How Can I Use PHP to Save Form Data to a Text File?

PHP: Writing Form Input to a Text File

Problem:

You have a form and want to capture the input entered in its fields and write it to a text file. However, your current solution fails to produce the desired result.

Solution:

To write form input to a text file, you can follow these steps:

1. Update HTML Form:

   Ensure your form uses the "POST" method and includes the necessary input elements.

   <form action="myprocessingscript.php" method="POST">
       <input name="field1" type="text" />
       <input name="field2" type="text" />
       <input type="submit" name="submit" value="Save Data">
   </form>

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2. PHP Script:

   <?php
   // Check if data is submitted
   if (isset($_POST['field1']) && isset($_POST['field2'])) {
       $data = $_POST['field1'] . '-' . $_POST['field2'] . "\r\n";
   
       // Use file_put_contents to write data to a text file
       $ret = file_put_contents('/tmp/mydata.txt', $data, FILE_APPEND | LOCK_EX);
   
       if ($ret === false) {
           die("Error writing file");
       } else {
           echo "$ret bytes written to file /tmp/mydata.txt";
       }
   } else {
       die("No POST data to process");
   }
   ?>

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• file_put_contents: This function opens a file, writes the specified data to it, and closes it. Using it simplifies file handling by eliminating the need for manual file opening, writing, and closing.
• FILE_APPEND | LOCK_EX: These flags ensure that data is appended to the file and that the file is locked exclusively during the writing process to prevent simultaneous access and data corruption.
• Error Handling: The script checks if the data was successfully written to the file and returns an appropriate message if there is an error.

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