Sorry - forgot to mention the data I'm collecting will go into a dbase, that's why I posted here. Thanks I'll work with the session angle. Please see if this logic is flawed... The hyperlink to the pdf will spawn a new window with my form to fill out. So I think I must start the session in the first page, the one that the pdf is on. So I assign the variables collected in the 2nd window the session of the first. Then when the 2nd window is closed store in session and write to dbase ? Upon closing the 2nd window redirect to the pdf. If user wants another file, spawn a third window with form but fill in most of what he entered (ie name,address,etc). I get this from the current session right? Ultimately the data in the dbase is the goal and I just dont want the user to have to re-enter Thanks Mignon >>> Jochem Maas <jochem@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> 03/03/05 11:32AM >>> Mignon Hunter wrote: > Hello > Mignon, this is really a php-generals question me thinks (you don't even mention a DB ;-), regardless.... > I need to dev a small app and I can think of a couple different ways to handle it but not sure the best way. I need to register those who come to our site that want to download .pdf's. They will fill out some information before I redirect to the pdf. > > I'm thinking the best way to handle this is sessions, but is it appropriate to store all of the users info - so that if he downloads 2 items - I can re-populate the fields so he doesnt have to? So if they click on an additional pdf I'll need to somehow check for the session and re-populate 11 fields, and they will only have to fill in one field at that time. > > Or would cookies be better ? I need to store probably 11 different form variables. Also - would you store the variables in an array in the session? This seems neat and tidy... lets see: if you put the data in a cookie then you are allowing malicious users to change that data after you have stored it (so you will have to check it _everytime_ you want to use it)... best to stick an array in the $_SESSION array.. that way you oly need you sanitize the data when you add/change it - there is no problem with storing an array with 11 items it in in the session, and using an array rather than 'loose' variables would definitely be neater - you have all the user/pdf data in on place and its easy to extend that ammount of info you store (i.e. if your client decides users must fill out more information to download a pdf) > > Hope this is clear. > > Any advice/guidance/sample scripts would be appreciated. > > Thanks > -- PHP Database Mailing List (http://www.php.net/) To unsubscribe, visit: http://www.php.net/unsub.php -- PHP Database Mailing List (http://www.php.net/) To unsubscribe, visit: http://www.php.net/unsub.php
