Forms Sample #2

The script for this form won't let you post anything if you haven't given a Name. It also replies with different information, depending on whether or not you prefer cats.

Name:

I have: A fish A bird A cat A dog

I prefer:

The HTML

Here is the HTML that created that form:


<FORM METHOD="POST" ACTION="formex2.cgi">

Name: <INPUT SIZE=25 NAME="name" VALUE="">
<P>
I have:   <INPUT type="checkbox" NAME="haveafish" CHECKED>A fish 
          <INPUT type="checkbox" NAME="haveabird">A bird 
          <INPUT type="checkbox" NAME="haveacat" CHECKED>A cat 
          <INPUT type="checkbox" NAME="haveadog">A dog 
<P> 
I prefer: <SELECT NAME="prefer">
	  <OPTION>Fish
	  <OPTION>Birds
	  <OPTION SELECTED>Cats
	  <OPTION>Dogs
	  </SELECT>
<P>
<CENTER>
<INPUT TYPE=submit VALUE="Go for it!">
<INPUT TYPE=reset VALUE="No, no, start over">
</CENTER>

The Script

Here is the script that will be run:

#!/usr/sbin/perl
#
# This script was originally written by Michael Toy, and modified
# by Hagan Heller in March, 1995.
#
# The first line should be the path to "perl", which is the
# language that this script was written in. If you don't have
# perl, you can't run this. Also, MAKE SURE that the execute 
# permission is turned on for this file.
#

#
# The information "returned" from this script must have a
# type, so that Netscape will know what to do with it. The
# type text/html tells it to display this as a document
#
# Anything that's print-ed after this shows up in the document.
#
print "Content-type: text/html\n\n";

#
# This reads in the information sent when the user pressed Submit
#
if ($ENV{'REQUEST_METHOD'} eq "GET") { $buffer = $ENV{'QUERY_STRING'}; }
else { read(STDIN, $buffer, $ENV{'CONTENT_LENGTH'}); }

#
# Now, using a little loop, we'll split up the data into name/value
# pairs, which makes them easier to work with. 
#
@pairs = split(/&/, $buffer);
foreach $pair (@pairs)
{
    ($name, $value) = split(/=/, $pair);

    $value =~ tr/+/ /;
    $value =~ s/%([a-fA-F0-9][a-fA-F0-9])/pack("C", hex($1))/eg;

    $FORM{$name} = $value;
}

#
# Once the name/value pairs have been created, you can work with
# them by referring to the variable names you set up in the 
# original HTML, using $FORM{"varname"}.
#

#
# First, we make sure that they actually gave a name
#
if ($FORM{"name"} eq "") {
    print "<TITLE>Entry Not Accepted</TITLE>";
    print "<H1>Entry Not Accepted:</H1><P>\n";
    print "<H1>Name: was left blank</H1>\n";
    print "You have left your name blank.  Please fill in your ";
    print "name and re-submit the form.";

#
# You need the exit command, otherwise it will keep going on
# in the script and do more stuff.
#
    exit(0);
}

if ($FORM{"prefer"} eq "Cats") {
    print "<TITLE>Form Example #2: Cats</TITLE>";
    print "<H1>Example #2: Cats</H1>";
    print "Dear <B>$FORM{name}</B>, <P>";
    print "Thank you for visiting us from <B>$ENV{HTTP_REFERER}</B>. ";
    print "We are so happy to hear that you prefer <B>$FORM{prefer}</B>. ";
    print "We have some valuable products to offer you: kitty litter, ";
    print "organic cat food, cat toys, and delicious kitty treats. Yum! ";
    print "<P>";
    print "Press <A HREF=$ENV{HTTP_REFERER}>here</A> to return.";
    exit(0);
}


print "<TITLE>Form Example #2</TITLE>";
print "<H1>Example #2</H1>";
print "Dear <B>$FORM{name}</B>, <P>";
print "Thank you for visiting us from <B>$ENV{HTTP_REFERER}</B>. ";
print "We are so happy to hear that you don't like cats. ";
print "We have a new program, where you can exchange your ";
print "$FORM{prefer} for a cat for free. Call now!";
print "<P>";
print "Press <A HREF=$ENV{HTTP_REFERER}>here</A> to return.";