Using Variables to PHP

Wappler General How To
#1

So, as you already know Wappler doesn’t have a pdf export function or plugin.

So I’m using fpdf to create pdf files from forms. I have the following php code that should run when the form is submitted.

<?php
require('js/fpdf/fpdf.php');

$pdf = new FPDF();
$pdf->AddPage();
$pdf->SetFont('Arial','B',16);
$pdf->Cell(40,10,'¡Hola, Mundo!');
$filename= //GET FORM WAPPLER FORM//;
//Output the document
$dir = "documents/ArchivosGeneradosUF/"; // full path like C:/xampp/htdocs/file/file/
$pdf->Output($dir.$filename.'.pdf','F');
?>

First question: how do I send the variables from wappler to the php file? (in the code the $filename value should be retreived from the form)

Second question: how do I run that php code (of course sending the data that should be used)

#2

I think you could use a session variable to do this. You could send the filename to a server action which would store the value in a session. On server action success, you could go to your PHP page which would read the session value and then do whatever else it needs to do.

#3

It’s prefectly explained, but I really don’t know how to get it done.

In fact, I added the pdf script to the server connection action but it didn’t work. If I use it in a file separately it works fine.

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image.png1810×1488 373 KB

#4

Use a hidden field in the form, the field will have the value of the filename. Then use $_POST value in your PHP script.

#5

@ben’s solution is probably a better and simpler solution.

I was thinking of a case where I needed to pass variables to a PHP script and also needed to involve server connect to retrieve data, in which case using session variables is an option.

#6

Ok. Thanks. But how do I get it done if the server connection file won’t even work with the included code of the fpdf

#7

I would use the PHP file separately - incorporating into a server action file would probably make things complicated or just not work. You should be able to pass whatever you need to the PHP script - eg using POST variables as @ben suggested (or sessions, cookies etc.).

1 Like
#8

Ok. And how do i “invoke” the php file when the form is submitted?

El El jue, 24 oct. 2019 a la(s) 06:54, TomD via Wappler Community noreply@community.wappler.io escribió:

#9

I wouldn’t have thought you would need to do anything special - just enter the PHP filename as the form action attribute.

2 Likes
#10

Carlos, although I used to use FPDF in a life previous to Wappler, I have listened to @patrick who said, why don’t you let the browser do the hard work?

I then went over to the DMXzone site and copied the code that they use, with great succes. An example can be found at https://pleysier.com.au/carlos/, where you can see that I have used App Connect variables (db not connected) to populate the page.

1 Like
#11

Ok. I’ll take the tip. Using this method, how do I automatically save the pdf file generated to the server directory?

#12

No need to save the PDF file. The template is the HTML document which is populated by App Connect variables which in turn receives the data from the database.

1 Like
#13

As an example, these are the invoice for products that I have purchased

image

When I click on any one of the entries, I am taken to the Invoice page ready to be printed or converted to PDF for download.

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image.png718×661 38.6 KB

4 Likes
#14

Thanks Ben!! How do you get the data for the printable page? Which method is the best one?

#15

Hi Carlos, you are ahead of me (or rather, I am lagging behind) This will all be part of my wCart Tutorial which I will hopefully finish off this weekend. Please bear with me.

#16

wCart tutorial? I think that’s exactly what I need. Looking forward to it.

#17

There is already I believe nine parts to the tutorial finished. Here is part one …

1 Like
#18