HTML Recording data in forms

[lazyman353]

I am very new to coding and decided to learn html and i am trying to make a form but i havent really found a good explanation on how to record the data entered into the form. right now my code looks like this.
[CODE title="Form"]<form>
<textarea required minlength="10" maxlength="100" rows="5" cols="30" name="contact" id="contact">what would you like to say</textarea>
<br>
<input type="submit" value="submit">
</form>[/CODE]
What can I do to have it record the data somewhere?

 

[Mutiny]

So, a HTML form by itself doesn't have any ability to save data. For that you'll need a server side language, such as PHP as well as possibly a database like MySQL.

Here's a simple example of how to capture the form values and display them back to the user:

PHP Form Handling

The PHP superglobals $_GET and $_POST are used to collect form-data.

www.w3schools.com

However, that only captures them for that page load, reload and they're gone forever. To keep them, you'll either need to use PHP to write them to a file on your server (which isn't the most secure) or you will need to incorporate a MySQL database, so that each time the form is filled out the values are saved as a record in the database.

So, to save the record in a database the flow would be:

- User fills out form
- Form submits to a PHP file
- PHP file validates the form (ensures all fields are correct / filled out)
- PHP saves the data to a MySQL database
- User sees a confirmation screen that their data was submitted

 

[lazyman353]

So, a HTML form by itself doesn't have any ability to save data. For that you'll need a server side language, such as PHP as well as possibly a database like MySQL.

Here's a simple example of how to capture the form values and display them back to the user:

PHP Form Handling

The PHP superglobals $_GET and $_POST are used to collect form-data.

www.w3schools.com

However, that only captures them for that page load, reload and they're gone forever. To keep them, you'll either need to use PHP to write them to a file on your server (which isn't the most secure) or you will need to incorporate a MySQL database, so that each time the form is filled out the values are saved as a record in the database.

So, to save the record in a database the flow would be:

- User fills out form
- Form submits to a PHP file
- PHP file validates the form (ensures all fields are correct / filled out)
- PHP saves the data to a MySQL database
- User sees a confirmation screen that their data was submitted

thank you this is so helpful

 

[lazyman353]

thank you this is so helpful

ok um so I went to the website you linked and read through it and tried to replicate it in my code but it didn't work I even tried coppying and pasting their code and it still didn't work so i don't know what to do.

 

[Mutiny]

What does your local development environment look like? You will need a local web server running PHP in order to work with PHP, you can't just load it in a browser like with HTML.

I recommend WAMPServer if you're on Windows: https://sourceforge.net/projects/wampserver/
For Mac a good one is Laravel Valet: https://laravel.com/docs/8.x/valet

Once you have a local dev server that supports PHP you should be able to run a PHP file by going to the server's URL and loading the file.

Are you on Windows or Mac?

 

[lazyman353]

im on a chromebook

 

[Mutiny]

im on a chromebook

That's going to be hard for local development. I know with Chrome OS you can install a local Linux instance. You'll likely need to install Linux locally, then set up the Linux install to act as a web server.

This might help: https://blog.miguelgrinberg.com/post/using-a-chromebook-for-web-development

 

[lazyman353]

ok