html - How can I get multiple forms to use the same inputs in php

Solution:

Create a function that builds the form. Example:

function paypalForm( $item_name, $item_number ) {
    ?>
    <form target='paypal' action='https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr' method='post'>
    <input type='hidden' name='cmd' value='_cart'>
    <input type='hidden' name='business' value='[email protected]'>
    <input type='hidden' name='lc' value='US'>
    <input type='hidden' name='item_name' value='<?=$item_name?>'>
    <input type='hidden' name='item_number' value='<?=$item_number?>'>*
    <input type='hidden' name='button_subtype' value='products'>
    <input type='hidden' name='no_note' value='0'>
    <input type='hidden' name='currency_code' value='USD'>
    <input type='hidden' name='add' value='1'>
    <input type='hidden' name='bn' value='PP-ShopCartBF:btn_cart_SM.gif:NonHostedGuest'>
    <input type='hidden' name='on0' value='Select Size'>Buy Print 
    <select name='os0'>
    <option value='11 x 14'>11 x 14 $30.00</option>
    <option value='8 x 10'>8 x 10 $20.00</option>
    </select>
    <input type='hidden' name='currency_code' value='USD'>
    <input type='hidden' name='option_select0' value='11 x 14'>
    <input type='hidden' name='option_amount0' value='30.00'>
    <input type='hidden' name='option_select1' value='8 x 10'>
    <input type='hidden' name='option_amount1' value='20.00'>
    <input type='hidden' name='option_index' value='0'>
    <input type='image' src='https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/btn/btn_cart_SM.gif' border='0' name='submit' alt='PayPal - The safer, easier way to pay online!'>
    </form>
    <?
}
Copy code

Solution:

Assuming you are talking about cleaning the HTML markup, rather than generating the forms at the server side...

You could do it with Javascript, but it is not a good idea to rely on Javascript for your core site functionality, because it can be disabled by the user, and may break in a way you have not predicted in some browser or other.

I think that, since you are submitting the data directly to Paypal and therefore have no control over the server side, the answer to this is probably NO.

If you are talking about cleaning up the PHP code, Rijk van Wel's answer may help.

Solution:

Please refer to this article: http://www.chami.com/tips/internet/042599i.html

You can create a single form with multiple submit buttons and assign both item_name & item_number as button's value. This way the inputs aren't repeated in the code and you can easily distinguish between submitted forms.

Note: the server-side code in the article is written in ASP, but in PHP it's the same. Just refer to$_POST['buttonNameHere']