Adding PHP code to a WordPress blog

[jeffross]

I'm pretty new to PHP and WordPress, and I'm looking for a little bit of assistance.

My client is wanting to add a "Country" text box to the comment form area of their blog. (Right now, we just have "Name," Email," and "Website.") Here's how that code sits right now...

<input name="author" id="author" value="<?php echo $comment_author; ?>" size="22" tabindex="1" type="text"><label for="author"><small>Name </small></label>

<input name="email" id="email" value="<?php echo $comment_author_email; ?>" size="22" tabindex="2" type="text"><label for="email"><small>Mail (will not be published) </small></label>

<input name="url" id="url" value="<?php echo $comment_author_url; ?>" size="22" tabindex="3" type="text"><label for="url"><small>Website</small></label>

Is all that's required to add this is the following code?...

<input name="location" id="location" value="<?php echo $comment_location; ?>" size="22" tabindex="4" type="text"><label for="location"><small>Country </small></label>

I just want to make sure I'm not messing something up, or forgetting to add something somewhere else.

EDIT: Sorry I can't seem to get the code to show as just plain text... Any help on how to get it to show up correctly...?

[Toon]

Is this plugin any good?

the Idea Shower » » Wordpress Plugin: Extra Comment Fields

[jeffross]

Something like that might work. Maybe not a drop down, but more like something they can just enter.

(So, it's a bigger task than just adding another line of code, I take it.)

[Toon]

I'm not sure mate, I'm not too up on Wordpress, my only take on wordpress is....if you want to do something chances are somebodies written a plugin for it.

[jeffross]

Cool. I'll check out that plugin then and see if it will work. Thanks Toon.

Anyone else have a suggestion/idea?

[LeadMagnet]

More than likely your code won't work because there's nowhere in the database to store that data. Unless of course wordpress creates database entries like that as needed... but i doubt it.

[jeffross]

Looks like I'll try out the plugin then. Thanks guys!

[skunkbad]

If there isn't a location in the database to store the data, then just make it. phpMyAdmin is really easy to use to add tables and associated fields to a MySQL database. If this is just a contact form, and the country field does not need to be stored, then just filter the country post variable value in your email processing script, and append it's value to whatever is sending the email.

As a php newbie, filtering data is one of the keys to being successful. Understanding validation and keeping your database, website, and emails safe is extremely important. Don't overlook this when adding the country field to your comment or contact form.

Here is an example of filtering data in a contact form in a php 5.2.0+ script:

PHP Code:

$name = filter_input(INPUT_POST, 'name' , FILTER_SANITIZE_STRING , FILTER_FLAG_NO_ENCODE_QUOTES);
$email = filter_input(INPUT_POST, 'email' , FILTER_VALIDATE_EMAIL);
$mesg = filter_input(INPUT_POST, 'mesg' , FILTER_SANITIZE_STRING, FILTER_FLAG_NO_ENCODE_QUOTES);