Form submit handler not working

Question

I'm developing a pretty basic module catalog_request that creates a form. I'm replacing the form's default submit button <input ..type="submit" /> with a <button ...>click</button> using following in form definition.

function catalog_request_form($form, &$form_state) {

    /**
     * form fields here
     */

    $form['fieldset_submit']['the_submit_button'] = array(
       '#type' => 'markup',
       '#prefix' => '<button class="btn submit">',
       '#markup' => 'Send Request...',
       '#suffix' => '</button>',
    );

    /* ... */
}

and have defined other two form related functions

function catalog_request_form_validate($form, &$form_state) {
    drupal_set_message(t('The form was validated'));
}

function catalog_request_form_submit($form, &$form_state) {
    die('submitted');
    //drupal_set_message(t('The form was submitted'));
}

The problem

My submit function catalog_request_form_submit isn't being called. I've read numerous articles online but none resolved my issue. Following didn't work

1. Adding '#submit' => 'catalog_request_form_submit', to the_submit_button key
2. Adding '$form['#submit'] => 'catalog_request_form_submit'; to end of catalog_request_form function
3. Adding '$form['#submit'][] => 'catalog_request_form_submit'; to end of catalog_request_form function

I've read that adding something along the lines of $form['actions']['#submit'][] = 'custom_function'; could solve the problem but I'm not sure how to adapt it for my form.

I know that having '#type' => 'submit' for the submit button makes the form work but I want a button tag.

My problem is exactly When altering the submit button, the form does not work but it doesn't have a solution (only an answer that ignores the question's point)

P.S. I do not develop for drupal frequently so I might be missing something very obvious.

Any help will be greatly appreciated. thanks

Answer 1

In order to add another submit handler you have to add something to hook_form_alter(): check for your particular form ID, and then add a submit handler in one of the following ways:

OPTION 1:

To add a submit handler that is called as the next callback after processing the default submit handler callback you can use this:

function mymodule_form_alter(&$form, &$form_state) {
  if ($form_id == 'form-id-of-your-form') {
    $form['actions']['submit']['#submit'][] = 'mymodule_whatever_function';
  }
}

OPTION 2:

If OPTION 1 is not working for you, replace the third line with this:

form['#submit'][1] = 'mymodule_whatever_function';

This will add a second submit handler, or replace the second one with yours if there is already more than one.

OPTION 3:

To remove the default submit handler completely (so that "nothing will happen" on submit, or so that you can replace it with your own), use code like this:

function mymodule_form_alter(&$form, &$form_state) {
  if ($form_id == 'form-id-of-your-form') {
    unset($form["actions"]['submit']);
  }
}

Answer 2

From the link you provided:

"In order for the form to be submitted correctly the element needs to be a submit, button or image_button type."

So maybe something like the following will work.

$form['fieldset_submit']['the_submit_button'] = array(
    '#type' => 'button',
    '#name' => 'name',
    '#value' => t('Submit'),
    '#executes_submit_callback' => TRUE,
);

Answer 3

https://api.drupal.org/api/drupal/includes!form.inc/function/theme_button/7

You can write something like this in your theme

function THEMENAME_button($variables) {
  $element = $variables['element'];
  $element['#attributes']['type'] = 'submit';
  element_set_attributes($element, array('id', 'name', 'value'));

  $element['#attributes']['class'][] = 'form-' . $element['#button_type'];
  if (!empty($element['#attributes']['disabled'])) {
    $element['#attributes']['class'][] = 'form-button-disabled';
  }

  return '<input' . drupal_attributes($element['#attributes']) . ' />';
}

and change markup for you needs.

Internet Explorer 6-7 doesn't work with button value attribute.

Update

function THEMENAME_button($variables) {
  $element = $variables['element'];
  $element['#attributes']['type'] = 'submit';
  element_set_attributes($element, array('id', 'name', 'value'));

  $element['#attributes']['class'][] = 'form-' . $element['#button_type'];
  if (!empty($element['#attributes']['disabled'])) {
    $element['#attributes']['class'][] = 'form-button-disabled';
  }

  return '<button' . drupal_attributes($element['#attributes']) . '>'. $element['#attributes']['value'] .'</button>';
}

Answer 4

If you are rendering your form using form--anyformname.tpl.php template file then make sure in that template file you are rendering these three thing at the end:

    <div>        
    <?php print render($form['form_id']); ?>
    <?php print render($form['form_build_id']);?>
    <?php print render($form['form_token']); ?>
    </div>