Checkboxes are a versatile tool found on many websites, allowing users to select their preferred choices among different options available with ease.
When you use it in your form and try to read all checked values as any other elements like – text box, text area, radio button, etc.
echo $_POST['lang']; // Checkbox element
you will get the last checked value.
You need to send the checkboxes value in the form of an Array when the form gets submitted then you can loop over $_POST values.
In this tutorial, I show how you can read submitted checked checkboxes values with PHP and also show how you can save it to the MySQL database.
Table of content
- Read $_POST checked values
- Demo
- Create a Table to save checked checkboxes values
- Database Configuration
- Insert and Display checked values from Database
- Conclusion
1. Read $_POST checked values
HTML
While creating multiple checkboxes add [] at the end of name attribute e.g. lang[]. Here, [] denotes an Array.
<span>Select languages</span><br/> <input type="checkbox" name='lang[]' value="PHP"> PHP <br/> <input type="checkbox" name='lang[]' value="JavaScript"> JavaScript <br/> <input type="checkbox" name='lang[]' value="jQuery"> jQuery <br/> <input type="checkbox" name='lang[]' value="Angular JS"> Angular JS <br/>
PHP
When the form is submitted then loop over $_POST checkbox name using foreach.
if(isset($_POST['submit'])){
if(!empty($_POST['lang'])) {
foreach($_POST['lang'] as $value){
echo "value : ".$value.'<br/>';
}
}
}
Full Code
<form method="post" action="">
<span>Select languages</span><br/>
<input type="checkbox" name='lang[]' value="PHP"> PHP <br/>
<input type="checkbox" name='lang[]' value="JavaScript"> JavaScript <br/>
<input type="checkbox" name='lang[]' value="jQuery"> jQuery <br/>
<input type="checkbox" name='lang[]' value="Angular JS"> Angular JS <br/>
<input type="submit" value="Submit" name="submit">
</form>
<?php
if(isset($_POST['submit'])){
if(!empty($_POST['lang'])) {
foreach($_POST['lang'] as $value){
echo "value : ".$value.'<br/>';
}
}
}
?>
2. Demo
3. Create a Table to save checked checkboxes values
I am using languages table in the example.
CREATE TABLE `languages` ( `id` int(11) NOT NULL PRIMARY KEY AUTO_INCREMENT, `language` varchar(80) NOT NULL ) ENGINE=InnoDB DEFAULT CHARSET=utf8;
4. Database Configuration
Create config.php file for database configuration.
<?php
$host = "localhost"; /* Host name */
$user = "root"; /* User */
$password = ""; /* Password */
$dbname = "tutorial"; /* Database name */
$con = mysqli_connect($host, $user, $password,$dbname);
// Check connection
if (!$con) {
die("Connection failed: " . mysqli_connect_error());
}
5. Insert and Display checked values from Database
Create an Array $languages_arr to store languages names.
Using this to create checkboxes by looping on it.
Insert checked checkboxes –
On <form> submit convert $_POST['lang'] to string using implode(). Check entry in languages table if not exists then insert $lang in the table otherwise, update language value.
Display checked checkboxes –
Fetch record from languages table. If a record exists then explode $result['language'] to get an Array and assign in $checked_arr.
While looping on $languages_arr Array check $language value exists in $checked_arr Array. If exists then assign "checked" to $checked and use in the checkbox creation.
<?php
include "config.php";
?>
<!doctype html>
<html>
<head>
<title>Get checked Checkboxes value with PHP</title>
<?php
if(isset($_POST['submit'])){
if(!empty($_POST['lang'])) {
$lang = implode(",",$_POST['lang']);
// Insert and Update record
$checkEntries = mysqli_query($con,"SELECT * FROM languages");
if(mysqli_num_rows($checkEntries) == 0){
mysqli_query($con,"INSERT INTO languages(language) VALUES('".$lang."')");
}else{
mysqli_query($con,"UPDATE languages SET language='".$lang."' ");
}
}
}
?>
</head>
<body>
<form method="post" action="">
<span>Select languages</span><br/>
<?php
$checked_arr = array();
// Fetch checked values
$fetchLang = mysqli_query($con,"SELECT * FROM languages");
if(mysqli_num_rows($fetchLang) > 0){
$result = mysqli_fetch_assoc($fetchLang);
$checked_arr = explode(",",$result['language']);
}
// Create checkboxes
$languages_arr = array("PHP","JavaScript","jQuery","AngularJS");
foreach($languages_arr as $language){
$checked = "";
if(in_array($language,$checked_arr)){
$checked = "checked";
}
echo '<input type="checkbox" name="lang[]" value="'.$language.'" '.$checked.' > '.$language.' <br/>';
}
?>
<input type="submit" value="Submit" name="submit">
</form>
</body>
</html>
6. Conclusion
Next time when you use multiple checkboxes in your form then just initialize the name as an Array by putting [] in front and read it with loop when submitted.
Use implode() to convert checked values Array to string and store it in your MySQL database.
how csn i insert it into the database?
Convert the checked values in a string format and store in a variable by implode() the $_POST[‘lang’] by ‘,’.
implode(“,”,$_POST[‘lang’]);
Use the variable in the INSERT query.
<?php
if(isset($_POST['submit'])){
$arr="";
if(!empty($_POST['lang'])) {
$counter=0;
foreach($_POST['lang'] as $value){
$arr.=$value;
if ($counter!=count($_POST['lang'])-1) {
$arr.=", ";
}
$counter++;
}
echo "array : ".$arr.'’;
}
}
?>
// AND YOU CAN INSERT ALL CHECKED CHECKBOXES TO DATABASE AS ONE STRİNG BY USİNG THE CODE ABOVE
Good tutorial, thank u
if (!empty($_POST[lang])){
$langs = $_POST[lang];
$lang=implode(‘,’,$langs);
}
I think this is the way to implode and store it to database using mysqli, an I right?
Now, how to keep the checkbox checked after we store it to database? I could not figure it out. I’ve tried but it failed. However if I use mysqlm it worked, but when I change to mysqli, it failed. COuld you please share with us? Thanks Yogesh.
I have updated the tutorial and cover the topic – how to store and display checked values from the database.
thak you so much
How ca i keep checked with the tik in boxs like the selection for the first time,
how can i get the array values from database ?????
i mean in above Program languages are stored like this type
“java, php , angular js”.
when we selected checkbox then data will be shown
Java
PHP
…
how can i get ?
Fetch the record from MySQL table and explode it by “,” then you get an Array. Loop on the Array to display the values.
Is it possible to update a database with the checked values without using “form”?
I have a table with one column that is a checkbox and I would like to pull everything from that row if it is checked.
I have the same situation, could you solve it? If so, how? Thanks in advance!
You sir are a life saver
I’m glad you found it useful.
Thats pretty good, but I’m kinda struggling…
I have three checkboxes and I can’t uncheck every single one.
So one has to be enabled, thats kind of bad, could you help me out there?
Hi Lorenzo,
Are you want to check only a single checkbox and uncheck the other checkboxes?
Thank you so much..vey helpful.
You’re welcome.
Hi,this is very useful. I have special request. I wanted to click the checkbox and it comes with a brief justification which is a text fill. how can i link both checkbox and text fill in the same row of database? I am using phpmyadmin for database
Any Multiple checkbox value Insert and Update using vue
Buenas lo que me pasa a mi en mi proyecto, es que tengo varios Checkboxs,
pero cuando me llega un mail desde mi web no se que han marcado los clientes, no ,e aparece, si asi los datos de ellos. Desde ya muchas gracias
Adjunto URL para que lo puedas ver.
Hi, I want to have checkbox stored values each to represent an image from a different table. How can I assign and display? Example the checkbox values are dog cat bird. The dog cat bird are in a different table with the image file info stored for each animal. User checks what animal(s) they like which is stored in user database. When user profile pulled up under animals they like section the photos of the animal(s) they like displays. I can’t get it to work. I’m using a join, but tearing my hair out. Any suggestions would be greatly welcomed.
This is a very good overview. I am wanting to use checkboxes with data that is in an HTML table. The table is loaded with data, but the user may opt to change data or exclude a row by not checking the checkbox. How do I control the loading of data (for rows with a check) from the HTML table to insert into a MySQL table?
My fields are (checkbox), orderId, productId, Description, Quantity, Price. I only need to load: orderId, productId, quantity and price
My HTML table is loaded from a query of a MySQL view and the results will be inserted to another table.
como montar esse mesmo código para logica do framework CodeIgnater onde há separação do código é conexão é feita no model.
good day all, please i want the values if matric_no and sup_no in this code to be inserted into another table called supervisors_students table.
body,td,th {
color: #000000;
}
body {
background-color: #FDFFF0;
}
List of students
Matric_Number
First Name
Last Name
Other Name
Department
Faculty
Year of Graduation
Select
<?php
$query = mysqli_query($conn, "SELECT matric_no, FirstName,LastName, OtherName, Department, Faculty, YearofGraduation FROM students ORDER BY Department")
or die (mysqli_error($conn));
while ($row = mysqli_fetch_array($query)) {
echo
"
{$row[‘matric_no’]}
{$row[‘FirstName’]}
{$row[‘LastName’]}
{$row[‘OtherName’]}
{$row[‘Department’]}
{$row[‘Faculty’]}
{$row[‘YearofGraduation’]}
\n”;
}
?>