• 0

[jQuery] Submitting a form

Asked by Shazer2,

 Share

Question

Enthusiast

Shazer2

Posted
Posted

I am trying to make something where you can post, and with jQuery it submits (no refresh or parsing via another page) and inserts the data into the DB. The code I am using for the jQuery is in my <head> and this is the code:

&lt;script type="text/javascript" src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.3.0/jquery.min.js"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;
    &lt;script type="text/javascript" &gt;
    $(function() {
        $(".submit").click(function() {
            var np = $("#np").val();
            $.ajax({
                type: "POST",
                url: "inc/ajax.php",
                data: np,
                success: function(){
                    $('.success').fadeIn(200).show();
                    $('.error').fadeOut(200).hide();
                }
            });
        }
        return false;
    });
    &lt;/script&gt;

I then have the following in ajax.php and I am 100% certain it's in the correct directory.

&lt;?php

/**
 * @author Shannon
 * @copyright 2011
 */
session_start();
include ("connect.php");

$user = $_SESSION['username'];
$np = $_POST['np'];
$np = mysql_real_escape_string($np);   

mysql_query("INSERT INTO `posts` (user, np) VALUES ('$user', '$np')") or die(mysql_error());  
?&gt;

That is all correct too, but it just doesn't seem to insert into the database. If anyone has an idea why, please post a reply.

Link to comment
https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/990268-jquery-submitting-a-form/
Share on other sites

17 answers to this question

Recommended Posts

  • 0
Grand Master

Rob Veteran

Posted
  • Veteran
Posted

Let's do some basic debugging techniques to see what's going on.

First, in your JavaScript, make liberal use of console.log('something'); to see what's actually being sent (check the output in your browser's console of choice, be it Firebug/Web Inspector etc.) Ensure that your np variable contains what you think it contains. And ensure that the Ajax request runs, completes and doesn't error out (again, Firebug/Web Inspector).

Once you're happy your JavaScript is behaving itself, do the same with PHP - output variables to a log file if you like, check to see the status of any database connections.

Use a process of elimination to work out exactly where the problem is occurring by ensuring each step is completing successfully.

  • 0
Enthusiast

Shazer2

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Rob, this is the first time using JavaScript so I don't know ANY functions. This was merely copied off a site to see if I could get it to work. Obviously I couldn't so I resulted here asking for assistance. I don't know the problem and don't really know what to do to find out. I'm pretty efficient in PHP however, just not JS.

Anymore help you can give?

  • 0
Enthusiast

Shazer2

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I'm running it as a PHP file (still works) but:

&lt;?php
session_start();
include("inc/connect.php");
?&gt;
&lt;html&gt;
&lt;head&gt;
    &lt;title&gt;Home&lt;/title&gt;
    &lt;link rel="stylesheet" href="inc/style.css" type="text/css" /&gt;
    &lt;script type="text/javascript" src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.3.0/jquery.min.js"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;
    &lt;script type="text/javascript" &gt;
    $(function() {
        $(".submit").click(function() {
            var np = $("#np").val();
            $.ajax({
                type: "POST",
                url: "inc/ajax.php",
                data: np,
                success: function(){
                    $('.success').fadeIn(200).show();
                    $('.error').fadeOut(200).hide();
                }
            });
        }
        return false;
    });
    &lt;/script&gt;

&lt;/head&gt;
&lt;body&gt;
    &lt;div align="center"&gt;
        &lt;div class="header"&gt;
            &lt;div class="logo"&gt;
                &lt;a href="index.php"&gt;&lt;img src="inc/logo.png" alt="Logo" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
            &lt;/div&gt;

            &lt;?php
            $user = $_SESSION['username'];

            if (!$user) {
                header("location:login.php");
            }
            ?&gt;

            &lt;div class="useri"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;

            &lt;?php echo "Logged in as: &lt;a href='#'&gt;".$user."&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;"; ?&gt;

            &lt;a href="logout.php"&gt;Logout&lt;/a&gt;
            &lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;hr /&gt;

            &lt;div class="newsbox"&gt;
                    &lt;u&gt;&lt;b&gt;News&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;hr /&gt;
                    &lt;?php
                    $sql = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM `feed`") or die(mysql_error());
                    while ($rnews = mysql_fetch_array($sql)) {
                        echo $rnews['news']."&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;";
                    }
                    ?&gt;
            &lt;/div&gt;

            &lt;div class="updatebox"&gt;
            &lt;u&gt;&lt;b&gt;Updates&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;hr /&gt;
            &lt;?php
            $sql = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM `feed`") or die(mysql_error());
            while ($rupdate = mysql_fetch_array($sql)) {
                echo $rupdate['update']."&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;";
            }
            ?&gt;
            &lt;/div&gt;

            &lt;div class="newspost"&gt;
            &lt;form id="submit" name="submit" method="POST"&gt; 
            &lt;input name="np" type="text" id="np" style="margin-left: 1px; margin-right: 1px; width: 99%;" /&gt;
            &lt;input name="sub" type="submit" id="sub" style="float: right;" value="Post!" /&gt;
            &lt;/form&gt;
            &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;

        &lt;/div&gt;
    &lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/body&gt;
&lt;/html&gt;

  • 0
Grand Master

Rob Veteran

Posted
  • Veteran
Posted

First problem I can see is this line:

$(".submit").click(function() {

This means 'run this function when an element with a class of 'submit' is clicked'.

Fastforward to your HTML, and you'll see your Submit button doesn't have a class of 'submit' at all! So our JavaScript function is never being called, and no Ajax request is made. What your button does have, however, is an ID of 'sub'...

Replace that line with this, and try again:

$("#sub").click(function() {

  • 0
Grand Master

Rob Veteran

Posted
  • Veteran
Posted

You're also missing the closing bracket for the click event declaration.

&lt;script type="text/javascript"&gt;
   $(function() {
      $("#sub").click(function() {
         var np = $("#np").val();
         $.ajax({
            type: "POST",
            url: "inc/ajax.php",
            data: np,
            success: function(){
               $('.success').fadeIn(200).show();
               $('.error').fadeOut(200).hide();
            }
         });
         return false;
      });
   });
&lt;/script&gt;

  • 0
Enthusiast

Shazer2

Posted
  • Author
Posted

We are making progress. It now opens up a new entry in the database but isn't sending any of the data to the database. It leaves both fields (np, user) empty. Another problem, it doesn't auto refresh after it is posted or submitted.

What I want it to do is when it posts it, clear the textbox and have a little message underneath saying success.

  • 0
Grand Master

Rob Veteran

Posted
  • Veteran
Posted

Now your problem is that your PHP is expecting data in a variable called np, but your JavaScript is just sending the value of a textbox that happens to be called np as well. So if we change this one line to this:

data: {np:np},

You can see we're now saying 'send the value we've put into local variable np to the server, labelled 'np'.

I'm not able to help much more I'm afraid. You mention you want a little message saying success, but nowhere in your HTML do you have anything like that. So I think you need to learn a little more about how HTML works, and the basics of JavaScript and then this will start to make a bit more sense. Right now you're just copying and pasting stuff... which is how we all start, but to customize this you really need to understand the fundamentals first.

Good luck :)

  • 0
Enthusiast

Shazer2

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Updated last post with what I wanted the resulting outcome to be, that seems to work (inserts np into database) but it isn't inserting the user in. To get the user logged in I use sessions (obviously), so what I am wondering is with JavaScript can you make a var hold the value of a PHP session. If not, I am determining the user in the ajax.php file, but it doesn't seem to want to add that into the database.

So where we are at: it inserts np into the database but doesn't insert user. We still need to say if the post succeeded or failed too. I do know HTML but don't know how to incorporate it into JavaScript to display the message. I just need a little more explanation Rob. I learned PHP this way too, when I didn't understand something after looking it up, I went and asked places. I am now half decent with PHP but just a beginner with JavaScript.

  • 0
Grand Master

Rob Veteran

Posted
  • Veteran
Posted

Hint: try to work out what this line of code is supposed to do, based on what we've discussed here previously and by looking into the appropriate jQuery documentation. Once you understand that, you'll see what you need to do to get a success or failure message.

$('.success').fadeIn(200).show();

  • 0
Enthusiast

Shazer2

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I've looked at that line multiple times Rob. I know it displays the fail or success but I'm not sure how to use it. I even added a part in my CSS file (.success) because I thought that is what was needed.

Can you explain to me what this does, or at least direct me to a page that will give me a brief idea of how to use it and what it does?

  • 0
Grand Master

Rob Veteran

Posted
  • Veteran
Posted

Just heading to bed, but here's a line-by-line description of the JS:

&lt;script type="text/javascript"&gt;
   $(function() {                                   // Run this function when both jQuery and the DOM is ready
      $("#sub").click(function() {                  // When the element with an ID of 'sub' is clicked, run this function
         var npMessage = $("#np").val();            // Set the value of the element with an ID of 'np' into a variable called 'npMessage'
         $.ajax({                                   // Start an Ajax request
            type: "POST",                           // ... of type 'POST'
            url: "inc/ajax.php",                    // ... to this URL
            data: {np:npMessage},                   // Sending the value of npMessage (set earlier) under the name 'np'
            success: function(){                    // If the Ajax request succeeds, run this function
               $('.success').fadeIn(200).show();    // Fade in any HTML elements with a class of 'success' on the page, then show them (last bit is redundant)
               $('.error').fadeOut(200).hide();     // Fade out any HTML elements with a class of 'error' on the page, then hide them (last bit is redundant)
            }                                       // End of the success method
         });                                        // End of the Ajax request
         return false;                              // Prevent the normal behaviour of the button (submitting the page in a non-Ajax way)
      });                                           // End of the click handler
   });                                              // End of the jQuery DOM ready handler
&lt;/script&gt;

jQuery documentation - for more information on the $.ajax function.

Firebug - a browser plugin for Firefox that helps visually show Ajax requests and whether they succeed

  • 0
Enthusiast

Shazer2

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thanks. I just don't understand how to display the success message or the failed message. I know I need to do something like:

&lt;div class="success"&gt;Success!&lt;/div&gt;

somewhere in the page, but I don't know where, unless it's in a called function it's just going to constantly be displayed. Not sure if you will see this before you go to bed, but if you do please reply to this one. If you do see it, please also tell me how to clear the textbox after everything has been submitted.

  • 0
Enthusiast

Shazer2

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Sort of had it working, but now the messages won't display. I realise I have to make 2 spans with error and success, and set display to none. I then fade it in when it has the right stuff entered and fade out success and fade in error when it doesn't.

It seems to be having trouble though with the following code, not sure why it is doing it.

&lt;script type="text/javascript"&gt;
    $(function() {  
        $("#sub").click(function() {    
            var npMessage = $("#np").val(); 

            if (npMessage=='') {
                $('.success').fadeOut(200).hide();
                $('.error').fadeIn(200).show(); 
            } else {
                $.ajax({   
                    type: "POST",  
                    url: "inc/ajax.php", 
                    data: {np:npMessage},
                    success: function(){ 
                        $('.success').fadeIn(200).show();
                        $('.error').fadeOut(200).hide();
                    }
                });
            return false;   
            });
        });
    &lt;/script&gt;

This topic is now closed to further replies.
 Share
Go to question listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.

  • Posts

    • Popular Windows 11 file manager Files gets improved tags, layouts, and new OneDrive icon

      By +TRS-80 · Posted

      If it ain't broke, don't fix it. One Commander Free also available in the Store has been my goto Files Manager for years. It does what I need at a more than reasonable speed. I do occasionally use Files Explorer just because it is there and does what I need without any problems when I use it.
    • Microsoft is bringing big performance improvements to OneDrive on Mac

      By sphbecker · Posted

      I think you missed his point. He wasn't saying that cloud storage isn't possible on GNU/Linux, clearly it is. He was pointing out that you are commenting about your dislike of Windows on an article about OneDrive (not Windows) for Mac (also not Windows). Its about as off topic as coming to an article about Sony improving something on the PlayStation and saying that you hate Sony TVs and prefer LG.
    • Nvidia's GeForce NOW summer sale drops prices for Ultimate and Premium memberships

      By LoneWolfSL · Posted

      Nvidia's GeForce NOW summer sale drops prices for Ultimate and Premium memberships by Pulasthi Ariyasinghe Nvidia has a fresh update for GeForce NOW subscribers today, bringing in more games to add to its ever-growing supported titles list. At the same time, the company announced the kick-off for its summer sale for the streaming subscription service, dropping the prices for both its premium packages for anyone looking to upgrade or join. The offer is for the 12-month membership options that the company offers. This drops the 12-month Performance membership from $99.99 to $64.99, saving members $35. Next, the 12-month Ultimate membership is currently going for $129.99, dropping prices by $70 from the original $199.99. "The Performance membership delivers smooth, high-quality cloud gaming across devices, with streaming up to 1080p at 60 frames per second (fps) and access to RTX-powered servers for supported games," says Nvidia, describing its tiers. "The Ultimate membership steps things up with RTX 4080‑ or 5080‑class performance in the cloud, supporting up to 4K and beyond on ultrawide displays, up to 120 fps, and advanced features like ray tracing, NVIDIA DLSS and NVIDIA Reflex for a more responsive, visually rich experience." With the sales out of the way, here are the games joining GeForce NOW's supported list this week: NBA THE RUN (New release on Steam, available on June 9) Witchspire (New release on Steam, available on June 10) SpaceCraft (New release on Steam, available on June 11) Duet Night Abyss (Launcher) DOOM Eternal (Epic Games Store) The Elder Scrolls Online (Xbox, available on Game Pass) Farever (Steam) World of Tanks: HEAT (Wargaming) Nvidia plans to add support for a bunch of more games during the rest of June. Find the full announcement from last week over here. Keep in mind that, unlike subscription services like Game Pass or EA Play, a copy of a game must be owned by the GeForce NOW member (or at least have a license via PC Game Pass) to start playing via Nvidia's cloud servers. There is also a limit to how many hours subscribers can use the service per month.
    • Microsoft explains why PowerToys 0.100.0 is faster and slimmer, there are new features too

      By sphbecker · Posted

      It's actually shocking how logs filling disks has been a constant issue going back for decades, yet we see very little improvement over the years. Even in the server world, its actually shockingly common for a server to either go totally down, or have a critical alert raised due to logs filling disks.
    • YouTube has finally brought back its DMs feature, but only in these countries

      By David Uzondu · Posted

      YouTube has finally brought back its DMs feature, but only in these countries by David Uzondu Late last year, YouTube started testing a "new" way to share videos directly with friends, without having to leave the app. Now, the video giant has announced that is now rolling out a revamped direct messaging inbox, which lets you share videos, Shorts, and live streams and have conversations about them, directly on YouTube. The platform limits this feature to 18+ users who are signed in to a verified channel and use the latest mobile app version. Direct messaging on YouTube first became a thing back in 2017 inside the mobile app (later renamed to "Messages"), where users could chat one-on-one and share clips directly, but all that came to an end on September 18, 2019, when Google decided to shut it down after giving users a month to download a .zip file archive of their past chats. No one really knows why YouTube killed the feature, but users were encouraged to migrate to the public Comments section, on Community tab posts, and via YouTube Stories. The previous incarnation suffered from moderation challenges, prompting Google to implement stricter safety guidelines and age verifications for this new iteration. Here's a list of the countries where the re-launched feature is currently available, though note that Brand Accounts do not have access to it, at least for now: Countries American Samoa Austria Belgium Brazil Bulgaria Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Finland France Germany Greece Guam Hungary Iceland Ireland Italy Latvia Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Malta Netherlands Northern Mariana Islands Norway Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Romania Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Spain Sweden Switzerland U.S. Virgin Islands United Kingdom United States Before you can use the feature, you first have to send an invite link to your contact. Invite links expire exactly seven days after you create them. If the person on the other end accepts the invite, you can exchange videos directly and text back and forth inside the app. To delete a message, just long-press on the message and tap unsend to remove it for both users. You can also delete entire conversations by long-pressing the thread and selecting delete, but the other person will continue to see the chat history on their end. To make sure everything remains safe, YouTube monitors these messages to ensure they follow Community Guidelines.

  • Recent Achievements

    • One Month Later
      Tommi118 earned a badge
      One Month Later
    • One Month Later
      sjbousquet earned a badge
      One Month Later
    • Week One Done
      sjbousquet earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • First Post
      DragonOfMercy earned a badge
      First Post
    • First Post
      bella52 earned a badge
      First Post

  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      501
    2. 2
      PsYcHoKiLLa
      208
    3. 3
      +Edouard
      155
    4. 4
      Steven P.
      83
    5. 5
      FloatingFatMan
      73
    Show More

  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!