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Recently I've been struggling with creating a multi-step CCK node form in Drupal 5. I was able to implement a solution that used a combination of form_alter and jQuery, but due to the amount of jQuery, it was too slow. I then attempted the same functionality in Drupal 6, but due to the number of changes in the Forms API, I decided to take a step back. Here's my first successful attempt at creating a multi-step form using a Drupal 6 module and the Forms API. The following code adds the ability to jump to any step of the form, save at any point, and dynamically creates steps based on the number of fieldsets. My next step will be transposing this code to work with a CCK node form.

Screenshot:

<?php
function multipage_menu() {
 
$items = array();
   
 
$items['multiStepForm'] = array(
   
'title' => t('Multi Step Form'),
   
'page callback' => 'drupal_get_form',
   
'page arguments' => array('multipage_test_form'),
   
'access arguments' => array('access content'),
  );
   
  return
$items;   
}

function
multipage_test_form(&$form_state) {

 
// enable/disable debugging output
 
$form_state['storage']['#navigation']['debugging'] = false;
   
 
// per debugging
 
if ($form_state['storage']['#navigation']['debugging']) echo "<HR>LOADING FUNCTION: multipage_test_form<HR>";
   
 
// ensure step is set in storage
 
if (empty($form_state['storage']['#navigation']['step'])) {
   
$form_state['storage']['#navigation']['step'] = 1;
  } elseif (
$form_state['storage']['#navigation']['newStep']) {
   
// if the form has been submitted, check for a new step
   
$form_state['storage']['#navigation']['step'] = $form_state['storage']['#navigation']['newStep'];
    unset (
$form_state['storage']['#navigation']['newStep']);
  }
   
 
$form = array();
   
 
// add form fields
 
_multipage_test_form_add_fields($form, $form_state);
   
 
// calculate max number of steps
 
_multipage_test_form_max_steps($form, $form_state);

 
// create tabs
 
_multipage_test_form_create_tabs($form, $form_state);
   
 
// remove form fields per step
 
_multipage_test_form_remove_fields($form, $form_state);

 
// add tabs to form
 
_multipage_test_form_add_tabs($form, $form_state);
   
 
// add buttons to form
 
_multipage_test_form_add_buttons($form, $form_state);
   
  return
$form;
}

function
_multipage_test_form_add_fields(&$form, &$form_state) {
   
 
// per debugging
 
if ($form_state['storage']['#navigation']['debugging']) echo "<hr>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;ADDING FIELDS<hr>";
   
 
// Fieldset A
   
 
$form['fieldset_a'] = array(
   
'#type' => 'fieldset',
   
'#title' => t('Fieldset A'),
  );
   
 
$form['fieldset_a']['textfield_a1'] = array(
   
'#type' => 'textfield',
   
'#title' => t('Textfield A1'),
   
'#default_value' => $form_state['storage']['textfield_a1'],
  );

 
$form['fieldset_a']['textfield_a2'] = array(
   
'#type' => 'textfield',
   
'#title' => t('Textfield A2'),
   
'#default_value' => $form_state['storage']['textfield_a2'],
  );

 
$form['fieldset_a']['textfield_a3'] = array(
   
'#type' => 'textfield',
   
'#title' => t('Textfield A3'),
   
'#default_value' => $form_state['storage']['textfield_a3'],
  );
   
 
// Fieldset B
   
 
$form['fieldset_b'] = array(
   
'#type' => 'fieldset',
   
'#title' => t('Fieldset B'),
  );
   
 
$form['fieldset_b']['textfield_b1'] = array(
   
'#type' => 'textfield',
   
'#title' => t('Textfield B1'),
   
'#default_value' => $form_state['storage']['textfield_b1'],
  );
   
 
$form['fieldset_b']['textfield_b2'] = array(
   
'#type' => 'textfield',
   
'#title' => t('Textfield B2'),
   
'#default_value' => $form_state['storage']['textfield_b2'],
  );

 
$form['fieldset_b']['textfield_b3'] = array(
   
'#type' => 'textfield',
   
'#title' => t('Textfield B3'),
   
'#default_value' => $form_state['storage']['textfield_b3'],
  );
   
 
// Fieldset C
   
 
$form['fieldset_c'] = array(
   
'#type' => 'fieldset',
   
'#title' => t('Fieldset C'),
  );
   
 
$form['fieldset_c']['textfield_c1'] = array(
   
'#type' => 'textfield',
   
'#title' => t('Textfield C1'),
   
'#default_value' => $form_state['storage']['textfield_c1'],
  );
   
 
$form['fieldset_c']['textfield_c2'] = array(
   
'#type' => 'textfield',
   
'#title' => t('Textfield C2'),
   
'#default_value' => $form_state['storage']['textfield_c2'],
  );

 
$form['fieldset_c']['textfield_c3'] = array(
   
'#type' => 'textfield',
   
'#title' => t('Textfield C3'),
   
'#default_value' => $form_state['storage']['textfield_c3'],
  );

 
// Fields not in a fieldset
   
 
$form['textfield_d1'] = array(
   
'#type' => 'textfield',
   
'#title' => t('Textfield D1'),
   
'#default_value' => $form_state['storage']['textfield_d1'],
  );
   
 
$form['textfield_d2'] = array(
   
'#type' => 'textfield',
   
'#title' => t('Textfield D2'),
   
'#default_value' => $form_state['storage']['textfield_d2'],
  );
   
 
$form['textfield_d3'] = array(
   
'#type' => 'textfield',
   
'#title' => t('Textfield D3'),
   
'#default_value' => $form_state['storage']['textfield_d3'],
  );
  
}

function
_multipage_test_form_max_steps($form, &$form_state) {
   
 
// calculate max stpes if empty
 
if (empty($form_state['storage']['#navigation']['maxSteps'])) {
    
$fieldsetCount = 0;
    
$otherFields = false;
       
   
// loop through form elements
   
foreach ($form as $k => $v) {
     
// check for fieldset
     
if (substr($k,0,9)=='fieldset_' && is_array($v) && $v['#type']=='fieldset') {
       
$fieldsetCount++;
      } else {
       
$otherFields = true;   
      }
    }
       
   
// if there are other fields, increment max steps
   
if ($otherFields) {
     
$fieldsetCount++;
     
$form_state['storage']['#navigation']['otherFields'] = true;
    }
       
   
// add count to storage
   
$form_state['storage']['#navigation']['maxSteps'] = $fieldsetCount;

  }
}

function
_multipage_test_form_create_tabs(&$form, &$form_state) {

 
// per debugging
 
if ($form_state['storage']['#navigation']['debugging']) echo "<hr>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;CREATING TABS<hr>";
   
 
// create list of tabs if not set in storage
 
if (empty($form_state['storage']['#navigation']['tabs'])) {
   
$tabCount = 0;
   
$tabs = array();
   
   
// check for other fields
   
if ($form_state['storage']['#navigation']['otherFields']) {
     
$tabsCount++;
     
$tabs[$tabsCount] = "Start";
    }
       
   
// loop through form items
   
foreach ($form as $k => $v) {
      if (
substr($k,0,9)=='fieldset_' && is_array($v) && $v['#type']=='fieldset') {
       
$tabsCount++;
       
$tabs[$tabsCount] = $v['#title'];
      }
    }
       
   
// add tabs to storage
   
$form_state['storage']['#navigation']['tabs'] = $tabs;   
       
  }
  
}

function
_multipage_test_form_remove_fields(&$form, &$form_state) {

 
// per debugging
 
if ($form_state['storage']['#navigation']['debugging']) echo "<HR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;REMOVING FIELDS<HR>";
   
 
// set fieldset counter based on otherfields
 
if ($form_state['storage']['#navigation']['otherFields']) {
   
$fieldsetCount = 1;
  } else {
   
$fieldsetCount = 0;   
  }
   
 
// loop though form fields
 
foreach ($form as $k => $v) {

   
// ensure this form item is a fieldset
   
if (substr($k,0,9)=='fieldset_' && is_array($v) && $v['#type']=='fieldset') {

     
// increment count of fieldsets
     
$fieldsetCount++;

     
// unset fieldset
     
if ($form_state['storage']['#navigation']['step'] != $fieldsetCount) unset($form[$k]);
       
    } elseif (
is_array($v) && $form_state['storage']['#navigation']['otherFields'] && $form_state['storage']['#navigation']['step']>1) {
     
// unset field
     
unset($form[$k]);
    }
       
  }
   
}

function
_multipage_test_form_add_tabs(&$form, $form_state) {

 
// per debugging
 
if ($form_state['storage']['#navigation']['debugging']) echo "<HR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;ADDING TABS<HR>";
   
 
$tabsArray = array();
 
$tabsCount = 0;
   
 
// loop through tabs and create buttons for each one
 
foreach ($form_state['storage']['#navigation']['tabs'] as $k => $v) {
   
$tabsCount++;
   
$tabsArray['tab_'.$k] = array(
     
'#type' => 'submit',
     
'#value' => t($v),
     
'#attributes' => array(
       
'class' => 'tabs' . ($tabsCount == $form_state['storage']['#navigation']['step'] ? ' active' : '')
      ),
    );
  }
   
 
// add tab buttons to beginning of form
 
$form = array_merge($tabsArray, $form);
   
}

function
_multipage_test_form_add_buttons(&$form, &$form_state) {

 
// per debugging
 
if ($form_state['storage']['#navigation']['debugging']) echo "<HR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;ADDING BUTTONS<HR>";
   
 
// add previous button
 
if ($form_state['storage']['#navigation']['step']>1) {
   
$form['previous'] = array(
     
'#type' => 'submit',
     
'#value' => t('Previous'),
    );       
  }
   
 
// add next button
 
if ($form_state['storage']['#navigation']['step']<$form_state['storage']['#navigation']['maxSteps']) {
   
$form['next'] = array(
     
'#type' => 'submit',
     
'#value' => t('Next'),
    );       
  }

 
// add save button
 
$form['submit'] = array(
   
'#type' => 'submit',
   
'#value' => t('Save'),
  );
   
}

function
multipage_test_form_validate($form, &$form_state) {

 
// per debugging
 
if ($form_state['storage']['#navigation']['debugging']) echo "<hr>FORM VALIDATED<hr>";

}

function
multipage_test_form_submit($form, &$form_state) {

 
// per debugging
 
if ($form_state['storage']['#navigation']['debugging']) echo "<hr>FORM SUBMITTED<hr>";
   
 
// loop through submitted form values
 
foreach ($form_state['values'] as $k => $v) {
   
// add certain fields to storage
   
if (substr($k, 0, 10)=='textfield_') {
     
$form_state['storage'][$k] = $v;
    }
  }
   
 
// handle button action
 
switch ($form_state['clicked_button']['#value']) {
    case
'Previous':
           
     
// set the state to rebuild
     
$form_state['rebuild'] = TRUE;
           
     
// set new step
     
if ($form_state['storage']['#navigation']['step']>1) {
       
$form_state['storage']['#navigation']['newStep'] = $form_state['storage']['#navigation']['step']-1;
      }
           
      break;
       
    case
'Next':
           
     
// set the state to rebuild
     
$form_state['rebuild'] = TRUE;
           
     
// set new step
     
if ($form_state['storage']['#navigation']['step']<$form_state['storage']['#navigation']['maxSteps']) {
       
$form_state['storage']['#navigation']['newStep'] = $form_state['storage']['#navigation']['step']+1;
      }
           
      break;
       
    case
'Save':
     
// TODO
     
break;
           
   
// tabs
   
default:
           
     
// check if the button value maps to a tab
     
$key = array_search($form_state['clicked_button']['#value'], $form_state['storage']['#navigation']['tabs']);
      if (
$key) {
       
$form_state['storage']['#navigation']['newStep'] = $key;
      }
           
      break;
  }
   
}
?>

I am a newbie

I am a total newbie, please can you guide me that how can i Use this code snippet in Drupal ?

Eric's picture

module

This code would have to be inserted into a custom module. I would start here: http://drupal.org/developing/modules

A modules in its most simple form consists of a directory, .info, and .module file.

works great

thanks a ton for this - it is working perfect.

Next question - is there anyway to get into this form at the end? Via a $_GET maybe? I want to point some users to the max_step page (is last) rather that the first page.

thanks

Eric's picture

I think so...

At the top of the code, if the step does not exist, you could set it to the last step instead of the 1st...

<?php
if (empty($form_state['storage']['#navigation']['step'])) {
   
$form_state['storage']['#navigation']['step'] = 'SET THE LAST STEP HERE';
}
?>

Was looking for this

Was happy to come across this. I've been looking for help on how to go back and forth across pages. This works just grand.

One question - How would I place all the $form_state['storage'] into a final fieldset such that the last button on the tabs at the top, called, for example fieldset_e, title=>'Results', would show the cumulative results of all their "saves". I can display it via a print_r of course, but I'd like them to be in the final fieldsets_e.

thanks for this.

Eric's picture

one idea

You could check for the current page and then loop through the $form_state['storage'] variable and generate the html...

<?php
if ($form_state['storage']['#navigation']['step'] == $form_state['storage']['#navigation']['maxSteps'])
{
   
$html = "";

   
// loop through storage
   
foreach ($form_state['storage'] as $k => $v)
    {
       
$html .= $k . " = " . $v . "<BR>";
    }
    return
$html;
}
?>

Please note, I did not test the above code :)

Thanks

Thanks for the quick reply. Will give it a go.
K