SitePoint.com

Hideki · May 15, 2002, 12:24

I assume it has to do with cache control, but how do I prevent the form from clearing when a user hits the back button? The form I am referring to is my registration page. After the registration is submitted, they are taken to an error handling page. If an error comes up, they are required to hit the back button and correct the mistake.

It seems like for the most part it retains all of the information in the fields, but occasionally it clears it out. How can I prevent this?

Thanks!

JimBolla · May 15, 2002, 13:02

i don't bnelieve this isn't something you have programmatic control over and thus isn't a good method to use. i reccommend modifying your process so that the error message page has a link "back" to the registration screen which actually re-renders the page and populates the inputs with the values from the original form submittal.

Hideki · May 15, 2002, 13:04

So, a link back to the registration page and the back button function in two different ways?

Thanks!

JimBolla · May 15, 2002, 13:21

no its not a back button. you'd actually be going forward technically, although to the registration page again, but the second time the page is rendered, the input boxes are prepopulated with the values provided the first time the you were at the registration page.

Code:

<experiment_in_ascii_art>
your app:

registation.asp --> error.asp
        ^              |
        |              |
        \--------------/



my suggestion:

registration.asp --> error.asp --> registration.asp?input1=value&input2=value&etc.

</experiment_in_ascii_art>

Goof · May 16, 2002, 06:30

Haha...I guess that's the best type of diagrams we get

Hideki · May 16, 2002, 08:31

Thanks crowdozer!

raymo · May 22, 2002, 07:41

Why create another step (or "click") when you don't need to?

May I suggest simply displaying the error message along with form? And if you want to make it super duper, mark the fields that have invalid entries with something eye catching so the user can immediately spot their mistake. I reckon specifying form border to something bright, ie red, would do the trick.

Hideki · May 22, 2002, 08:34

Funny you should say that...cuz after some thought, I re-did the entire page just like you mentioned. Hardest part was figuring out what error indication (in my case a red border around the field) was NS compatible as well.

Check out the finished work here. Just go down to the bottom and click the submit button without filling anything in.

-Hideki

raymo · May 22, 2002, 10:02

Great minds... *g*

Good job Hideki.

fillup07 · May 22, 2002, 10:52

Quote:

Originally posted by raymo
Why create another step (or "click") when you don't need to?

May I suggest simply displaying the error message along with form? And if you want to make it super duper, mark the fields that have invalid entries with something eye catching so the user can immediately spot their mistake. I reckon specifying form border to something bright, ie red, would do the trick.

How would that be done?... the best way?

Hideki · May 22, 2002, 10:58

Check out my link three posts up

raymo · May 22, 2002, 11:51

fillup07, do you mean [how do you do it] technically?

dethfire · May 25, 2002, 23:01

or... grab the form values using javascript and refresah the page plugging in the saved values

DLG_1 · Oct 4, 2002, 13:49

what I would do.

onError I would display a gif file next to the field. The gif file would show an arrow flashing between red and white/background color.

I've only seen that in a few places and it's helped me catch mistakes much faster!

imho.

iamnomad · Oct 5, 2002, 01:14

if you add a hidden field to your form, called for example submitted with a value of "0" or something then post the form back to itself and include this in your <% block%>

if request.form("Submitted")="0" then ' forms submitted

strMessage="<ol>"

validate form item
oops error
strMessage ="<li>you dim wit!</li>"
blncheck = false

if blncheck then
...forms ok so proceed
end if

strMessage = strMessage&"</ol>"
end if
<html>
<%=strMessage%>

Omair Haroon · Oct 5, 2002, 03:08

You could always use session variables to save the information typed by the user. So in this way, even if he had to click the back button, the values would have been saved and would be displayed even if the page loaded.

Just my 0.2!

--Omair

May 15, 2002, 12:24	#1
Hideki SitePoint Addict Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: Minnesota Posts: 317	How can I prevent the forms from clearing when a user hits the back button? I assume it has to do with cache control, but how do I prevent the form from clearing when a user hits the back button? The form I am referring to is my registration page. After the registration is submitted, they are taken to an error handling page. If an error comes up, they are required to hit the back button and correct the mistake. It seems like for the most part it retains all of the information in the fields, but occasionally it clears it out. How can I prevent this? Thanks! __________________ Keomed.com Webmaster www.keomed.com

May 15, 2002, 13:04	#3
Hideki SitePoint Addict Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: Minnesota Posts: 317	So, a link back to the registration page and the back button function in two different ways? Thanks! __________________ Keomed.com Webmaster www.keomed.com

May 15, 2002, 13:21	#4
JimBolla \m/ R.I.P. Dimebag! \m/ Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: erie, pa Posts: 1,132	no its not a back button. you'd actually be going forward technically, although to the registration page again, but the second time the page is rendered, the input boxes are prepopulated with the values provided the first time the you were at the registration page. Code: <experiment_in_ascii_art> your app: registation.asp --> error.asp ^ \| \| \| \--------------/ my suggestion: registration.asp --> error.asp --> registration.asp?input1=value&input2=value&etc. </experiment_in_ascii_art>

May 16, 2002, 06:30	#5
Goof SitePoint Wizard Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 1,153	Haha...I guess that's the best type of diagrams we get __________________ Nathan Rutman A slightly offbeat creative.

May 16, 2002, 08:31	#6
Hideki SitePoint Addict Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: Minnesota Posts: 317	Thanks crowdozer! __________________ Keomed.com Webmaster www.keomed.com

May 15, 2002, 13:02	#2
JimBolla \m/ R.I.P. Dimebag! \m/ Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: erie, pa Posts: 1,132	i don't bnelieve this isn't something you have programmatic control over and thus isn't a good method to use. i reccommend modifying your process so that the error message page has a link "back" to the registration screen which actually re-renders the page and populates the inputs with the values from the original form submittal.

May 22, 2002, 07:41	#7
raymo SitePoint Zealot Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: The High Country, Victoria, Australia Posts: 190	Why create another step (or "click") when you don't need to? May I suggest simply displaying the error message along with form? And if you want to make it super duper, mark the fields that have invalid entries with something eye catching so the user can immediately spot their mistake. I reckon specifying form border to something bright, ie red, would do the trick. __________________ ride it like it's stolen

May 22, 2002, 08:34	#8
Hideki SitePoint Addict Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: Minnesota Posts: 317	Funny you should say that...cuz after some thought, I re-did the entire page just like you mentioned. Hardest part was figuring out what error indication (in my case a red border around the field) was NS compatible as well. Check out the finished work here. Just go down to the bottom and click the submit button without filling anything in. -Hideki __________________ Keomed.com Webmaster www.keomed.com

May 22, 2002, 10:02	#9
raymo SitePoint Zealot Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: The High Country, Victoria, Australia Posts: 190	Great minds... g Good job Hideki. __________________ ride it like it's stolen

May 22, 2002, 10:58	#11
Hideki SitePoint Addict Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: Minnesota Posts: 317	Check out my link three posts up __________________ Keomed.com Webmaster www.keomed.com

May 22, 2002, 11:51	#12
raymo SitePoint Zealot Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: The High Country, Victoria, Australia Posts: 190	fillup07, do you mean [how do you do it] technically? __________________ ride it like it's stolen

May 25, 2002, 23:01	#13
dethfire SitePoint Wizard Join Date: Aug 2000 Posts: 2,436	or... grab the form values using javascript and refresah the page plugging in the saved values __________________ Free Science Homework Help http://www.physicsforums.com

Oct 4, 2002, 13:49	#14
DLG_1 SitePoint Addict Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Texas, USA Posts: 597	what I would do. onError I would display a gif file next to the field. The gif file would show an arrow flashing between red and white/background color. I've only seen that in a few places and it's helped me catch mistakes much faster! imho.

Oct 5, 2002, 01:14	#15
iamnomad SitePoint Zealot Join Date: May 2002 Location: New Zealand Posts: 147	if you add a hidden field to your form, called for example submitted with a value of "0" or something then post the form back to itself and include this in your <% block%> if request.form("Submitted")="0" then ' forms submitted strMessage="<ol>" validate form item oops error strMessage ="<li>you dim wit!</li>" blncheck = false if blncheck then ...forms ok so proceed end if strMessage = strMessage&"</ol>" end if <html> <%=strMessage%>

Oct 5, 2002, 03:08	#16
Omair Haroon SitePoint Wizard Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Karachi, Pakistan Posts: 913	You could always use session variables to save the information typed by the user. So in this way, even if he had to click the back button, the values would have been saved and would be displayed even if the page loaded. Just my 0.2! --Omair __________________ 36Host.com - $36/year web hosting [affiliates earn 30%] * Affordable Small Business Web Hosting since 2003! * "500mb space, 10gb bandwith, 50 pop/ftp accounts, php, mysql, pre-installed php scripts, 24/7 support & more...."

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