Problems when inserting checkbox value into mysql

Question

Update: This is the result I get after query execution:

NewiTem9,desc,video9.swf,9,0,0,1,0,550,500,item9.jpg,0,swf,prev,0,00,0,2013-04-29 03:23:43,1,0,0,0,newitem9,0

For the HTML I have the following checkbox:

<input type="checkbox" name="starter" value="1" id="starter0">

When inserting this into mysql with other elements (with other elements i don't have any problem, they are inserted without a problem and then displaying properly)

mysql_query("
    INSERT INTO datatab (
        name, description, url, category_id, category_parent, width, height,
        image, activado, filetype, instructions, date_added, show_ads, rmode,
        power_id, starter, seo_url, submitter
    )
    VALUES (
        '".escape($_POST['name'])."', '".escape($_POST['description'])."',
        '$url', $_POST[category], $category[parent_id], '$_POST[width]',
        '$_POST[height]', '$img', $_POST[activado], '$ext',
        '".escape($_POST['instructions'])."', '$date', $_POST[show_ads],
        $_POST[rmode], '$_POST[power_id]', '$_POST[starter]', '$seo_url',
        '$_POST[submitter]')
    ") or die ('There was a MySql error when adding the game: '.mysql_error());

Then the data is added but without the mentioned checkbox value.

Database table settings:

Name: starter
Type: TinyINT
Lenght/Values: 1
default: As defined : 0

I don't know why the data of the checkbox is not inserted when all other data are inserted and working?

Could someone help me with this?

Thanks

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It gives me no error. The error only appear if I put the checkbox value in this way : $_POST[starter] and not '$_POST[starter]' it says There was a MySql error when adding the game. — Temur Pipia, Apr 29 '13 at 06:21
possible duplicate of [POST arrays not showing unchecked Checkboxes](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/7988325/post-arrays-not-showing-unchecked-checkboxes) and many others. — Jocelyn, Apr 29 '13 at 06:39
Hey dear Jocelyn, I have no arrays so please, do not rate it like negative thread. I have been checking this issue before posting here. Instead of helping you're giving false information! Where do you see an array? — Temur Pipia, Apr 29 '13 at 06:43
@TemurPipia $_POST is an array and you are using it everywhere in the code you posted. — Jocelyn, May 05 '13 at 08:24

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Apr 29 '13 at 06:20

1

If a checkbox is unchecked, then absolutely nothing is sent to the server. Not even a value of blank or 0. An unchecked checkbox is as if the form element doesn't exist.

answered Apr 29 '13 at 06:20

vcardillo

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It is checked. Before clicking on the submit button I leave it checked – Temur Pipia Apr 29 '13 at 06:40

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Apr 29 '13 at 06:21

0

if (isset($_POST['starter']))
$starter = 1;
else
$starter = 0;

then save $starter in your DB :

mysql_query("INSERT INTO {table name}(..,starter) VALUES (..,'".$starter."');

answered Apr 29 '13 at 06:21

Mohammad Mehdi Habibi

1,601
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Well, I'm using this line: if (isset($_POST['starter'])){ $starter = 1; } else { $starter = 0; } – Temur Pipia Apr 29 '13 at 06:33
Also tried to insert the variable $starter instead of $_POST[starter] but checking from the phpmyadmin I see there the 0 value – Temur Pipia Apr 29 '13 at 06:36
1

Jocelyn, do not spam the thread. If you can help, just help! If not, please, calm down! – Temur Pipia Apr 29 '13 at 06:45

Phil · Answer 3 · 2013-04-29T06:29:40.980

0

A nifty trick you can use with checkboxes is to provide the unchecked value in a hidden input prior to the checkbox, eg

<input type="hidden" name="starter" value="0">
<input type="checkbox" name="starter" value="1" id="starter0">

This way, if the checkbox remains unchecked, at least a key / value pair will be submitted with the form.

On to your query, this is just a terrible mix of string concatenation and bad sanitising methods.

You should be using MySQLi or PDO these days, eg (PDO)

// Assuming the $pdo variable contains your PDO instance and all $_POST values
// have been verified as existing

$stmt = $pdo->prepare('
    INSERT INTO datatab (
        name, description, url, category_id, category_parent, width, height,
        image, activado, filetype, instructions, date_added, show_ads, rmode,
        power_id, starter, seo_url, submitter
    ) VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?)
');

$stmt->bindParam(1, $_POST['name']);
$stmt->bindParam(2, $_POST['description']);
// etc
$stmt->bindParam(16, $_POST['starter']);
$stmt->bindParam(17, $seo_url);
$stmt->bindParam(18, $_POST['submitted']);

$stmt->execute();

edited Apr 29 '13 at 06:29

answered Apr 29 '13 at 06:22

Phil

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Of course this would work, but it seems like the "easy but not the best way out of it". There could be a whole lot of extra html-elements (input-fields) which decreases speed of the web-page. I also think you only should use hidden input fields when absolutely necessary. – bestprogrammerintheworld Apr 29 '13 at 06:31
@bestprogrammerintheworld Show me some benchmarks on how hidden inputs (1 per checkbox) slow down a page and I might believe you – Phil Apr 29 '13 at 06:38
I thought there were more checkboxes involved but in this case when only one checkbox is involved of course it wouldn't matter. The more info in html of course it will slow things down, but I don't know much it will slow down things though. It may also be relevant when targeting users that have smartphones. – bestprogrammerintheworld Apr 29 '13 at 06:47

bestprogrammerintheworld · Accepted Answer · 2013-04-29T08:13:47.337

0

Checkboxes are somewhat special. They only get posted IF they are checked.

If you have foollowing HTML:

<input type="checkbox" name="starter" value="1" id="starter0">

and a user only check the checkbox, then result of post would be like

$_POST['starter'] = 1

You have to check whether or not a checkbox is sent and after that do the correct insert.

If you have it checked and it still does not work, it is an issue with actual query even if you don't get an explicit error. MySQL is somewhat forgiving when inserting things with "wrong" datatype.

UPDATE: You can try this:

if (isset($_POST['starter']) && $_POST['starter'] == 1) {
    $starter = 1;
}
else {
    $starter = 0;
}

mysql_query("
    INSERT INTO datatab (
        name, description, url, category_id, category_parent, width, height,
        image, activado, filetype, instructions, date_added, show_ads, rmode,
        power_id, starter, seo_url, submitter
    )
    VALUES (
        '".escape($_POST['name'])."', '".escape($_POST['description'])."',
        '$url', $_POST[category], $category[parent_id], '$_POST[width]',
        '$_POST[height]', '$img', $_POST[activado], '$ext',
        '".escape($_POST['instructions'])."', '$date', $_POST[show_ads],
        $_POST[rmode], '$_POST[power_id]', $starter, '$seo_url',
        '$_POST[submitter]')
    ") or die ('There was a MySql error when adding the game: '.mysql_error());

edited Apr 29 '13 at 08:13

answered Apr 29 '13 at 06:26

bestprogrammerintheworld

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I have only one checkbox with id=starter0 – Temur Pipia Apr 29 '13 at 06:39
@TemurPipia - how does your actual query look like after you posted the form? (when echoing it out) – bestprogrammerintheworld Apr 29 '13 at 07:00
The same, I only changed the following statement: if ($_POST['starter']==1){ $starter = 1; } else { $starter = 0; } – Temur Pipia Apr 29 '13 at 07:02
@TemurPipia - what do you mean by the same? Can you edit your question and put in the actual result of the SQL-statement? (not with variables). Set the query inside a $sql and then echo $sql out or something like that. – bestprogrammerintheworld Apr 29 '13 at 07:04
Ok, let me do that! I thought you wanted to see only variables – Temur Pipia Apr 29 '13 at 07:05
'$_POST[starter]' should be $_POST[starter] without apostrophes. (or whatever variable you're using should be without apostrophe here because it is an integer). – bestprogrammerintheworld Apr 29 '13 at 07:13
Thread updated and I pasted the result Im getting. And putting without aposthropes Im getting SQL error. – Temur Pipia Apr 29 '13 at 07:29
@TemurPipia - for some reason you get two zeros for the starter value. Does $_POST['starter'] give you two zeros? – bestprogrammerintheworld Apr 29 '13 at 07:37
no, on phpmyadmin I see only 0 value, one zero value. I don't know what goes wrong – Temur Pipia Apr 29 '13 at 07:45
Take a look at my updated answer (code). Do you mean that gives you an error? What error do you get then? – bestprogrammerintheworld Apr 29 '13 at 07:53
I made these changes but phpmyadmin still show the result 0 . Here is the screenshot of what I see on DB http://s21.postimg.org/53y7eq08n/starter.jpg – Temur Pipia Apr 29 '13 at 08:00
If you echo out variable $starter before query is run, does it gives you a 1 then? – bestprogrammerintheworld Apr 29 '13 at 08:02
It gives me 0 value with echo and the checkbox is checked :S – Temur Pipia Apr 29 '13 at 08:06
@TemurPipia - if $starter returns zero, then of course it would include zero into your db. Can you show your actual html-form? – bestprogrammerintheworld Apr 29 '13 at 08:08
It's an admin panel and I will create a free form with the code and show display the url on the main thread. – Temur Pipia Apr 29 '13 at 08:10

Problems when inserting checkbox value into mysql

4 Answers4