No POST data being returned when hidden input type is present

Question

I think that there is either an error in my code, or my PHP or Apache is set up incorrectly.

When I submit a form with a hidden field in it, I do not get any data in my $_POST array...

When I comment out the hidden field in my code, the POST data is returned correctly...

HTML FORM

<form action='/utils/login.php ' method='POST'>
<table>
    <tr>
        <td colspan='2'>
            Login
        </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>
            Username
        </td>
        <td>
            <input type='text' name='userid' value='' size='12' />
        </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>
            Password
        </td>
        <td>
            <input type='password' name='password' size='12' />
        </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>
            <input type='hidden' name='formtype' value='login' />
        </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>
            <input type='submit' value='Submit' />
        </td>
    </tr>
</table></form>

Here is the code that is processing it in PHP...

foreach ($_POST as $var => $value) {
     echo "$var = $value<br>";
} 

I am using PHP 5 and Apache 2.2 on my server.

Any ideas?

EDIT...

I have narrowed it down to this...

$command = $_POST['formtype'];

When I removed the @ sign from my $_POST, I am getting the following error...

Notice: Undefined variable: formtype in C:\webroot\utils\login.php on line 17

If I comment out that line, the POST data is passed into the program without a problem.

Hornstone

Did you close your <form>? I don't see the closing tag. – Tunis

You don't need annother table cell for the hidden feild... – Mcgill

Yes. My page had the closing </form> tag within it. I had forgotten to paste it into the SO posting. That is not the problem with the form. – Hornstone

Update - I tried turning of E_Notice errors, but that did not work. The problem occurs when I try to assign or access the POST variables. – Hornstone

you could try changing it to a normal field, and changing the name of the field too and see if that works. might help narrow it down – Allomorphism

Works fine if the input is text and hidden with jQuery: $('#pid').hide(); $('#itemType').hide(); – Womb

Answer 1

I would suggest changing the code you are using to display the contents of $_POST to a single call:

print_r($_POST);

Anytime you are displaying the entire contents of an array, this is better than a loop w/ echo, as it will show every value at every level of the array.

Also, as was mentioned in a comment, make sure you close the form in the html.

Monarda

Thanks. I don't think that is the reason why the page is not returning any post data. Remember that when I comment out the <input type="hidden"> element entirely, POST back data is returned as expected. – Hornstone

Answer 2

You never closed your <form> tag.

And I see now that someone beat me to it by a mile in the comments. Still, this is the right answer.

Kinaesthesia

I can see the form tag has been closed. Is there any wrong in it. I'm getting same problem so read your answer. – Coy

Answer 3

Have you tried taking the hidden input out of the table and placing it right after the opening form tag?

You can also use:

var_dump($_POST);

...to view the post variables.

Also, if any inputs are being dynamically created or might be missing from the POST variables... you can use:

variable = 'default';
if(isset($_Post['variable'])) $variable = $_POST['variable'];

...to dynamically set variables that could be there or not.

Kickoff

Putting the hidden inputs directly after the form tag fixed a similar problem that I was having.. thanks! – Siffre

Answer 4

I changed my form to work with Twig. The changed form was not sending the hidden input value with post. In case someone has the same problem, I solved it by doing the following.

The original line was:

<input hidden name='foo[{{ loop.index }}][id]' value='{{id}}' />

I sold it by making type='hidden':

<input type='hidden' name='foo[{{ loop.index }}][id]' value='{{id}}' />

Rustication

Answer 5

Please try with:

<form action="..." method="post" enctype="application/x-www-form-urlencoded">

Skyscape