Passing values to codeigniter controler through ajax - ajax

Question

I got a problem that's really ruining my life now. I'm trying to pass values to a codeigniter controller through Ajax.
I've read many things about it but I can't find why this is not working.
So I've made a form in a bootstrap modal windows to add a new member. The values are: first name, last name, email and passowrd.
I'm using jQuery validate to verify the infos and then I wanna pass the value to the controller.
$('#addMember form').validate({ // initialize plugin
rules: {
lname: {
required: true,
minlength: 2
},
name: {
required: true,
minlength: 2
},
mail: {
required: true,
email: true
},
password: {
required: true
},
repassword: {
required: true,
equalTo: "#password"
}
},
highlight: function (element) {
$(element).closest('.input-group')
.removeClass('success').addClass('error');
},
success: function (element) {
element.addClass('valid').closest('.input-group')
.removeClass('error').addClass('success');
},
submitHandler: function (form) {
// form validates so do the ajax
var dataString = $(form).serialize();
$.ajax({
type: $(form).attr('method'),
url: $(form).attr('action'),
data: dataString,
success: function (data, status) {
// ajax done
// do whatever & close the modal
alert(status);
$('.modal').modal('hide');
}
});
return false; // ajax used, block the normal submit
}
});
<div id="addMember" class="modal fade">
<div class="modal-dialog">
<div class="modal-content">
<form id="addMemberForm" method="POST" action="<?php echo base_url('adminMembers/process_add_member');?>">
<div class="modal-header">
<button type="button" class="close" data-dismiss="modal" aria-label="Close"><span aria-hidden="true"></span></button>
<h4 class="modal-title">Add a new member</h4>
</div>
<div class="modal-body">
<div class="input-group">
<span class="input-group-addon" id="basic-addon1">Last Name</span>
<input name="lname" type="text" class="form-control" placeholder="" aria-describedby="basic-addon1">
</div>
<div class="input-group">
<span class="input-group-addon" id="basic-addon1">First name</span>
<input name="name" type="text" class="form-control" placeholder="" aria-describedby="basic-addon1">
</div>
<div class="input-group">
<span class="input-group-addon" id="basic-addon1">Email</span>
<input name="mail" type="email" class="form-control" placeholder="" aria-describedby="basic-addon1">
</div>
<div class="input-group">
<span class="input-group-addon" id="basic-addon1">Password</span>
<input id="password" name="password" type="password" class="form-control" placeholder="" aria-describedby="basic-addon1">
</div>
<div class="input-group">
<span class="input-group-addon" id="basic-addon1">Password again</span>
<input name="repassword" type="password" class="form-control" placeholder="" aria-describedby="basic-addon1">
</div>
</div>
<div class="modal-footer">
<button type="button" class="btn btn-default" data-dismiss="modal">Cancel</button>
<button type="submit" class="btn btn-primary" value="add">Add</button>
</div>
</form>
</div><!-- /.modal-content -->
</div><!-- /.modal-dialog -->
</div><!-- /.modal -->
I got a success message in an alert window so the ajax part is working.
Then I don't know how to use the values in my controller.
If I try to print $this->input->post('lname') I got an empty value.
Any ideas please?
EDIT: Might be useful:
My javascript code is placed right after the </div><!-- /.modal -->.
The function add_Member in my controller looks like:
public function process_add_member()
{
$this->membersManager->add_member();
}
And finally the model:
public function add_member()
{
$name = $this->input->post('name');
$lname = $this->input->post('lname');
$email = $this->input->post('mail');
$password = $this->input->post('password');
return $this->db->set(array('name' => $name,
'lname' => $lname,
'login' => $email,
'email' => $email,
'password' => $password))->insert($this->table);
}
As I said I tried to replace $this->input->post() by $_POST[] but still not working.
To finish I wanna ay that I've tried the same without using AJAX to pass the values and it is working. I need to use AJAX because I want the form to be in a bootstrap modal window.
The thing is that it seems my function process_add_Member() in the controller is not called. I can do anything in it and it won't happen.
Nobody? :( I really don't understand what is not working here.
HELP!
Is there someone that can help me please ?

Answer 1

Since you are passing data using the form serialize method insteading of using $this->input->post() retrieve the post value directly $_POST['<input_name>'] .
Hope this will solve your problem since.

Answer 2

You should use the form_open() helper function in your view, so that the CSRF token is included as a hidden field.
And in general: you should always use the helper functions and classes whenever possible. There is no use in working with a framework if you don't use the provided functions.