[REQ] I want to set the "subject" to be the value of a custom field

[Paul Nolette]

In my ticket submission form "newticket.html" i want the subject field to be equal to a custom field which is a dropdown list. Esentially I am making the subject field be a dropdown instead of typing so we can control what the subject is.
I entered this in my newticket.html file:

Code:

<input type=hidden name=subject value='(%INPUT_xCategory%)'>

The first time you hit submit it returns "Missing Subject" if I hit submit again it submits ok and works as expected.
How can I get this to work on the first submit? I'm going about this the wrong way and/or is there a better way?

I'd appreciate any help on this!
Thanks,

[Sparky]

This is logically flawed.  When it's submitted the first time, it has not yet any idea what you've chosen in your drop-down list.  After it give you the error and the page re-loads, the hidden field's value is set and it submits.

You'll have to instead set the value using Javascript.

We'll have to trigger the Javascript when the form is submitted.

Does this sound like a solution you want to pursue?

[Paul Nolette]

I really appreciate you looking into this!
Thanks

[Paul Nolette]

Using the Javascript sounds fine to me unless there is a way to change the subject field to a dropdown list with predetermined items like you can do with the custom fields. This is way beyond my capabilities so any help you can give is appreciated!

Others might find this a helpful addon as I can't imagine my users are the only ones so creative as to write HELP!!!! or BROKE in the subject field.

Thanks again,

[Sparky]

...unless there is a way to change the subject field to a dropdown list with predetermined items like you can do with the custom fields.

Yes, that's an easier way to do it.

In your newticket.html template...

remove this:

<input type=text size=40 name=subject value="(%INPUT_subject%)">

Add this in its place:

<select name="subject">
<option value="">Please choose a subject...</option>
<option value="My Subject 1">My Subject 1</option>
<option value="My Subject 2">My Subject 2</option>
<option value="My Subject 3">My Subject 3</option>
<option value="My Subject 4">My Subject 4</option>
</select>

And finally add this to the very end of the file:

Code:

<script type="text/javascript"><!--
var i;
for (i = 0; i < document.forms['newticket'].subject.options.length; i++) {
  if (document.forms['newticket'].subject.options[i].text == '(%INPUT_subject%)') {
    document.forms['newticket'].subject.options[i].selected = true;
  }
}
//--></script>

[Paul Nolette]

This worked perfectly.
Thank you very much!

[Paul Nolette]

Sparky I am trying to do something else similar to this and not having much luck. I have a javascript that turns fields on when a item is selected from a dropdown field.
So in my template form I basically have a place holder:

Code:

<tr>
    <td align="right" class="lbl"><b id="unitlbl"></b></td>
     <td align=left><input type="hidden" name="unittext" id="unittext"></td>
</tr>

The javascript adds the text to the label and recreates the input box as type=text
All works great but....
Now I want the value of the box to be saved as one of my custom fields, lets say c3.
I would think this would do it by adding to end of file similar to your previous suggestion.

Code:

<script type="text/javascript"><!--
 (document.forms['newticket'].unittext.value == '(%INPUT_c3%)')
//--></script>

Hope you can help!
Thanks

[Sparky]

<tr>
    <td align="right" class="lbl"><b id="unitlbl"></b></td>
     <td align=left><input type="hidden" name="unittext" id="unittext"></td>
</tr>

<script type="text/javascript"><!--
 (document.forms['newticket'].unittext.value == '(%INPUT_c3%)')
//--></script>

More than a couple of problems.

1.  This is incomplete...

<input type="hidden" name="unittext" id="unittext">

There is no point to a hidden field if there's no value.  There should be a value="" included inside.  However this won't solve your problem anyway and I don't think you need a hidden field to do your mod.


2.  This won't do anything for two reasons...

(document.forms['newticket'].unittext.value == '(%INPUT_c3%)')

a.  %INPUT_c3% is a macro that gets filled in from the URL query string.  Unless you bring in your c3 value via the URL, this will always be blank.

b.  Incorrect syntax.  A double equal sign is used for conditionals.  IF a == b, THEN c.  If you want to set something to something else, just a single equal sign will do.


To make an input field for c3, you need to NAME it "xunittext".  The "value" is the part that the user fills in.

Short of writing this code for you, all I can say is that you're running down the wrong track... but you're learning.

Manually write the code for the input field, xunittext, and then figure out how to toggle its visibility.  There are several ways using CSS controlled by Javascript.

[Paul Nolette]

I took what you said and re-read some of Alex's custom field how-to's and I think I got what i'm looking for.
this is what I put in the template:

Code:

<tr>
    <td align="right" class="lbl"><b id="unitlbl"></b></td>
    <td align=left><input type="hidden" name=xUnit value="(%INPUT_xUnit%)" id="unittext"></td>
</tr>

Now the javascript puts the text in the lbl with:

Code:

frmObj.all.unitlbl.innerHTML = "Unit #";

and re-creates the input field with:

Code:

changeInputType(frmObj.all.unittext, "hidden");

which calls

Code:

function changeInputType(oldObject, oType) {
  var newObject = document.createElement('input');
  newObject.type = oType;
  if(oldObject.size) newObject.size = oldObject.size;
  if(oldObject.value) newObject.value = oldObject.value;
  if(oldObject.name) newObject.name = oldObject.name;
  if(oldObject.id) newObject.id = oldObject.id;
  if(oldObject.className) newObject.className = oldObject.className;
  oldObject.parentNode.replaceChild(newObject,oldObject);
  return newObject;
}

So i esentially have hidden labels and text fields which get "turned on" by the javascript.
Not sure if it's the best way but it works well!

Thanks for your input as always!

[rozwellite]

I also wanted a drop down box for the subject. I went ahead and changed the newticket.html but I found that when I go to edit the other tickets where customers have choose the wrong items. I dont have the drop down. Can you please tell me what I need to edit to give me the drop downs when I click on the ticket number? Thank you.