Join Form required field compare to database value

A new join form required field must be compared to a database of allowable values.  If the field data matches a value in a database table of allowable entries, the join form creates the profile if a profile does not already exist with that data value.

Check field input against allowable values as stored in database; if allowable value, check profiles to see if value has already been used; if allowable value has not been used, create profile.

Checking to see if a profile already exists with the value is easy, no different than checking to see if the email is already in use.  It is the first part, checking the value against a table of allowable values that I could use a bit of feedback on.  I am guessing the join form needs to grab the values stored in the database table and store that in an array which then the join form field can use to check the entered values.  Not really sure how to approach this one.  Might need a bit of ajax to check the value of the input as it is entered, or after focus of the input is changed.

Hello!

You could try the simple approach here. Take this from the spam blocker script http://www.boonex.com/forums/topic/spam-spam-spam-spam-IDEA-.2.htm

and your function maybe look like this, from what i have understand so far

may need adjustment for what you want....:D

function checkIfInputAllowed($sValue)
{
      $sValue = strtolower(trim($sValue));
      if(!$sValue) return false;
      $aAllowedValues = array('cat', 'dog', 'door', 'rat');
      foreach($aAllowedValues as $sAllowedValue)
      {
           if($sAllowedValue == $sValue)
                 return true;
      }
      return false;
} 

Thanks for the input.  This is for the person that posted about Liberation_key and I am just trying to help them recover what they had since it seems to be lost.  I have searched their files and database and it appears that when TMD did their upgrade they lost this from the site; I found reference to a database that is no longer on the site as well.  Plus, the site structure is a bit of a mess with Dolphin installs inside of Dolphin installs; I don't know TMD but looking at this person's mess it makes me wonder who created it, TMD or the owner.

There are literally hundreds of keys, at least some 500+ keys in the database as I did a quick scan; maybe more.  It has to check to see if the key the person is entering is a valid key against the keys stored in the database.  If the key is valid, then when the join form is submitted the "check" field in the join form can check to see if that key has already been used; that a profile exists that is using that key; in other words, keys can not be shared.

Here is something you can work on 

function checkIfInputAllowed($sValue)
{
      $sValue = strtolower(trim($sValue));
      if(!$sValue) return false;
      $sValue = process_db_input($sValue);

     // Check if the value even exists in the allowed values
     $iValueExist = $GLOBAL['MySQL']->getOne("SELECT `ID` FROM `values_list` WHERE `value` = '$sValue'");
     if(!empty($iValueExist))
          return false;

     // Check to see if a profile already took this value
     $iProfileUsed = $GLOBAL['MySQL']->getOne("SELECT `ID` FROM `Profiles` WHERE `whatever_field` = '$sValue'");
     if(!empty($iProfileUsed))
          return false;
      
     // The given value is valid and not used up yet, we are good lets be happy
     return true;
}

Thank you.  This should give me a start on providing them with a solution.

You're very welcome :D

I can not seem to get the "check" to call the function.  The form does not process.

Got a message from the person that I was trying to help they needed it by this afternoon or they would pay someone to do it.  Funny, they did not say anything about paying me for my time.

Still, would like to know how to get this accomplished as it might be useful for my own purposes.

Oh i thought you would be able to do the check thingy from the other post but nvm

Put the code in join.php or design.inc.php anyone

return (checkIfInputAllowed($arg0)) ? true : false;

This goes in the field check field.

Thanks, I see what I did wrong now.  Let me try what you provided.

Still not go; the form just sits there when the submit button is pressed.  I read through the post you sent and saw where some had problems as well related.  If I clear the check field the form will process.

I see Unique: in the form builder; that means I don't need to check to see if the key has already been used, the form processor will do that for me.

Can i have the link to the join form?

Sent you a PM.  I can see where this would be useful in other ways.  I could close my site to anyone that does not have an invitation key; if coupled with an expiration for the key; one could send out an invitation key that could only be used for 24 hours to register on the site.

Please let me know the solution here.

er....please fix this

$GLOBAL['MySQL'] === $GLOBALS['MySQL']

I forgot the "S" lol

OK

Well, while that may have been an error, it is still not working.  I have tried several things but nothing I put allows the form to be processed; that check field seems to be preventing the form from even being sent to the form processor.

Ok, sit tight i am going in to find and fix this.

Thanks, perhaps this will be useful to others as well.  When we get it all sorted, we can present the final results here.

Fixed, you didn't updated the column in the query and fixed a logic error.

Could you expand on this please?

I forgot to replace value with the actual entry.

What? What to do ???

I know basic mySql query; so I should have seen that.  What was the logic that you fixed?

if(!empty($iValueExist))

Should be

if(empty($iValueExist))

I was tying here directly and didn't even run this code so my bad :P

EDIT: Oh and you didn't update the "value" column to "LIBERATION_KEY"

Yes, I caught the error of not putting the column required.

To bring it all together:

function checkIfInputAllowed($sValue)
{
      $sValue = strtolower(trim($sValue));
      if(!$sValue) return false;
      $sValue = process_db_input($sValue);

     // Check if the value even exists in the allowed values
     $iValueExist = $GLOBALS['MySQL']->getOne("SELECT `ID` FROM `table` WHERE `column` = '$sValue'");
     if(empty($iValueExist))
          return false;
     
     // The given value is valid, we are good lets be happy
     return true;
}

Table is replaced with the actual table in the database; and column is replaced with the column to check in that table.

In the form builder for the join form click on the name of the input field on the join form.  Click on advance tab and in the "check" field add:

return (checkIfInputAllowed($arg0)) ? true : false;

Many thanks Prashank25 for your help on this.  I am sure the one I was helping has many thanks to offer as well.

Hello,

I came here to give very thank you. 

We solved the problem thanks to you guys: geek_girl and Prashank25

Mila 

I got an email outlining the Liberation Key is case sensitive.  So a key with FF34 is a different key than ff34.  How do we handle case sensitive keys?

Why do we change the value to lower case? strtolower?  Do I simply remove that and keep the trim in place?

MySql normally does not care about case during select. There are many things that can be done. One would be to change the collation of that table to one that is case sensitive. The other would be to change the field to type binary.

The easiest method may be this. Change your query from this.

$iValueExist = $GLOBALS['MySQL']->getOne("SELECT `ID` FROM `table` WHERE `column` = '$sValue'");


To This


$iValueExist = $GLOBALS['MySQL']->getOne("SELECT `ID` FROM `table` WHERE BINARY `column` = '$sValue'");


Adding the BINARY keyword should force it to use a binary search method which should do what you want. Only way to know for sure is to test it.

 Umm yea, you don't want to do that. It will force the string to lowercase. So yea, remove it if you need to maintain case.

Change this.

$sValue = strtolower(trim($sValue));

To This.

$sValue = trim($sValue);


You will most likely still need the binary query i mentioned above.

Thanks for the help, it is now working as it should.

Thank you Deano and Geek Girl  to help. Work perfect. 

Mila

Thanks GG and Prashank. because of your efforts, I have successfully changed the process I was using so that now only those with authorized numbers are allowed to create thanks. Keep up the great help and insight.