Posted by Tony Marston on 01/15/06 20:26

The easiest way I have found to test for the existence or non-existence of a
value in the $_POST array, and to avoid any confusion between empty, null
and zero, is to use the strlen() function. If the result is a length of
zero, then it signifies no input. Easy peasy lemon squeezy.

--
Tony Marston

http://www.tonymarston.net



"GazK" <rubbish@rubbish.com> wrote in message
news:4MydnfGYSb1woVfeRVny1Q@eclipse.net.uk...
>I have a script which takes the results of a form and updates or creates a
>record in a db table. So far so dull. It works fine, except when I leave
>certain fields blank; these are entered in the table as zero values. Can
>anyone assist me to differentiate between NULL and zero? the variables that
>are troubling are fatalities, injuries, latitude and longitude.
>
> TIA
>
> Garry
>
> code:
>
> # load variables into array
> $variables["type"] = $type;
> $variables["location"] = $location;
> $variables["fatalities"] = $fatalities;
> $variables["injuries"] = $injuries;
> $variables["latitude"] = $latitude;
> $variables["longitude"] = $longitude;
> $variables["development"] = $development;
> $variables["list"] = $list;
> $variables["display"] = $display;
> $variables["description"] = $description;
>
> foreach ($variables as $key => $value) {
> # loop through variables;
> $element =& $variables[$key];
> if (isset($value)) {
> # if variable is not null, add quotes for sql query
> $element = "'" . $element . "'";
> } else {
> # variable is NULL - no quotes
> $element = "NULL";
> }
> unset($element);
> }
>
> # explode array back to variables
> extract($variables);
>
> if(isset($eventID)) {
> # updating an existing record
> # create SQL from variables
> $sql = "
> UPDATE tblevents
> SET enumType = $type,
> locationID = $location,
> datDate = '$eventDate',
> intFatalities = $fatalities,
> intInjuries = $injuries,
> dblLatitude = $latitude,
> dblLongitude = $longitude,
> developmentID = $development,
> enumList = $list,
> enumDisplay = $display,
> txtDescription = $description
> WHERE eventID = $eventID
> ";
> } else {
> # creating a new record
> $sql = "
> INSERT INTO tblevents (
> eventID,
> enumType,
> locationID,
> datDate,
> intFatalities,
> intInjuries,
> dblLatitude,
> dblLongitude,
> developmentID,
> enumList,
> enumDisplay,
> txtDescription
> ) VALUES (
> NULL,
> $type,
> $location,
> '$eventDate',
> $fatalities,
> $injuries,
> $latitude,
> $longitude,
> $development,
> $list,
> $display,
> $description
> )
> ";
> }
>
> # execute SQL
> mysql_query($sql) or die(mysql_error());

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