How to pick data from a form into the backend?

Question

I've created a new menu on the backend, which has a form. I need to pick the form's data and show them in the same .phtml or another, I don't mind. But the fact is that I can't do a <form action="" method="POST"> because when I click on the button and the page is refreshed, it returns me to the main control pannel, so I can't pick the data. And when I try to send the data to another .phtml, it happens to me the same, maybe it's because I'm putting the second .phtml (the phtml with de $_POST vars) in the wrong directory, but I'm not sure. Both .phtmls are in the same folder: /app/design/adminhtml/default/default/template

Answer 1

As Petar stated secret form key is enabled and you are being reverted back to the dashboard.

You can determine if this is enabled by viewing the table core_config_data and viewing the XPath: admin/security/use_form_key if it is set to 1, then it is enabled and is advised to keep it as such as it is a security measure.

Example:

echo Mage::helper("adminhtml")->getUrl("module_name/controller_name/action_name/",array("param1"=>1,"param2"=>2));

Take a look at Mage_Core_Model_Session::getFormKey, which is referenced by adminhtml/url. This should give you more insight into how those URLs are generated.

Also, in your .phtml use the hidden input field as such:

<input name="form_key" type="hidden" value="<?php echo Mage::getSingleton('core/session')->getFormKey() ?>" />