PHP Mail Form Application Issues

toad78 · February 25, 2010, 10:09pm

I have a lengthy application (over 50 questions) that I would like for someone to review and give me some pointers on how to resolve some problems I’ve been experiencing. I’ve spent a lot of time on this forum and hours on the project and still am encountering the following issues:

I receive implode function errors (4) when someone doesn’t checkoff some checkboxes when required (obviously a validation issue) that I still can’t figure out how to fix.
The form still sends the app, even if there are errors displayed on screen (such as the function mail error (which isn’t what I want)). Currently, the validation I have on the majority of the form posts the errors next to the questions and stops the processing of the email; not in the case with the checkboxes.
On one server, the form doesn’t email. Instead, after someone clicks send, instead of the ‘Thank You’ message popping up on the screen, it’s a blank page and the mail is never sent. No errors on the browser window, even when I view the source code. On another server, the email sends just fine with the ‘Thank You’ message on the screen. Anyone have any answers as to why?

The app is located here. If you would like the code, I can either post an attachment or email it to you. Like I said, it’s quite lengthy and I didn’t want to waste anyone’s time reading code they didn’t care to see.

Thank you for your time!

aebstract · February 25, 2010, 10:19pm

What you need to do is show the code in question and specifics on what is happening, problems or what have you. Any error codes you are getting will help as well, but without code and details of what is going wrong, no one will be able to help you.

hash · February 25, 2010, 10:24pm

You probably just need to check if the array exists before imploding it. if(isset($array))
Put the code to mail the app in a conditional which checks there are no errors. eg if you collect error messages in an array: if(empty($errors)) { //send mail }
The server probably doesn’t have a mail server, just try using mail(‘addy’, ‘test’, ‘mail works’); in a blank php file.

toad78 · February 25, 2010, 10:41pm

OK. Here are the implode function codes for starters. All processing code is included:

$mailSent = false;
if (array_key_exists('dogApp', $_POST)) {
	// mail processing script
	// remove escape characters from POST array
	if (get_magic_quotes_gpc()) {
	function stripslashes_deep($value) {
    $value = is_array($value) ? array_map('stripslashes_deep', $value) : stripslashes($value);
    return $value;
    }
  	$_POST = array_map('stripslashes_deep', $_POST);
  	}


	$plansfordog = isset($plansfordog) ? $plansfordog : array('None selected');
	$plansfordogOther = trim($_POST['plansfordogOther']);
 if (isset($_POST['plansfordog']) && $_POST['plansfordog'] == 'Other:' && empty($plansfordogOther)) {
  $error['plansfordogOther'] = 'Please explain what your plans are for the dog(s)';
 }
	$effectivetraining = isset($effectivetraining) ? $effectivetraining : array('None Selected');
	$bathroomtraining = isset($bathroomtraining) ? $bathroomtraining : array('None Selected');

	if (!isset($error)) {
	$mailSent = mail($to, $subject, $message, $additionalHeaders);
	// check that the mail was sent successfully
	if (!$mailSent) {
		$error['notSent'] = 'We\\'re sorry, there was a problem sending your mail. Please make another attempt to send your inquiry again. If this problem continues, please contact the webmaster at <a href=\\"mailto:webmaster@s.org\\">webmaster@s.org</a> for further assistance.';
		}
	}

Building of the message:

	$message .= " 2. What are your plans for this dog? \\r\
";
	$message .= implode(', ', $_POST['plansfordog']);
 $message .= " 4. What do you believe to be the most effective training methods to train dogs? \\r\
";
	$message .= implode(', ', $_POST['effectivetraining']);
 $message .= "\\r\
\\r\
 5. If this dog(s) is not housetrained, how will you train him or her to not go to the bathroom in the house? \\r\
";
	$message .= implode(', ', $_POST['bathroomtraining']);

HTML: I’ve excluded some <td> tags to minimize space


<?php if (isset($error['notSent'])) { ?>
<h1>Server Error</h1>
<p class="warning"><?php echo $error['notSent']; ?></p>
<?php } elseif ($mailSent) { ?>
<h1>Thank you for your Application.</h1>
<p style="text-indent: 0px;">Thank you for taking the time to complete our adoption application. A representative with Noah’s will contact you in the next day or so.</p>
<p style="text-indent: 0px;">If you have any questions about your submitted application, please feel free to contact Kendra at 559-393-5146. Thanks for adopting!</p>
<?php } else { ?>
<h1>Dog Application &amp; Agreement </h1>
<h2> Are you ready to adopt? </h2>
<p style="text-indent: 0px;">Please fill out the form below to apply to adopt a dog from Noah and Friends.</p>
<p class="warning">** All fields are required. ** </p>
<?php } ?>
<?php if (!$mailSent) { ?>

<form action="<?php $_SERVER['PHP_SELF'];?>" method="post" name="dogApp" id="dogApp">

<label for="plansfordog">2. What are your plans for this dog? (Please Check All That Apply):</label> <?php if (isset($error['plansfordogOther'])) { ?>
<span class="warning"><?php echo $error['plansfordogOther']; ?></span>
<?php } ?>
<br />
<input type="checkbox" name="plansfordog[]" value="Member of the family" id="familymember" <?php
			$OK = isset($_POST['plansfordog']) ? true : false;
			if ($OK && isset($error) && in_array('Member of the Family', $_POST['plansfordog'])) { ?> checked="checked"
			<?php } ?> />
<label for="familymember">Member of the family</label><br />

<input type="checkbox" name="plansfordog[]" value="Pet" id="pet" <?php
			if ($OK && isset($error) && in_array('Pet', $_POST['plansfordog'])) { ?> checked="checked"
			<?php } ?> />
<label for="pet">Pet</label><br />
<input type="checkbox" name="plansfordog[]" value="Best Friend" id="bestfriend" <?php
			if ($OK && isset($error) && in_array('Best Friend', $_POST['plansfordog'])) { ?> checked="checked"
			<?php } ?> />
			<label for="bestfriend">Best Friend</label><br />

<input type="checkbox" name="plansfordog[]" value="Guard Dog" id="guarddog" <?php
			if ($OK && isset($error) && in_array('Guard Dog', $_POST['plansfordog'])) { ?> checked="checked"
			<?php } ?> />
			<label for="guarddog">Guard dog</label><br />

<input type="checkbox" name="plansfordog[]" value="Herding Dog" id="herdingdog" <?php
			if ($OK && isset($error) && in_array('Herding Dog', $_POST['plansfordog'])) { ?> checked="checked"
			<?php } ?> />
<label for="herdingdog">Herding Dog</label><br />

<input type="checkbox" name="plansfordog[]" value="Obedience/Agility" id="obedience" <?php
			if ($OK && isset($error) && in_array('Obedience/Agility', $_POST['plansfordog'])) { ?> checked="checked"
			<?php } ?> />
			<label for="obedience">Obedience/Agility</label><br />

<input type="checkbox" name="plansfordog[]" value="Therapy Dog" id="therapy" <?php
			if ($OK && isset($error) && in_array('Therapy Dog', $_POST['plansfordog'])) { ?> checked="checked"
			<?php } ?> />
			<label for="therapy">Therapy dog</label><br />

<input type="checkbox" name="plansfordog[]" value="Hunting Dog" id="hunting" <?php
			if ($OK && isset($error) && in_array('Hunting Dog', $_POST['plansfordog'])) { ?> checked="checked"
			<?php } ?> />
			<label for="hunting">Hunting dog</label><br />

<input type="checkbox" name="plansfordog[]" value="Other:" id="plansfordog" <?php
			if ($OK && isset($error) && in_array('Other:', $_POST['plansfordog'])) { ?> checked="checked"
			<?php } ?> />
			<label for="plansfordog">Other, please explain:</label>
<br />
<textarea name="plansfordogOther" cols="30" rows="5" id="plansfordogOther"><?php if (isset($_POST['plansfordogOther'])) {echo $_POST['plansfordogOther'];} ?></textarea>

<label for="effectivetraining">4. What do you believe to be the most effective training methods to train dogs? (Please Check All That Apply):</label><?php if (isset($error['effectivetraining'])) { ?>
<span class="warning"><?php echo $error['effectivetraining']; ?></span>
<?php } ?>
<br />
<input type="checkbox" name="effectivetraining[]" value="Food Treats" id="foodtreats" <?php
			$OK = isset($_POST['effectivetraining']) ? true : false;
			if ($OK && isset($error) && in_array('Food Treats', $_POST['effectivetraining'])) { ?> checked="checked"
			<?php } ?> />
<label for="foodtreats">Food Treats</label>
<br />
<input type="checkbox" name="effectivetraining[]" value="Praise" id="praise" <?php
			if ($OK && isset($error) && in_array('Praise', $_POST['effectivetraining'])) { ?> checked="checked"
			<?php } ?> />
<label for="praise">Praise</label>
<br />
<input type="checkbox" name="effectivetraining[]" value="Physical punishment on certain occasions" id="punishment" <?php
			if ($OK && isset($error) && in_array('Physical punishment on certain occasions', $_POST['effectivetraining'])) { ?> checked="checked"
			<?php } ?> />
<label for="punishment">Physical punishment on certain occasions</label>
<br />
<input type="checkbox" name="effectivetraining[]" value="Obedience School" id="obedience" <?php
			if ($OK && isset($error) && in_array('Obedience School', $_POST['effectivetraining'])) { ?> checked="checked"
			<?php } ?> />
<label for="obedience">Obedience School</label><br />
<input type="checkbox" name="effectivetraining[]" value="Positive reinforcement for the behavior you want" id="reinforcement" <?php
			if ($OK && isset($error) && in_array('Positive reinforcement for the behavior you want', $_POST['effectivetraining'])) { ?> checked="checked"
			<?php } ?> />
<label for="reinforcement">Positive reinforcement for the behavior you want</label>

<label for="bathroomtraining">5. If this dog(s) is not housetrained, how will you train him or her to not go to the bathroom in the house? (Please Check All That Apply):</label><?php if (isset($error['bathroomtraining'])) { ?>
<span class="warning"><?php echo $error['bathroomtraining']; ?></span>
<?php } ?>
<br />
<input type="checkbox" name="bathroomtraining[]" value="Crate training" id="crate" <?php
			$OK = isset($_POST['bathroomtraining']) ? true : false;
			if ($OK && isset($error) && in_array('Crate training', $_POST['bathroomtraining'])) { ?> checked="checked"
			<?php } ?> />
			<label for="crate">Crate training</label>
<br />
<input type="checkbox" name="bathroomtraining[]" value="Carefully watching and anticipating his/her need to go to the bathroom and sending him/her outside and praising when he/she goes to the bathroom" id="carefulwatching" <?php
			if ($OK && isset($error) && in_array('Carefully watching and anticipating his/her need to go to the bathroom and sending him/her outside and praising when he/she goes to the bathroom', $_POST['bathroomtraining'])) { ?> checked="checked"
			<?php } ?> />
<label for="carefulwatching">Carefully watching and anticipating his/her need to go to the bathroom and sending him/her outside and praising when he/she goes to the bathroom</label><br />
<input type="checkbox" name="bathroomtraining[]" value="Rubbing his/her nose in its &quot;mess&quot; and then sending him/her promptly outside" id="rubbingnose" <?php
			if ($OK && isset($error) && in_array('Rubbing his/her nose in its &quot;mess&quot; and then sending him/her promptly outside', $_POST['bathroomtraining'])) { ?> checked="checked"
			<?php } ?> />
<label for="rubbingnose">Rubbing his/her nose in its &quot;mess&quot; and then sending him/her promptly outside</label>
<br />
<input type="checkbox" name="bathroomtraining[]" value="I have no idea, but I'd like some information on the subject" id="noidea" <?php
			if ($OK && isset($error) && in_array('I have no idea, but I\\'d like some information on the subject', $_POST['bathroomtraining'])) { ?> checked="checked"
			<?php } ?>  />
<label for="noidea">I have no idea, but I'd like some information on the subject</label>
<input name="dogApp" type="submit" id="dogApp" tabindex="4" value="Send" />
</form><?php } ?>

I appreciate your time in looking at this for me. I know I’ve grown a little ‘burned-out’.