Trotty

..because I'm got a daft problem with some php code.

This is a really simple bit. I've got a combo box on a form with some names listed like so:

<form action="newtest.php" method="post">
<select name="name">
<option selected>Choose your name...</option>
<option>Fred</option>
<option>Bob</option>
<option>Dave</option>
<option>Billy</option>
<option>Joe</option>
<option>Harry</option>
</select>
<input type="submit" value="Search">
</form>

When the form is submitted I'm right in saying that the result will be passed as a variable called 'name' into the newtest.php page yes?

So on the next page I say:

<?php
echo $name;
?>

for example.

I've done this before with no problems, but now I'm getting "Undefined variable" errors on the newtest.php page?

Any clues? I 'm only fiddling about at the moment. I've done this sort of thing previously and it was ok?

Ian

dsmith

for GET methods they're returned in an array called $HTTP_GET_VARS[]

so it would be echo $HTTP_GET_VARS["name"];

Hanven't got my book with me but would assume it $HTTP_POST_VARS[] ?

Deano

Trotty

Ta for the reply. I don't think that's necessary with this though - this is just a very simple test.

Usually the select name for the form will be carried over as the variable name so...

<select name="poop">

on the form page can be used as

echo $poop

on the php page.

Can't work it out?? Tis a nice and simple test, nothing more. Could it be how php is set up on my web server? Had it running locally before with no problems, moved it to another machine on our LAN this morning with php & mySQL installed and it's now tit's up!

D'oh!

AdrianFRST

Pretty sure this is something to do with the PHP config on the server.

My test server (Win2k) complains about undefined variables, but when uploaded live (RedHat) it works fine.

Trotty

That's what I'm thinking... Odd thing is, before I was running it locally (Win2K, IIS5, mysql, php 4.2.1) and this other machine has got the same config? I'm just re-installing php, etc at the mo...

legacyPete

$HTTP_POST_VARS is deprecated in newer versions of PHP. Also, if register_globals is turned off (it's off by default) you will not be able to access form variables by name - e.g $name

just use this instead: $_POST[varnamehere]

e.g.
echo $_POST[name];

Trotty

Once again to the rescue Pete, thanks a lot

It's been a while since I installed PHP and had forgotton about the 'register_globals' bit.

Thanks,

Ian

dsmith

is HTTP_GET_VARS deprecated aswell ?

legacyPete

Yep, you can still use them though. They should work if you call them globally e.g.

global $HTTP_POST_VARS;
echo $HTTP_POST_VARS[brains];

...but it's better to use the new ones for future compatibility etc. Also the new ones are already global, so less messin' about.

See here for more.