Passing form data into an SMF forum

[Boworr]

Hi,

We use SMF for our World of Warcraft guild and I'd like some advice on how we can improve our new members nomination process. Currently we ask people to post into a forum thread, but I'd like to make it slicker by getting them to complete a form that would then 'post' the details into a private thread for the guilds leaders to read.

For example. On my form I might have simple fields for Character Name, Class, Level and maybe a reason for wanting to join. They would be able to select some of these options from drop down lists and then hit submit. The entry would then appear in a forum as pre-formatted text, like this

Character Name: Merlin
Character Class: Mage
Level              : 60
Reason to join  : My friend recommended this guild

I can create the form, no problem but how would I get the data into and SMF forum or thread?

[oxynom]

The easy way ( doing it external without messing with the smf code)

1. Create the form with the information you want to have inserted.

Code Select Expand


...
<form action="nomination.php" method="POST">
Character Name: <input type="text" name="char_name" /><br />
Character Class: <input type="text" name="char_class" /><br />
Level: <input type="text" name="char_level" /><br />
Reason to join: <input type="text" name="char_reason" /><br />
<input type="submit" name="nomination"  />
</form>
...


2. Gather the values and create the message

Code Select Expand


<?php
if (isset($_POST['nomination'])) {

foreach ($_POST as $key => $var) {
$$key = $var;
}

$new_nomination = "
Character Name: ".$char_name."<br />
Character Class: ".$char_class."<br />
Level: ".$char_level."<br />
Reason to join: ".$char_reason."<br />";

}
?>


3. Get the values into the database

Easiest would be if you already have a topic open for these entries. Then you can get the topic number and insert the a new messege into {$db_prefix}messages. Other wise you would have to create a new topic in {$db_prefix}topics.

For the MySQL Syntax you insert $new_nomination into the body colum. The other variables you need to get either from the forum or from SSI.php

{$db_prefix}messages
(ID_BOARD, ID_TOPIC, ID_MEMBER, subject, body, posterName, posterEmail, posterTime,posterIP, smileysEnabled, modifiedName, icon)

Take a look at "function createPost(&$msgOptions, &$topicOptions, &$posterOptions)" in Sources/Subs-Post.php.

[kangkenyot]

where i must "Create Form" and "Gather the values and create the message" ? in existing php or create new one?

would you like to advise me step by step?

sorry for my dummy question.

[Boworr]

Hey thanks a lot for taking the time to post this.. I'll give it a try later

[kangkenyot]

Help me please...

[Holyfrey]

Is it anyone that have got this to work ?

And is it posible you can post your files or work, wil be cool to have had this on my smf site to.