How to keep variables in php after 2 form submits-CodePudding

I have a problem with my php code. I have 2 html forms, and I need to display the input data in inputs after the user submits the each forms. I have a problem, where user submits form 1 the data is correctly displayed in the form, but when the user submits form 2 the data from form 1 gets erased, and I want both forms to display the input data. Below is simplified code for demonstration.

<?php
$name1 = "";
$email1 = "";
$name2 = "";
$email2 = "";
?>

<?php
if (isset($_POST['submit1'])) {
$name1 = $_POST['name1'];
$email1 = $_POST['email1'];
}

if (isset($_POST['submit2'])) {
$name2 = $_POST['name2'];
$email2 = $_POST['email2'];
}
?>

<form action="index.php" method="post">
Name: <input type="text" name="name1" value="<?php echo $name1; ?>"><br>
E-mail: <input type="text" name="email1" value="<?php echo $email1; ?>"><br>
<input type="submit" value="send" name="submit1">
</form>
<form action="index.php" method="post">
Name: <input type="text" name="name2" value="<?php echo $name2; ?>"><br>
E-mail: <input type="text" name="email2" value="<?php echo $email2; ?>"><br>
<input type="submit" value="send" name="submit2">
</form>

CodePudding user response：

You can use PHP sessions. When a form on the page is submitted you can store the $_POST variables in the $_SESSION and then just the $_SESSION variables to fill in the form. See code below:

<?php
    session_start(); //start the session
    if(isset($_POST)){ //check to see if a form has been submitted
        // merge the $_SESSION & $_POST arrays, 
        // this will overwrite session variables with new post variables but keep old post variables that haven't been submitted
        $_SESSION = array_merge($_SESSION,$_POST); 
    }
 

    $name1 = "";
    $email1 = "";
    $name2 = "";
    $email2 = "";
?>

<?php
if (isset($_SESSION['submit1'])) { //uses $_SESSION instead of $_POST
    $name1 = $_SESSION['name1'];
    $email1 = $_SESSION['email1'];
}

if (isset($_SESSION['submit2'])) { //uses $_SESSION instead of $_POST
    $name2 = $_SESSION['name2'];
    $email2 = $_SESSION['email2'];
}
?>

<form action="index.php" method="post">
    Name: <input type="text" name="name1" value="<?php echo $name1; ?>"><br>
    E-mail: <input type="text" name="email1" value="<?php echo $email1; ?>"><br>
    <input type="submit" value="send" name="submit1">
</form>

<form action="index.php" method="post">
    Name: <input type="text" name="name2" value="<?php echo $name2; ?>"><br>
    E-mail: <input type="text" name="email2" value="<?php echo $email2; ?>"><br>
    <input type="submit" value="send" name="submit2">
</form>

If you have any questions let me know.

CodePudding user response：

each request to server will run independetly
so you need to store data from 1st form in some way until user send second form

Easyest - render input data as hidden fields in 2nd form. Something like :

<input type="hidden"  name="name1" value="<?php echo $_POST['name1']; ?>">

2. Store data between form submits in database or cookie