle" action="http://n2flash.com/raffle.php" method="post">
<input name="code" maxlength="25" size="20" type="text"><br>

<input value="Submit" type="submit">
</form>


Here's the modified code:


<?php
$usercode = $_POST['code'];
$realcode = array('1', '2', '3', '4', '5');
$match = "false";

foreach ($realcode as $value)
{
if(strcasecmp($realcode[$value], $usercode) == 0)
{
$match = "true";
}
}

if($match == "true")
{
$to = "info@n2flash.com";
$subject = "Raffle Code";
$email = "info@n2flash.com";
$message = $_REQUEST['code'] ;
$headers = "From: $email";
$sent = mail($to, $subject, $message, $headers) ;
if($sent)
{header( 'Location: http://www.n2flash.com/success.html' ) ; }
else
{header( 'Location: http://www.n2flash.com/error.html' ) ; }
}
else
{
header( 'Location: http://www.n2flash.com/error.html' ) ;
}

?>


Still producing the same error. submitting a blank form directs to success page with an email generated. Any value directs to error page with no email sent.

Mind boggling!

[Moshambi]

hmmm...I'm starting to suspect that it might be storing the numbers in your array as numbers and not as a string so try changing the if statement to this:



if ($realcode[$value] == $usercode)


if that makes it work then it is just the fact that your array has integer values and we were trying to string compare them.

[tonyking]

Lol, this is making no sense to me but check this out...

Now with this code:


<?php
$usercode = $_POST['code'];
$realcode = array('1', '2', '3', '4', '5');
$match = "false";

foreach ($realcode as $value)
{
if ($realcode[$value] == $usercode)
{
$match = "true";
}
}

if($match == "true")
{
$to = "info@n2flash.com";
$subject = "Raffle Code";
$email = "info@n2flash.com";
$message = $_REQUEST['code'] ;
$headers = "From: $email";
$sent = mail($to, $subject, $message, $headers) ;
if($sent)
{header( 'Location: http://www.n2flash.com/success.html' ) ; }
else
{header( 'Location: http://www.n2flash.com/error.html' ) ; }
}
else
{
header( 'Location: http://www.n2flash.com/error.html' ) ;
}

?>



I submit nothing, and it's a sucess, with email.
I submit 1, it fails no email.
I submit 2, it works with an email???
Same for 3, 4 and 5. works and sends an email.
Just for giggles I submitted xx, and it failed.

I have no clue why, but I hope you do! lol

[Moshambi]

lol wtf that is weird....I just noticed that you have this:



if($sent)
{header( 'Location: http://www.n2flash.com/success.html' ) ; }
else
{header( 'Location: http://www.n2flash.com/error.html' ) ; }


Now I am just wondering if this is the same that you are doing for the else
part of the if($match == "true) statement. I don't think it would be making a problem, but with the luck we've been having who knows at this point...

[Nile]

Lol, restart! Start your code over again! Thats defiantly the sign to restart!! (Lol, jk theres probably an explanation, or not. I suggest restarting on it though)
Clean your code:

<?php
$usercode = $_POST['code'];
$realcode = array('1', '2', '3', '4', '5');
$match = "false";

foreach ($realcode as $value) {
if (strcasecmp($realcode[$value], $usercode) == 0) {
$match = "true";
}
}

if ($match == "true") {
$to = "info@n2flash.com";
$subject = "Raffle Code";
$email = "info@n2flash.com";
$message = $_REQUEST['code'];
$headers = "From: $email";
$sent = mail($to, $subject, $message, $headers);
if ($sent) {
header('Location: http://www.n2flash.com/success.html');
} else {
header('Location: http://www.n2flash.com/error.html');
}
} else {
header('Location: http://www.n2flash.com/error.html');
}
?>

[tonyking]

Well this is depressing, I changed the values to 5 digits, aa592.. bb592... etc and nothing works right.

Why do I even bother with php

>.<

[Moshambi]

OK I GOT IT!

Sorry I should have done this earlier, but I fired up my XAMPP and started testing it.

so now here is what I got:



<?php
$usercode = $_POST['code'];
$realcode = array('1', '2', '3', '4', '5');
$match = "false";

for($i = 0; $i < count($realcode); $i++)
{
if($realcode[$i] == $usercode)
{
$match = "true";
}
}


if($match == "true")
{
echo "Matched";
}
else
{
echo "did not match";
}

?>


Now just enter in your email stuff in the same section you were before.
I tested it on a couple numbers and it printed "Match" and also it does not match if you leave it blank now...

Hope this works for you now...

[tonyking]

It works! The input is case sensitive but at this point WHO CARES! IT WORKS! lol

Here's the final code I tested:


<?php
$usercode = $_POST['code'];
$realcode = array('1XB4', '2XB5', '3GG', '4778', '5');
$match = "false";

for($i = 0; $i < count($realcode); $i++)
{
if($realcode[$i] == $usercode)
{
$match = "true";
}
}


if($match == "true")
{
$to = "info@n2flash.com";
$subject = "Raffle Code";
$email = "info@n2flash.com";
$message = $_REQUEST['code'];
$headers = "From: $email";
$sent = mail($to, $subject, $message, $headers);
if ($sent) {
header('Location: http://www.n2flash.com/success.html');
} else {
header('Location: http://www.n2flash.com/error.html');
}
}
else
{
header('Location: http://www.n2flash.com/error.html');
}

?>


I will play with it some more tonight and see if I can understand more of how it's actually working. Thanks for all your help and prompt replies Moshambi!

[Moshambi]

Hey no problem man sorry it was such a drag at first! lol at least we got through it. Oh and btw to help out with the case sensitive issue just do this:



$usercode = strtoupper($_POST['code']);


that will convert it to all uppercase, if you want lowercase it is strtolower();

Also if you would like me to explain to you how each of the parts is working I would have no problem helping to try and help you understand it. Just let me know