Re: regarding form submission and option pull down menu

Bruce Gilbert wrote:

a few more questions about the submission process for a form with option choices. say I am using : <form method="POST" action="$_SERVER['PHP_SELF']" class="application"> <select class="checkbox"

                        name="loan_process">
<option value="Purchase"                           selected="selected">Purchase</option>
                      <option                           value="construct_home">Construct Home</option>
                      <option
                          value="refinance_no_cash">Refinance - No Cash</option>
                      <option
                          value="refinance_cash_out">Refinance - Cash

Out</option> </select> </form> is it better to use a name for value (the same as the selection choice) or a number 1,2,3 etc? (or does it matter).

it's your data - you decide - personally IDGAF. just make sure you santize your incoming data whatever form you expect it in.

and for the return info what's the difference between: <?php if(isset($_POST["loan_process"])) echo $_POST["loan_process"]; ?> and without the isset?

do you know what an if statement is? have you looked at the manual page for isset()? do you know what a E_NOTICE is? the short answer is: difference is 1 line of code, the longer answer is: read some more of the manual and learn about error checking (the most simple form being to simply check that a variable exists before trying to use it.)

thanks!