Mastering Form Submissions in React JS: Using a Single onSubmit to Submit Data from Multiple Related Forms

Are you tired of dealing with multiple form submissions in your React JS application? Do you struggle with managing multiple form states and handling separate onSubmit events? Worry no more! In this article, we’ll explore a powerful approach to submitting data from multiple related forms using a single onSubmit event. Say goodbye to form submission chaos and hello to a more organized and efficient way of handling form data in React.

Table of Contents

The Problem: Multiple Forms, Multiple Submissions
1. The Solution: Using a Single onSubmit to Submit Data from Multiple Forms
Step 1: Create a Parent Component to Manage State
Step 2: Create Individual Form Components
Step 3: Consolidate Form Data into a Single Object
Step 4: Handle Form Validation and Error Handling
Putting it All Together
Conclusion

The Problem: Multiple Forms, Multiple Submissions

Imagine you’re building a complex React application that requires users to fill out multiple forms, each with its own set of fields and validation rules. Perhaps you’re building a user profile editor that consists of multiple sections, such as personal information, address, and payment details. Each section has its own form, and you need to submit all the data at once when the user clicks the “Save” button.

Traditionally, you might handle each form submission separately, using individual onSubmit events for each form. However, this approach can lead to a cluttered and hard-to-maintain codebase, especially when dealing with complex validation rules and error handling.

The Solution: Using a Single onSubmit to Submit Data from Multiple Forms

The solution lies in using a single onSubmit event to submit data from multiple related forms. By leveraging React’s state management capabilities and a bit of creativity, you can consolidate form submissions into a single, manageable event. Let’s dive into the implementation details!

Step 1: Create a Parent Component to Manage State

Create a parent component that will manage the state of all the forms. This component will serve as a container for your multiple forms. In this example, we’ll call it `UserProfileEditor`.

import React, { useState } from 'react';

const UserProfileEditor = () => {
  const [formData, setFormData] = useState({
    personalInfo: {},
    address: {},
    paymentDetails: {},
  });

  // We'll define the onSubmit event handler here

  return (
    
      
      
      
      
    
  );
};

Step 2: Create Individual Form Components

Create individual form components for each section of your application. These components will receive the parent component’s state and the `setFormData` function as props. In this example, we’ll create `PersonalInfoForm`, `AddressForm`, and `PaymentDetailsForm` components.

const PersonalInfoForm = ({ formData, setFormData }) => {
  const [name, setName] = useState('');
  const [email, setEmail] = useState('');

  const handleSubmit = (event) => {
    event.preventDefault();
    setFormData((prevState) => ({
      ...prevState,
      personalInfo: { name, email },
    }));
  };

  return (
    
      
        Name:
         setName(event.target.value)} />
      
      
        Email:
         setEmail(event.target.value)} />
      
    
  );
};

Repeat this process for the `AddressForm` and `PaymentDetailsForm` components, each with their own state management and `handleSubmit` functions.

Step 3: Consolidate Form Data into a Single Object

In the parent component, create a function that consolidates the form data from all the individual forms into a single object. This function will be called when the user clicks the “Save” button.

const handleSubmit = (event) => {
  event.preventDefault();
  const formDataObject = {
    personalInfo: formData.personalInfo,
    address: formData.address,
    paymentDetails: formData.paymentDetails,
  };
  // Call your API or send the data to your server
  console.log(formDataObject);
};

In this example, we’re creating a `formDataObject` that combines the data from all the individual forms. You can then send this object to your API or server for processing.

Step 4: Handle Form Validation and Error Handling

When dealing with multiple forms, validation and error handling can become complex. To simplify this process, you can create a separate validation function that checks the entire `formDataObject` for errors. If any errors are found, you can update the individual form components to display error messages.

const validateFormData = (formDataObject) => {
  const_errors = {};

  if (!formDataObject.personalInfo.name) {
    _errors.personalInfo = { name: 'Required' };
  }

  if (!formDataObject.address.street) {
    _errors.address = { street: 'Required' };
  }

  // Add more validation rules as needed

  return _errors;
};

In the parent component, you can call the `validateFormData` function before submitting the data to your API or server. If any errors are found, you can prevent the submission and update the individual form components to display error messages.

Putting it All Together

Now that we’ve covered the individual steps, let’s put everything together in a single code snippet:

import React, { useState } from 'react';

const UserProfileEditor = () => {
  const [formData, setFormData] = useState({
    personalInfo: {},
    address: {},
    paymentDetails: {},
  });

  const handleSubmit = (event) => {
    event.preventDefault();
    const formDataObject = {
      personalInfo: formData.personalInfo,
      address: formData.address,
      paymentDetails: formData.paymentDetails,
    };

    const errors = validateFormData(formDataObject);
    if (Object.keys(errors).length > 0) {
      // Update individual form components to display error messages
      console.log(errors);
    } else {
      // Call your API or send the data to your server
      console.log(formDataObject);
    }
  };

  return (
    
      
      
      
      
    
  );
};

const PersonalInfoForm = ({ formData, setFormData }) => {
  const [name, setName] = useState('');
  const [email, setEmail] = useState('');

  const handleSubmit = (event) => {
    event.preventDefault();
    setFormData((prevState) => ({
      ...prevState,
      personalInfo: { name, email },
    }));
  };

  return (
    
      
        Name:
         setName(event.target.value)} />
      
      
        Email:
         setEmail(event.target.value)} />
      
    
  );
};

// Repeat for AddressForm and PaymentDetailsForm components

const validateFormData = (formDataObject) => {
  const _errors = {};

  if (!formDataObject.personalInfo.name) {
    _errors.personalInfo = { name: 'Required' };
  }

  if (!formDataObject.address.street) {
    _errors.address = { street: 'Required' };
  }

  // Add more validation rules as needed

  return _errors;
};

Conclusion

In this article, we’ve explored a powerful approach to submitting data from multiple related forms in React JS using a single onSubmit event. By consolidating form data into a single object and leveraging React’s state management capabilities, you can simplify form submissions and improve the overall user experience. Remember to handle form validation and error handling carefully to ensure a seamless and error-free submission process.

By following these steps, you’ll be able to create a robust and scalable form submission system in your React application. Say goodbye to form submission chaos and hello to a more organized and efficient way of handling form data in React!

Pros	Cons
Simplifies form submissions	Requires careful state management
Improves user experience	Can lead to complex validation rules
Scalable and reusable	Requires additional error handling

Now that you’ve mastered the art of submitting data from multiple related forms in React JS, go ahead and apply this knowledge to your next project. Happy coding!