Hi,

Can someone explain to me, how to send data selected from a dropdown menu into a MySQL database, I understand how the coding would work, but not when you have several choices to pick from as shown:-

PHP Code:

Choose the Type of Issue
<select name="dropdown" Id="dropdown">
  <option value="General">General</option>
  <option value="Server">Server</option>
  <option value="Database">Database</option>
  <option value="Environment">Environment</option>
  <option value="Requirement">Requirement</option>
</select> 


I'd like to understand how I could fit in these options. I understand you must post it like this:-

PHP Code:

// Get values from form 
 $comments=$_POST['']; 


And I'm guessing this [''] would contain the name of the form, in this case 'dropdown' if im right? but not sure what the ID can be used for as above?

I am also guessing a if statement maybe required based on the option selected by the user, and the particular option selected has that 'string' sent into the database, for example in my previous post:

PHP Code:

if ($priority != NULL) { 
$priority = 1; 
} 
else { 
$priority = 0; 
} 


And I'm guessing this [''] would contain the name of the form, in this case 'dropdown' if im right? but not sure what the ID can be used for as above?

The name of the form element is what would be in quotes, but you are correct in saying it would be "dropdown".

The element ID attribute is not used in HTTP requests but can be used should you need to read from or write to the element using javascript.

var myValue = document.formname.elementname.value
var myValue = document.forms["formname"].elements["elementname"].value
var myValue = document.getElementById("elementid").value

Are all valid methods of reading the value of a <input> element.

You should examine the POST array with print_r or var_dump as it will help you understand whats happening when you submit a form.

For example if you submit a form containing your dropdown list and echo out the POST array you will see:

Array
(
   
    [dropdown] => General
    
)

That is the POST array contains a key of 'dropdown' and a value of 'General'. You would access this value using $_POST['dropdown'].

Right ok, sorry I didn't understand that much. But when im reading those elements from those methods, how would that all fit into this section of my code:-

PHP Code:

// Get values from form 
 $comments=$_POST['comments'];
 $priority=$_POST['priority']; 


Need more explanation on this, I am sure it is possible to do all the inserting into a database in PHP, just retrieving those separate value options is the difficult part!

Oh sorry, ignore my above reply to the previous member. Um I read up on all that you told me to on print_r. Would I first need to set the values in an array like:-

<pre>
<?php
$a = array ('a' => 'apple', 'b' => 'banana', 'c' => array ('x', 'y', 'z'));
print_r ($a);
?>
</pre>