validation loop and back button, and wont wear a wig !!

[eluser]TheFuzzy0ne[/eluser]
I would suggest always submitting the data to the same controller, and exporting the functionality of each page to individual private methods.

Here's my idea. Now I haven't done it all for you, there are a lot of blanks, but I think it will work.

Code:

<?php

// You'll need to add a route for this controller
// $route['form/(.+)'] = 'form/index/$1';

class Form extends Controller {
    
    function Form()
    {
        parent::Controller();
        $this->load->library('form_validation');
        $this->load->helper('url');
    }
    
    function index()
    {
        if ($this->session->flashdata('form_complete') === TRUE)
        {
            $this->_success();
        }
        else {
            
            $page = ($this->uri->segment(2)) ? $this->uri->segment(2) : 1;
            
            if ($page == 1)
            {
                $this->_page1();
            }
            else if ($page == 2)
            {
                $this->_page2();
            }
            else if ($page == 3)
            {
                $this->_page3();
            }
            else
            {
                $this->_success();
            }
        }
    }
    
    function _page1()
    {
        // Set any validation rules here
        
        if ($this->input->post('submit') && $this->form_validation->run())
        {
            // Add data to database.
            
            if ($this->input->post('next'))
            {
                redirect('form/2');
            }
        }
        
        // Set any errors for the view here.
        
        $this->load->view('page1');
    }
    function _page2()
    {
        // Check that the preceding page has been submited. If it has, then
        // It's been validated and so is correct. If it's not, redirect to that
        // page. You can set a flash data message here if you want, to be displayed
        // by the previous controller method.
        
        // Set any validation rules here
                
        if ($this->input->post('submit') && $this->form_validation->run())
        {
            // Add data to database.
            
            if ($this->input->post('prev'))
            {
                redirect('form/1');
            }
            else
            {
                redirect('form/3');
            }
        }
        
        // Set any errors for the view here.
        
        $this->load->view('page2');
    }
    
    function _page3()
    {
        // Check that the preceding page has been submited. If it has, then
        // It's been validated and so is correct. If it's not, redirect to that
        // page. You can set a flashdata message here if you want, to be displayed
        // by the previous controller method.
        
        // Set any validation rules here
                
        if ($this->input->post('submit') && $this->form_validation->run())
        {
            // Add data to database.
            
            if ($this->input->post('prev'))
            {
                redirect('form/1');
            }
            else
            {
                $this->session->set_flashdata('form_completed', TRUE);
                redirect('form');
            }
        }
        
        // Set any errors for the view here.
        
        $this->load->view('page3');
    }

    function _success()
    {
        // Move the data from the temp table to the actualy table.
        
        $this->load->view('success');
    }
}