Using select dropdowns in a form

Question

I am trying to use HTML select dropdowns to help sort the search results on my website and I am having some trouble. In the code below, I specifically select Option1 and when I try to echo the result after I submit the form, it always echo's 'FAIL'. I was wondering if someone can help me understand what I am doing wrong and what is the proper way to retrieve the data from the option the user selected, after the form was submitted?

<?php 

echo '<form method="post" action="search.php">
    <select>
         <option name="one">Option1 </option>
             <option name="two">Option2</option>
        </select>
        <input type="text" name="searchword" />
        <input type="submit" value="Search"  />
</form>';



if(isset($_POST['one'])){
     echo 'Option1 is set';
}else{
     echo 'FAIL';
}

?>

thank you

Ayush · Accepted Answer · 2012-05-16 22:49:55Z

3

This is because the name attribute goes with the select tag.

<select name="dropdown">
    <option>Option 1</option>
    <option>Option 1</option>
</select>

if(isset($_POST['dropdown'])) {
    echo $_POST['dropdown']; //echoes 'Option 1'
}

If you like, you can add a value attribute to the option element, but you don't have to.

If you do

<option value="foobar">Option1</option>

The form will post foobar and not Option1.

answered May 16, 2012 at 22:49

Ayush

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Comments

Tufan Barış Yıldırım · Accepted Answer · 2012-05-16 22:50:07Z

1

<?php 

echo '<form method="post" action="search.php">
    <select name="my_option">
         <option value="one">Option1 </option>
             <option value="two">Option2</option>
        </select>
        <input type="text" name="searchword" />
        <input type="submit" value="Search"  />
</form>';



echo "My option value is : " .  $_POST['my_option'];

?>

answered May 16, 2012 at 22:50

Tufan Barış Yıldırım

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Comments

ilanco · Accepted Answer · 2012-05-16 22:49:46Z

0

You need to name your select tag and access that instead.

<select name="options"></select>

echo $_POST['options']; will give you your selected option

answered May 16, 2012 at 22:49

ilanco

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Comments

Sliq · Accepted Answer · 2012-05-16 22:49:50Z

0

Instead of name="one" an option needs a

value="myvalue"

and your select tag needs an

name="nameofthisthinghere"

answered May 16, 2012 at 22:49

Sliq

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1 Comment

Ayush Over a year ago

You're correct, but I'd like to point out that the value attribute is optional.

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