Title: Help using PHP Request for posting Form to Iframe
Last modified: August 21, 2016

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# Help using PHP Request for posting Form to Iframe

 *  [csimpson](https://wordpress.org/support/users/csimpson/)
 * (@csimpson)
 * [12 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/help-using-php-request-for-posting-form-to-iframe/)
 * Hi there, firstly any help is much appreciated. In very new to php but love wordpress!
 * I have searched the web everywhere for a simple solution to my issue but struggled
   to find a working answer.
 * In short, i have a form on homepage that allows entry of arrival date, departure
   date and number of guests. i need the form to post these parameters to an booking
   system provided by a third party BUT hosted on my website via an iframe – but
   another page, not the homepage where the form is – MUST EMPHASIZE THAT).
 * Anyway, i’m almost there! but I am struggling to work out the PHP to display 
   a string of php request functions.
 * Firstly, my current implementation is showing this code on the page source code(
   NOTE: iframe delibrately spelt wrong to embed here)
 * `<iBrame name="testframe" src="https://externalurl?siteId=KAYSCLAY&request_locale
   =en&chainAction=newAvailabilitySearch&29/11/201330/11/201312"></ibrame>`
 * The url aspect of the iframe needs to be as follows:
 * `https://externalurl?siteId=KAYSCLAY&request_locale=en&chainAction=newAvailabilitySearch&
   arrival=09%2F07%2F2013&departure=10%2F07%2F2013&numberOfPersons=1&numberOfChildren
   =0`
 * **So I have two problems.** I am only showing two dates combined together in 
   my iframe src string, these need to be seperated, and I am also missing two paramters
   for some uknown reason – number of people parameters.
 * Below is my code hardcoded on the iframe php page (html/php) and also my form.
   Any thoughts, help is much appreciated.
 * `<ibrame name="testframe" src="https://externalurl?siteId=KAYSCLAY&request_locale
   =en&chainAction=newAvailabilitySearch<?php echo ''.$_REQUEST['arrival'].$_REQUEST['
   departure'].$_REQUEST['numberOfPersons'].$_REQUEST['numberOfChildren']?>"></ibrame
   >`
 *     ```
       <form action="/gatehouse-hotel/book-online/" method="get" name="pageform" onsubmit="return validate(this);" target="testframe">
   
       	<div class="FormField Arrival">
       		<label for="arrival">Arrival Date</label> <input id="arrival" name="arrival" type="text" /></div>
       	<div class="FormField Departure">
       		<label for="departure">Departure Date</label> <input id="departure" name="departure" type="text" /></div>
       	<div class="FormField NumberOfPersons">
       		<label for="numberOfPersons">Adults</label> <select id="numberOfPersons" name="numberOfPersons"><option value="0">0</option><option value="1">1</option><option value="2">2</option><option value="3">3</option><option value="4">4</option><option value="5">5</option></select></div>
       	<div class="FormField NumberOfChildren">
       		<label for="numberOfChildren">Children</label> <select id="numberOfChildren" name="numberOfChildren"><option value="0">0</option><option value="1">1</option><option value="2">2</option><option value="3">3</option><option value="4">4</option><option value="5">5</option></select></div>
   
       <div class="FormField Submit">
       		<input type="submit" value="Book now" /></div>
                 </form>
   
           <script language="JavaScript">
           function validate(theform) {
           if (theform.domain.value == "") { alert("No domain entered"); return false; }
           return true;
           }
           </script>
       ```
   

Viewing 13 replies - 1 through 13 (of 13 total)

 *  Moderator [bcworkz](https://wordpress.org/support/users/bcworkz/)
 * (@bcworkz)
 * [12 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/help-using-php-request-for-posting-form-to-iframe/#post-4356720)
 * You are getting the people parameters, the numbers run on into the date so that
   it is not clear. Consider using the date type input field. It is cool for those
   browsers that support it. For those that do not it is a normal text field, nothing
   lost.
 * Since people could put anything into a text field, you need to do some validation.
   One, if they don’t enter anything, you get script errors unless the script is
   constructed to account for the possibility. `array_key_exists()` is often used
   because $_REQUEST will not have the corresponding name key if the field was left
   blank. Better yet, use javascript to ensure all fields have values. You still
   need to validate with PHP because not everyone runs javascript.
 * Two, you need to format whatever they input into a proper date format expected
   by the third party iframe source. Use `strtotime()` to convert any date string
   into a proper UNIX timestamp. Then use `date()` to convert the timestamp to the
   expected date format.
 * You need to learn more about constructing strings! 🙂 You’re just missing certain
   elements that would result in a correct string. Here is my preferred approach.
   Others have other ideas. You’ll eventually develop your own. Different quote 
   styles behave differently in PHP. I like to use the double quotes because you
   can embed variables and they are automatically expanded to their values when 
   you echo out a double quoted string. The only drawback is you need to escape 
   actual double quote characters with either `\"` or `'` – add a backslash or change
   to single quotes.
 * Some people don’t like this style because it can be hard to distinguish the variables
   from the text. I don’t think so, it’s the words that start with ‘$’. Besides,
   my text editor knows PHP syntax and colors variables differently than text strings,
   even inside double quoted strings.
 * Anyway, here’s the process. Start with the complete example string with hardcoded
   example values. You provided:
    `https://externalurl?siteId=KAYSCLAY&request_locale
   =en&chainAction=newAvailabilitySearch&arrival=09/07/2013&departure=10/07/2013&
   numberOfPersons=1&numberOfChildren=0`
 * For illustration purposes, lets do the entire “iBrame” string:
    `<iBrame name
   ="testframe" src="https://externalurl?siteId=KAYSCLAY&request_locale=en&chainAction
   =newAvailabilitySearch&arrival=09/07/2013&departure=10/07/2013&numberOfPersons
   =1&numberOfChildren=0"></iBrame>`
 * First escape or convert all double quotes (and $ characters):
    `<iBrame name=\"
   testframe\" src=\"https://externalurl?siteId=KAYSCLAY&request_locale=en&chainAction
   =newAvailabilitySearch&arrival=09/07/2013&departure=10/07/2013&numberOfPersons
   =1&numberOfChildren=0\"></iBrame>`
 * Then add all the PHP stuff to echo out the iBrame:
    `<?php echo "<iBrame name
   =\"testframe\" src=\"https://externalurl?siteId=KAYSCLAY&request_locale=en&chainAction
   =newAvailabilitySearch&arrival=09/07/2013&departure=10/07/2013&numberOfPersons
   =1&numberOfChildren=0\"></iBrame>"; ?>`
 * You also need to add code to ensure the date values are the correct format. Lets
   assume such dates were assigned to `$arrival` and `$departure`. You then simply
   substitute the example values with the actual variables that contain the values.
   Any complex variable references are enclosed with curly brackets. Use single 
   quotes for array key names.
    `<?php echo "<iBrame name=\"testframe\" src=\"https://
   externalurl?siteId=KAYSCLAY&request_locale=en&chainAction=newAvailabilitySearch&
   arrival=$arrival&departure=$departure&numberOfPersons=$_REQUEST['numberOfPersons']&
   numberOfChildren=$_REQUEST['numberOfChildren']\"></iBrame>"; ?>`
 * That’s it! A fully valid ibrame HTML string is output. You can see that the string
   is hard to read here even with $ in front of each variable. If you have a syntax
   highlighting editor, paste the final code into it and see how nicely the variables
   jump out of the rest of the string.
 *  Thread Starter [csimpson](https://wordpress.org/support/users/csimpson/)
 * (@csimpson)
 * [12 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/help-using-php-request-for-posting-form-to-iframe/#post-4356737)
 * Hi bcworkz, thank you very much for your response. so far, i am just receiving
   a blank screen on the expected iframe page now.
 * For my text editor, I use textpad, which does highlight the variables.
 * Using your last entry above, replacing iBrame with iframe, and replacing the 
   external url part, it shows the blank page (must be an error somewhere) – also
   stops showing variables after the first in text editor.
 * So, i made all variables use the request function and had to replace & with &
   amp in between each for the variables to stand out. My last code is below but
   unfortunately, still shows white screen!
 * `<?php echo "<iframe name=\"testframe\" src=\"https://uk2.roomlynx.net/rezrooms2/
   loadOBMApplication.action?siteId=KAYSCLAY&request_locale=en&chainAction=newAvailabilitySearch&
   arrival=$_REQUEST['arrival']&departure=$_REQUEST['departure']&numberOfPersons
   =$_REQUEST['numberOfPersons']&numberOfChildren=$_REQUEST['numberOfChildren']\"
   ></iframe>"; ?>`
 * I have yet to do any validation on the front end, but was at least previously
   seeing some page. Although did make input field type date and using latest firefox
   right now.
 * Any thoughts?
 *  Moderator [bcworkz](https://wordpress.org/support/users/bcworkz/)
 * (@bcworkz)
 * [12 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/help-using-php-request-for-posting-form-to-iframe/#post-4356753)
 * Oops, my bad! Sorry about that, the PHP parser cannot figure out where one variable
   ends and the URL resumes, so all variables need to be enclosed in { curly braces}.
   It can usually figure things out, I don’t ever remember too well which situations
   it can’t. This is one of them.
 *  Thread Starter [csimpson](https://wordpress.org/support/users/csimpson/)
 * (@csimpson)
 * [12 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/help-using-php-request-for-posting-form-to-iframe/#post-4356757)
 * bcworkz – I cant thank you enough, its working! I’ve used jquery datepicker on
   front end to valid date the date that is coming though. Only issue is, as you
   mentioned, when java is turned off. I’ll look into that. Many thanks for your
   help.
 *  Thread Starter [csimpson](https://wordpress.org/support/users/csimpson/)
 * (@csimpson)
 * [12 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/help-using-php-request-for-posting-form-to-iframe/#post-4356767)
 * one small issue going on now! This works in most browsers apart from safari! 
   its changing the date format. As you said i need to format the date format backend
   in php to ensure the correct format is always used.
 * ive looked everywhere and seen so many examples but getting no where whilst changing
   date formats in outputted string.
 * any ideas? I need the dates to be dd/mm/yyyy.
 * `<?php echo "<iframe name=\"iframeTarget\" id=\"iframeTarget\" src=\"https://
   uk2.roomlynx.net/rezrooms2/loadOBMApplication.action?siteId=KAYSCLAY&request_locale
   =en&chainAction=newAvailabilitySearch&arrival={$_REQUEST['arrival']}&departure
   ={$_REQUEST['departure']}&numberOfPersons={$_REQUEST['numberOfPersons']}&numberOfChildren
   ={$_REQUEST['numberOfChildren']}\" frameborder=\"0\" allowTransparency=\"true\"
   seamless></iframe>"; ?>`
 *  Thread Starter [csimpson](https://wordpress.org/support/users/csimpson/)
 * (@csimpson)
 * [12 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/help-using-php-request-for-posting-form-to-iframe/#post-4356769)
 * tried this with no success:
 * `{$_REQUEST = arrival('d/m/Y', strtotime['arrival']}`
 *  Moderator [bcworkz](https://wordpress.org/support/users/bcworkz/)
 * (@bcworkz)
 * [12 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/help-using-php-request-for-posting-form-to-iframe/#post-4356794)
 * Hi csimpson, sorry for the late reply, I’m on the road currently.
 * There’s two problems with what you’ve tried. One is you’re a little confused 
   on how data gets passed from one function to another in PHP. I’m not sure how
   to explain this, maybe you will start to get it in time when you see enough proper
   examples.
 * The other is something you couldn’t have know without more experience. PHP has
   very limited ability to parse statement inside of the curly brace variable delimiters.
   This means you need to do your variable assignments before you try to echo a 
   string.
 * You should take the date value in `$_REQUEST['arrival']` (and similarly for departure),
   do the conversion, then assign the result to an arbitrary variable to be used
   in the echo statement. Thus something like this:
 *     ```
       <?php $arrival = date('d/m/Y', strtotime($_REQUEST['arrival']));
       //similar for departure
       //my echo example here with curly braces inserted goes here
       ?>
       ```
   
 *  Thread Starter [csimpson](https://wordpress.org/support/users/csimpson/)
 * (@csimpson)
 * [12 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/help-using-php-request-for-posting-form-to-iframe/#post-4356796)
 * yeah kind of get it! although the date coming through now on the source code 
   of the iframe is 01/01/1970! haha.
 *     ```
       <?php $arrivaldate = date('d/m/Y', strtotime($_REQUEST['arrival']));
       //similar for departure
       //my echo example here with curly braces inserted goes here
       ?>
       <?php $departuredate = date('d/m/Y', strtotime($_REQUEST['departure']));
       //similar for departure
       //my echo example here with curly braces inserted goes here
       ?>
   
       <?php echo "<iframe name=\"iframeTarget\" id=\"iframeTarget\" src=\"https://uk2.roomlynx.net/rezrooms2/loadOBMApplication.action?siteId=KAYSCLAY&request_locale=en&chainAction=newAvailabilitySearch&arrival={$arrivaldate}&departure={$departuredate}&numberOfPersons={$_REQUEST['numberOfPersons']}&numberOfChildren={$_REQUEST['numberOfChildren']}\" frameborder=\"0\" allowTransparency=\"true\" seamless></iframe>"; ?>
       ```
   
 * OUTCOME from SOURCECODE
 * `<iframe name="iframeTarget" id="iframeTarget" src="https://uk2.roomlynx.net/
   rezrooms2/loadOBMApplication.action?siteId=KAYSCLAY&request_locale=en&chainAction
   =newAvailabilitySearch&arrival=01/01/1970&departure=01/01/1970&numberOfPersons
   =3&numberOfChildren=4" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" seamless></iframe
   >`
 *  Thread Starter [csimpson](https://wordpress.org/support/users/csimpson/)
 * (@csimpson)
 * [12 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/help-using-php-request-for-posting-form-to-iframe/#post-4356797)
 * ah ive read around and seeing info that it is detailing this when date is null
   or not parsed through correctly. still checking
 *  Thread Starter [csimpson](https://wordpress.org/support/users/csimpson/)
 * (@csimpson)
 * [12 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/help-using-php-request-for-posting-form-to-iframe/#post-4356798)
 * changing ‘d/m/Y’ to ‘d-m-Y’ does fix the issue in the iframe – i.e. the dates
   i choose on form are passed through, albeit i need the iframe to actually be 
   19%2F12%2F2013
 *  Thread Starter [csimpson](https://wordpress.org/support/users/csimpson/)
 * (@csimpson)
 * [12 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/help-using-php-request-for-posting-form-to-iframe/#post-4356802)
 * well i’ve made more changes, seems like ive got rid of the 1970 date! but the
   date still contains ‘/’ and not ‘%2f’ – remember it needs to be like this as 
   its used in my iframe.
 * here is what i have now.
 *     ```
       <?php
       $arrivaldate = $_REQUEST['arrival'];
       print date('d/m/Y', $arrivaldate);
       ?>
       <?php
       $departuredate = $_REQUEST['departure'];
       print date('d/m/Y', $departuredate);
       ?>
       <?php echo "<iframe name=\"iframeTarget\" id=\"iframeTarget\" src=\"https://uk2.roomlynx.net/rezrooms2/loadOBMApplication.action?siteId=KAYSCLAY&request_locale=en&chainAction=newAvailabilitySearch&arrival={$arrivaldate}&departure={$departuredate}&numberOfPersons={$_REQUEST['numberOfPersons']}&numberOfChildren={$_REQUEST['numberOfChildren']}\" frameborder=\"0\" allowTransparency=\"true\" seamless></iframe>"; ?>
       ```
   
 *  Moderator [bcworkz](https://wordpress.org/support/users/bcworkz/)
 * (@bcworkz)
 * [12 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/help-using-php-request-for-posting-form-to-iframe/#post-4356811)
 * Still on the road, as you may have surmised from another late reply. (actually,
   just got home and trying to get caught up)
 * You’ve got the basic idea now, it’s just a matter of formatting the output of`
   date()` to meet your needs. One problem remains though, you are printing the `
   date()` conversion but you are using the unconverted value in your iframe src
   string. You need to assign the value returned by `date()` to the variable you
   use in the src string. Have you tried something like this:
    `$arrivaldate = date('
   d%2fm%2fY', $arrivaldate);`
 * If that doesn’t work, you could convert the slash to `%2f` with `urlencode()`
   like so:
    `$arrivaldate = urlencode(date('d/m/Y', $arrivaldate));`
 *  [samuelstewart](https://wordpress.org/support/users/samuelstewart/)
 * (@samuelstewart)
 * [11 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/help-using-php-request-for-posting-form-to-iframe/#post-4356903)
 * Hi, I found this post and it is the closest to what I am looking to do I guess.
   I have “old school” programming background – Basic, and C, but never made the
   transition to web based. What I am looking to do seems really simple enough –
   but I just can’t figure it out… Please help
    I have a website which I am trying
   to mimic in WordPress. The page in particular is [http://www.honoryou.com/memorialgarden.php](http://www.honoryou.com/memorialgarden.php)(
   I was able to figure the php coding with the help of some other nice folks). 
   Anyway, I have a similar concept already designed in WordPress at [http://m.honoryou.com/memorial-garden](http://m.honoryou.com/memorial-garden)
   but I juts can’t figure out how to make the Search button function. It is an 
   IFrame with the src being my php file I created originally. It is set up where
   I can pass parameters when calling it through the url, but for some reason – 
   either the php isn’t working for me in WordPress or I am just not too familiar
   at all with how the syntax should be. Please help… the variables for the url 
   would be FName_filter or LName_filter

Viewing 13 replies - 1 through 13 (of 13 total)

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## Tags

 * [form](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/form/)
 * [iframe](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/iframe/)
 * [php](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/php/)
 * [request](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/request/)

 * In: [Hacks](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/plugins-and-hacks/hacks/)
 * 13 replies
 * 3 participants
 * Last reply from: [samuelstewart](https://wordpress.org/support/users/samuelstewart/)
 * Last activity: [11 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/help-using-php-request-for-posting-form-to-iframe/#post-4356903)
 * Status: not resolved

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