How to Retrieve Data from a List Box with PHP

In this tutorial, we will show how to retrieve data from a list box with PHP.

There are 2 distinct type of list boxes in which we retrieve data from. The first is a list box that only allows one option to be selected. The second is a list box in which multiple options can be selected.

List boxes are common in web forms in which a webmaster wants to elicit information from a user. A user can either selection one option from a list box or multiple options, depending on the type of list box.

We will deal first with a list box in which only option can be selected.

Below is an example:

Which Credit Card Would You Like to Use?
Visa Mastercard American Express

You have not selected any credit card.

You can see that the choice that you select gets updated.

HTML Code

<form action="" method="post"> <label>Which Credit Card Would You Like to Use?</label><br> <select name="credit_card" size="3"> <option value="Visa">Visa</option> <option value="Mastercard">Mastercard</option> <option value="American Express">American Express</option> </select><br> <input type="submit" name="submit" value="Submit"/> </form>

PHP Code

The PHP to retrieve data from a list box is:

<?php $choice= $_POST['credit_card']; if (isset($choice)) { echo 'The Credit Card you have selected is '. $choice; } else { echo "You have not selected any credit card."; } ?>

The $choice variable retrieves the selected option that the user has selected. If the $choice variable is set, meaning has a value, this value will be returned, and we will know which credit card the user selected. Otherwise, if no options have been selected, the statement is echoed that the user hasn't selected any credit cards.

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List Box Where Multiple Options Can Be Selected

Now below is a list box where multiple options can be selected.

What Do You Want In Your Salad?

Tomatoes Cucumbers Celery

You haven't selected any foods to be in your salad.

HTML Code

<form action="" method="post"> <label>What Do You Want In Your Salad?</label><br> <select name="foods[]" size="3" multiple="multiple"> <option value="Tomatoes">Tomatoes</option> <option value="Cucumbers">Cucumbers</option> <option value="Celery">Celery</option> </select><br> <input type="submit" name="submit" value="Submit"/> </form>

PHP Code

<?php $choices= $_POST['foods']; if(isset($choices)) { echo 'You have chosen these foods to be in your salad:' . '<br>' . '<br>'; foreach ($choices as $key => $value) { echo $value . '<br>'; } } else { echo "You haven't selected any foods to be in your salad."; } ?>

In the first block of code, we use the $_POST superglobal array to retrieve all data from each of the options, which in this case is 3, tomatoes, cucumbers, and celery. This block of code is just to retrieve all the data, without knowing yet which data the user has selected.

In the second block of code, we use an if statement with the isset function to determine if the user has selected any options out of the list box. This checks all of the options of the list box to see if each is selected or not. Then we use the foreach command to go through each and every individual option. If the list box option is selected, the value attribute of that option is printed using the echo command. If no options are selected, the user sees a statement, "You haven't selected any foods to be in your salad."

Related Resources

How to Retrieve Data from a Text Box with PHP

How to Retrieve Data from a Radio Button with PHP

How to Retrieve Data from a Check box with PHP

How to Retrieve Data from an Array of Checkboxes with PHP

How to Retrieve Data from a Drop-down List with PHP

How to Retrieve Data from a Textarea with PHP