Setting value based on selection of an array

PHP
1

I am having some trouble setting a value to a variable based on the value of the array. Basically I want to assign a subject based on the selection of the recipient using an array. I’ll post my code and that way you can have a full picture.

Here is the code broken down that I’m trying to figure out:


//This is who will get the email based on selection from the $to in the form.
$receivers = array(
     1 => 'email1@example.com',
     2 => 'email2@example.com'
);

//Set $receivers based on selection of $to from the form.
if(array_key_exists($formData['to'], $receivers))
{
    $to = $receivers[$formData['to']];
}
else
{
    $to = 'example@example.com';
}

Now here is where I’m having my trouble. I want to have the $subject variable set based on the value of the $receivers array. I also want to keep the option of using a value from a text box on a form, so that I can use this script anywhere with little to no modification.


    if(strlen($formData['subject']) > 0)
{
    $subject = sanitizeString($formData['subject']);
}
elseif
{
    $receivers = "1";

    else( $receivers == "2" ) $subject = "Subject 2";
    else                  $subject = "Subject 1";

}

From what I can tell, this is kinda working. When the form sends out the email it assigns Subject 1 as the subject regardless of the $receivers array value.

If you can help that would be greatly appreciated.

2

I don’t quite understand what you’re trying do with the code in the second example. Firstly you are missing the condition on the elseif.

Aside from that, perhaps you can alter your $receivers array so that you have a multi-dimensional array (i.e. each element itself is also an array) allowing you to story email addresses as well as subjects?

Something like this:


$receivers = array(
1 => array('email1', 'subject1'),
2 => array('email2', 'subject2')
);

Then you can call $receivers[$formData[‘to’]][0] for email, $receivers[$formData[‘to’]][1] for subjects.

3

Thanks N9ne for the reply!

What I’m trying to do is create a multi-use contact form script that I can use for my site and other projects. The idea for the email address selection setting the subject is to give me the option to exclude a subject input field on the form. I still want the option to have the field if I need it. That is what I’m trying to do with my second block of code. In hopes that it helps here is the complete working script. I just don’t know how to set the array like your suggesting. Is there a way to include the option for the input field?


//Sainitize function
function sanitizeString($value)
{
    $value = strip_tags($value);
    $value = trim($value);
    $value = escapeshellcmd($value);
    $value = htmlentities($value);

    return $value;
}

$errorMessage = array();
$receivers = array(
    1 => 'email1@email.com',
    2 => 'email2@email.com'
);

if(isset($_POST['form']))
{
    $formData = $_POST['form'];

    if (filter_var($formData['from'], FILTER_VALIDATE_EMAIL)) {
        $from = sanitizeString($formData['from']);
    }
    else
    {
        $errorMessage[] = "Please use a valid email format: name@domain.com";
    }

    if(array_key_exists($formData['to'], $receivers))
    {
        $to = $receivers[$formData['to']];
    }
    else
    {
        $to = 'example@example.com';
    }

    if(strlen($formData['name']) > 0)
    {
        $name = sanitizeString($formData['name']);
    }
    else
    {
        $errorMessage[] = "Please enter your name.";
    }

    if(strlen($formData['title']) > 0)
    {
        $title = sanitizeString($formData['title']);
    }
    else
    {
        $title = '';
    }

    if(strlen($formData['company']) > 0)
    {
        $company = sanitizeString($formData['company']);
    }
    else
    {
        $company = '';
    }

    if(strlen($formData['phone']) > 0)
    {
        $phone = sanitizeString($formData['phone']);
    }
    else
    {
        $errorMessage[] = "Please enter a phone number.";
    }

    if(strlen($formData['subject']) > 0)
    {
        $subject = sanitizeString($formData['subject']);
    }
    else
    {
        $subject = '';
    }

    if(strlen($formData['message']) > 0)
    {
        $message = sanitizeString($formData['message']);
    }
    else
    {
        $errorMessage[] = 'Cannot leave message box blank.';
    }

    if (empty($errorMessage) && $formData['spam'] == 9)
    {
        $email_headers = "From:" . $from . "\
MIME-Version: 1.0 \
Content-type: text/html; charset=iso-8859-1";
        $message_send = "<h3>" . $name . "<br>" . $title . "<br>" . $company . "<br>" . $phone . "<br>" . $from . "</h3><hr><h4>" . $subject . "</h4>" . $message;

        if (mail($to, $subject, $message_send, $email_headers))
        {
            $errorMessage[] = 'Thank you, your email is on the way!';
        }
        else
        {
            $errorMessage[] = 'There seems to be a problem!';
        }
    }
}

Having the subject use a input field and using an if statement when there is not a subject input field on the form is really not important at this time. Hence why I was trying to make


if(strlen($formData['subject']) > 0) 
{ 
    $subject = sanitizeString($formData['subject']); 
} 
elseif 
{ 
    $receivers = "1"; 

    else( $receivers == "2" ) $subject = "Subject 2"; 
    else                  $subject = "Subject 1"; 

}

work for me. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

4

Well I have a fix…using the switch function.


//select the correct to address
switch ($to)
{
case "1":
	$to = "example@example.com";
	$subject = "Subject 1";
	break;
case "2":
	$to = "example2@example.com";
	$subject = "Subject 2";
	break;
default:
	$to = "email@example.com";
        $subject = "Default";
	break;
}

If you have a better solution, please let me know. Thank you all for your help!

5

Scratch that, I’m messing something up. I can’t even send out an email now with the form.

I think it has to do with my


if(strlen($formData['to']) > 0)
{
    $to = sanitizeString($formData['to']);
}
else
{
    $to = 'example@example.com';
}

for $to…would I need to add anything for $subject or would the switch handle that on it’s own?

Either way, I’m at a lost, any help please…

Here is my complete code, with the switch function instead of the array…if you see something, I clearly don’t, your help will be greatly appreciated.


<?php
//Sainitize function
function sanitizeString($value)
{
$value = strip_tags($value);
$value = trim($value);
$value = escapeshellcmd($value);
$value = htmlentities($value);

return $value;
}

$errorMessage = array();

switch ($to) 
{
case "1":
	$to = "example1@example.com";
	$subject = "Subject 1";
	break;
case "2":
	$to = "example2@example.com";
	$subject = "Subject 2";
	break;
default:
	$to = "example@example.com";
	break;
}

if(isset($_POST['form']))
{
$formData = $_POST['form'];

if (filter_var($formData['from'], FILTER_VALIDATE_EMAIL)) {
    $from = sanitizeString($formData['from']);
}
else
{
    $errorMessage[] = "Please use a valid email format: name@domain.com";
}

if(strlen($formData['to']) > 0)
{
    $to = sanitizeString($formData['to']);
}
else
{
    $to = 'example@example.com';
}

if(strlen($formData['name']) > 0)
{
    $name = sanitizeString($formData['name']);
}
else
{
    $errorMessage[] = "Please enter your name.";
}

if(strlen($formData['title']) > 0)
{
    $title = sanitizeString($formData['title']);
}
else
{
    $title = '';
}

if(strlen($formData['company']) > 0)
{
    $company = sanitizeString($formData['company']);
}
else
{
    $company = '';
}

    if(strlen($formData['phone']) > 0)
{
    $phone = sanitizeString($formData['phone']);
}
    else
{
    $errorMessage[] = "Please enter a phone number.";
}

    if(strlen($formData['message']) > 0)
{
    $message = sanitizeString($formData['message']);
}
    else
{
    $errorMessage[] = 'Cannot leave message box blank.';
}

    if (empty($errorMessage) && $formData['message'])
{
    $email_headers = "From:" . $from . "\
MIME-Version: 1.0 \
Content-type: text/html; charset=iso-8859-1";
    $message_send = "<h3>" . $name . "<br>" . $title . "<br>" . $company . "<br>" . $phone . "<br>" . $from . "</h3><hr><h4>" . $subject . "</h4>" . $message;

    if (mail($to, $subject, $message_send, $email_headers))
{
    $errorMessage[] = 'Thank you, your email is on the way!';
}
    else
{
    $errorMessage[] = 'There seems to be a problem!';
}
}
}
6

Any help would be greatly appreciated…I think it has something to do with my validation that keeps the $to from being set by the switch. It will send to the default every time. Just don’t know where I’m making my mistake. If you can help, please let me know. Thanks!

7

How do I do that? I’ve tried it and I either get a 500 error or a blank page…can you show me an example of setting the email and subject based on the array?

8

N9ne’s suggestion was good. I did a slight variation in that I used the email as the array key with the value as subject. Added a sloppy form at end for testing which isn’t needed, but wanted to show that the same $receivers array builds form selection fields.

<?php
//Sainitize function
function sanitizeString($value){
	$value = strip_tags($value);
	$value = trim($value);
	$value = escapeshellcmd($value);
	$value = htmlentities($value);
	
	return $value;
}

//Receivers
$receivers = array();
//IF built with query put email as key, subject as value in loop or specify like below
$receivers['default@example.com']  = 'Default Subject';
$receivers['example1@example.com'] = 'Subject 1';
$receivers['example2@example.com'] = 'Subject 2';



$errorMessage = array();

if(isset($_POST['form'])){
	$formData = $_POST['form'];
	
	if (filter_var($formData['from'], FILTER_VALIDATE_EMAIL)) {
	    $from = sanitizeString($formData['from']);
	}else{
	    $errorMessage[] = "Please use a valid email format: name@domain.com";
	}
	
	if(strlen($formData['to']) > 0){
	    $to = sanitizeString($formData['to']);
	}else{
	    $to = 'example@example.com';
	}
	
	if(strlen($formData['name']) > 0){
	    $name = sanitizeString($formData['name']);
	}else{
	    $errorMessage[] = "Please enter your name.";
	}
	
	if(strlen($formData['title']) > 0){
	    $title = sanitizeString($formData['title']);
	}else{
	    $title = '';
	}
	
	if(strlen($formData['company']) > 0){
	    $company = sanitizeString($formData['company']);
	}else{
	    $company = '';
	}
	
	if(strlen($formData['phone']) > 0){
	    $phone = sanitizeString($formData['phone']);
	}else{
	    $errorMessage[] = "Please enter a phone number.";
	}
	
	if(strlen($formData['message']) > 0){
	    $message = sanitizeString($formData['message']);
	}else{
	    $errorMessage[] = 'Cannot leave message box blank.';
	}
	
	if (empty($errorMessage) && $formData['message']){		
	
	    if(strlen($formData['subject']) > 0){
		    $subject = sanitizeString($formData['subject']);
		}else{
    		$subject = $receivers[$to];
		}
		
	    $email_headers = "From:" . $from . "\
MIME-Version: 1.0 \
Content-type: text/html; charset=iso-8859-1";
	    $message_send = "<h3>" . $name . "<br>" . $title . "<br>" . $company . "<br>" . $phone . "<br>" . $from . "</h3><hr><h4>" . $subject . "</h4>" . $message;
		
		if (mail($to, $subject, $message_send, $email_headers)){
		    $errorMessage[] = 'Thank you, your email is on the way!';
		}else{
		    $errorMessage[] = 'There seems to be a problem!';
		}
	}
}

////Sample form
?>
<html>
	<body>
	<?php
		if(!empty($errorMessage)):
			foreach($errorMessage as $message):
				echo '<p>' . $message . '</p>';
			endforeach;
		endif;
	?>		
		<form action="" method="post">
			<input type="text" name="form[from]" value="" />from<br />
			<input type="text" name="form[name]" value="" />name<br />
			<input type="text" name="form[title]" value="" />title<br />
			<input type="text" name="form[company]" value="" />company<br />
			<input type="text" name="form[phone]" value="" />phone<br />
			<input type="text" name="form[message]" value="" />message<br />
			<input type="text" name="form[subject]" value="" />subject<br />
			<?php
			foreach($receivers as $email => $sub):				
				echo '<input type="radio" name="form[to]" value="' . $email . '" />' . $email . '<br />';		
			endforeach;
			?>
			<br />
			<input type="submit" name="Submit" value="Submit" />
		</form>
	</body>
</html>
9

Thank you very much! That works amazingly!