Re: form variable name question

On Thu, 3 Jun 1999, Monte Ohrt wrote: > Hello, > > This is a question regarding form variables of the same name. According > to the documentation, the variable must have "[]" at the end of its name > in order for it to be interpreted as an array. > > example: > > <INPUT type=hidden name=user_ids value="123"> > <INPUT type=hidden name=user_ids value="456"> > <INPUT type=hidden name=user_ids value="789"> > > (returns last value) > > <INPUT type=hidden name=user_ids[] value="123"> > <INPUT type=hidden name=user_ids[] value="456"> > <INPUT type=hidden name=user_ids[] value="789"> > > (returns array of values) > > This seems to work fine, except when you try using javascript with these > variable names. Depending on what you are trying to do, javascript can > come up with syntax errors with "[]" in the variable name, and there > isn't an easy way around it. Here's a Javascript workaround (untested code, but you get the idea): var myElements = new Array(); for (var i = 0; i < document.myForm.elements.lenght; i++) { myElements[document.myForm.elements[i].name] = document.myForm.elements[i]; } > I'm just wondering, why was the decision made to require "[]" in the > variable name to return as an array? Is there an issue where PHP cannot > determine the variable type on its own? I don't see a good reason for > this limitation. If you want the last value, then the sensible solution > would be to grab it off the end of the returned array after the form is > submitted. Do not underestimate "historical reasons". :-) However, I suppose PHP could detect that you are getting the same variable more than once and turn its PHP representation into an array, but I'm not sure if this will raise compatibility issues. Controlled by yet another configuration directive it would be feasible. - Stig