Question

I’m currently working on a web app that uses CodeIgniter, in specific, I’m building the signup forms.

This form consists out of 3 different steps, I’m just wondering what the best way would be in order to save information between 2 steps?
I only want to save all the information into the database once the final stap has been completed.

Should I just use native PHP session to do this? Or should I use CI flashdata?

Answer 1

I’ve used hidden fields and sessions. I tend to save all the form values to a text file at the end of each stage. Then if something happens at any given stage I can choose what to do with the data saved in the text file.

For instance, if you wished you could capture an email address on the first page. If the form doesn’t get completed (as in all stages were successfully completed), then you could send an email to the prospective user with a link to the signup form at the appropriate stage. The prospective user would not have to re-fill any of the fields they’ve filled in and you get a chance to recapture them as a user.

I tend to use the text file as a default way to save all the data from any stage of a multi-stage form. At the end of the form I can process the data into the DB and delete the text file. To catch partially complete signups I can write a script that is executed via a cronjob that runs every minute. I always save a timestamp in the data file representing the last time the file was updated. If the timestamp is more than X minutes old you run your didn’t finish signup script on it or just delete it.

Saving data at each stage is simple. After the first stage you create the $dataFile with $dataFile = file_put_contents(json_encode($data)); where $data = array('timestamp'=>...) + $_POST;. Each stage after the first I use $data = json_decode(file_get_contents($dataFile), TRUE) + $_POST;, and $data['timestamp'] = ...;. Then use file_put_contents to save it back to the file. Obviously, you will need to track the $dataFile variable but this is easily done via hidden fields or session data.

The file will only be out there for X minutes before being processed and deleted but if you wish to have security on the text file during that short time frame then I’d suggest looking up a cipher or creating your own variation on the simple Ceasar’s cipher. Use the cipher on the field names as well as the values.

Back in Dec I was working through the issue of multi-stage forms in the latest CodeIgniter for myself. I can’t say this is a generally accepted best practice but the text file has worked well for me in the past. I posted some sample code for a multi-stage form here: Multi-Stage Form Example.