How to POST data using AJAX from one form when there are multiple forms on the same page?

Question

I am trying to build a quiz and I would like users to be able to submit answers to each question.

Here is the HTML:

<form id="question1">
    Question 1:
    <input type="hidden" class="question" value="1">
    <input type="radio" class="answers" value="1"  name="answer">Answer 1<br>
    <input type="radio" class="answers" value="2"  name="answer">Answer 2<br>
    <input type="radio" class="answers" value="3"  name="answer">Answer 3<br>
    <input type="radio" class="answers" value="4"  name="answer">Answer 4<br>
    <input type="submit" class="submitquestion">
</form>


<form id="question2">
    Question 2:
    <input type="hidden" class="question" value="2">
    <input type="checkbox" class="answers" value="5" name="answers1[]">Answer 1<br>
    <input type="checkbox" class="answers" value="6" name="answers1[]">Answer 2<br>
    <input type="checkbox" class="answers" value="7" name="answers1[]">Answer 3<br>
    <input type="checkbox" class="answers" value="8" name="answers1[]">Answer 4<br>
    <input type="submit" class="submitquestion">
</form>

<form id="question3">
    Question 2:
    <input type="hidden" class="question" value="2">
    <input type="checkbox" class="answers" value="9" name="answers2[]">Answer 1<br>
    <input type="checkbox" class="answers" value="10" name="answers2[]">Answer 2<br>
    <input type="checkbox" class="answers" value="11" name="answers2[]">Answer 3<br>
    <input type="checkbox" class="answers" value="12" name="answers2[]">Answer 4<br>
    <input type="submit" class="submitquestion">
</form>

The number of questions and type of answers (checkbox/radio) will change. I would like to be able to use submit each question without having to refresh the page and I would like to be able to submit answers each section at a time.

$(document).ready(function(){
  $(".submitquestion").click(function(){
        $(":checked").each(function() {
          alert($(this).val());
        });
  });
});

The code above reloads the page. The other problem is, if I select an answer for Question 1 (and I don't submit it), then I move on to Question 2 and hit "submit" in Question 2, I will submit answers for Question 1 and Question 2. Is there a way to do this without having to specify ID's (because there is not a set number of questions).

Any help is appreciated.

A.) `event.preventDefault();` will prevent the form from reloading the page and 2.) Use each form's id to perform the submission and gather the data from that form when submitted. — Jay Blanchard, Feb 03 '20 at 18:04
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/1621714/jquery-find-parent-form .. or in other words, `$(this).closest("form").submit();` — Felippe Duarte, Feb 03 '20 at 18:06

score 0 · Accepted Answer · answered Feb 03 '20 at 18:17

If you listen for a form to be submitted you will have direct access to the data within that form. Additionally, if you listen for a form.submit() and a submit button within that form is clicked it will trigger the form.submit() (kind of a two birds with one stone thing).

<script type="text/javascript">
$('form').submit(function(){
    var ajax_data = $(this).serialize(); //all the form data ready to the used in an ajax method

    //whatever cool stuff you need to do
    $(this).find(':checked').each(function(){
        alert($(this).val());
    });

    return false; //stops the form from loading the action property
});
</script>

Thanks for the quick response. If I select an answer in Question 1, and then click submit in Question 2, it's clearing my Question 1 answer. It isn't submitting it, which is definitely a step up. But is there anyway to prevent clearing unsubmitted answers? — wingIT, Feb 03 '20 at 18:22

score 0 · Answer 2 · edited Feb 03 '20 at 19:45

<script type="text/javascript">
$(document).ready(function(){
  $(".submitquestion").click(function(e){
    e.preventDefault();
    var form = $(this).closest('form');
    $.ajax({
      url: "test.html",
      data: form.serialize(),
      context: document.body,
      statusCode: {
        404: function() {
          alert("test.html change to yours");
        }
      }
    }).done(function() {
      form.addClass("done");
    }).error(function(){
      form.addClass("error");
    });
  });
});
</script>

var form = $(this).closest('form'); - get only closest parent form. form.serialize() - get serialized form data

Also you can use form.find('your_selector') to find elements only in current form

https://codepen.io/22dr22/pen/mdyNoYp

How to POST data using AJAX from one form when there are multiple forms on the same page?

2 Answers2