Back Button During Registration
Moderator: General Moderators
Back Button During Registration
Hi,
I have a registration signup form that contains multiple steps. The account is actually created (although with only a name, email, username, and password) initially, and the extra data is added in subsequent steps. I have a routine to check if the user has signed up previously by checking email, and throwing a different page at you if thats the case.
The signup process works great, as long as you don't hit the back button. If you do, you get the "Already Member" page. My thoughts on how to do this...
1) use session vars to store the data as it's entered, then compile all the data using 1 insert at the end.
2) take the data into a temporary signup table, and check if the data is in this table on page refresh, if it is, just refill the data, otherwise throw the "Already member" page. Last step moves data to it's final position.
I'm leaning towards option number 1, but thought I would ask for your thoughts on the best way to accomplish this.
Josh
I have a registration signup form that contains multiple steps. The account is actually created (although with only a name, email, username, and password) initially, and the extra data is added in subsequent steps. I have a routine to check if the user has signed up previously by checking email, and throwing a different page at you if thats the case.
The signup process works great, as long as you don't hit the back button. If you do, you get the "Already Member" page. My thoughts on how to do this...
1) use session vars to store the data as it's entered, then compile all the data using 1 insert at the end.
2) take the data into a temporary signup table, and check if the data is in this table on page refresh, if it is, just refill the data, otherwise throw the "Already member" page. Last step moves data to it's final position.
I'm leaning towards option number 1, but thought I would ask for your thoughts on the best way to accomplish this.
Josh
Feyd,
Actually, that is the case. This is for corporate purposes, and some information is required during signup. Just in case, as I mentioned, the first step will actually create the account with email, username, password, etc. So if they do hit the back button, they can still login and will be prompted to enter the required information before continuing.
However, the situation as it currently stands isn't very friendly. A user should get to go back to the last form if necessary.
I agree with you completely in a simple signup for a public interest website, but since certain credentials are required before any action can be taken, it's not very viable, and just plain ugly to do in a one page form with AJAX for the dynamic lookups.
So, since I do need this information... are any of my options, the best options?
Josh
Actually, that is the case. This is for corporate purposes, and some information is required during signup. Just in case, as I mentioned, the first step will actually create the account with email, username, password, etc. So if they do hit the back button, they can still login and will be prompted to enter the required information before continuing.
However, the situation as it currently stands isn't very friendly. A user should get to go back to the last form if necessary.
I agree with you completely in a simple signup for a public interest website, but since certain credentials are required before any action can be taken, it's not very viable, and just plain ugly to do in a one page form with AJAX for the dynamic lookups.
So, since I do need this information... are any of my options, the best options?
Josh
- feyd
- Neighborhood Spidermoddy
- Posts: 31559
- Joined: Mon Mar 29, 2004 3:24 pm
- Location: Bothell, Washington, USA
if the site only needs these pieces of information for certain actions, I'd require the user to fill that information in when they wish to take those actions. This way, the user doesn't have to do extra work when it isn't needed. Now, if the information is needed for all actions, or you insist on making someone fill in the information first, then I'd store the information in a session (potentially allowing the user to save their registration details for say a month.)
- Maugrim_The_Reaper
- DevNet Master
- Posts: 2704
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 5:43 am
- Location: Ireland
- Maugrim_The_Reaper
- DevNet Master
- Posts: 2704
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 5:43 am
- Location: Ireland
I'm just throwing an idea around, haven't really thought this through. And you've got a method which works, so there'd be no point in changing it. I just thought I'd bring the idea up anyway.
Rather than storing all the data in a session var, why not, when the user first signs up, reference the record in the table as a session var. That way, if someone using the same session tries to sign up again with the same login name et cetera, a different page can be presented. It would probably be best, if you decide to go with this idea, to make it completely seamless so that their details are updated without any error messages or anything. What do you think?
Rather than storing all the data in a session var, why not, when the user first signs up, reference the record in the table as a session var. That way, if someone using the same session tries to sign up again with the same login name et cetera, a different page can be presented. It would probably be best, if you decide to go with this idea, to make it completely seamless so that their details are updated without any error messages or anything. What do you think?