Pls Help

kuehhc · March 29th, 2004, 04:24 AM

newbie trying to learn php...

i have just install php on my pc using iis...
i was able to show the info(phpinfo()).
but when i try to run come of the scripts to tried out it keeps giving me error..
the easy helloworld.php works out fine.
i was able to retrieve some other pages from mysql, but i just don't understand whats wrong with this code..

pls see error message.

Notice: Undefined variable: id in c:\inetpub\wwwroot\php\smart1.php on line 9

Notice: Undefined variable: PHP_SELF in c:\inetpub\wwwroot\php\smart1.php on line 31
Bob Smith

Notice: Undefined variable: PHP_SELF in c:\inetpub\wwwroot\php\smart1.php on line 31
John Roberts

Notice: Undefined variable: PHP_SELF in c:\inetpub\wwwroot\php\smart1.php on line 31
Brad Johnson

attach is code..

<html>
<body>

<?php
$db = mysql_connect("localhost", "root");
mysql_select_db("mydb",$db);

if ($id) {
  // query the DB
  $sql = "SELECT * FROM employees WHERE id=$id";
  $result = mysql_query($sql);
  $myrow = mysql_fetch_array($result);

?>
  <form method="post" action="<?php echo $PHP_SELF?>">
  <input type=hidden name="id" value="<?php echo $myrow["id"] ?>">
  First name:<input type="Text" name="first" value="<?php echo $myrow["first"] ?>"><br>
  Last name:<input type="Text" name="last" value="<?php echo $myrow["last"] ?>"><br>
  Address:<input type="Text" name="address" value="<?php echo $myrow["address"] ?>"><br>
  Position:<input type="Text" name="position" value="<?php echo $myrow["position"] ?>"><br>
  <input type="Submit" name="submit" value="Enter information">
  </form>

<?php
} else {
  // display list of employees
  $result = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM employees",$db);

  while ($myrow = mysql_fetch_array($result)) {
    printf("<a href=\"%s?id=%s\">%s %s</a><br>\n", $PHP_SELF, $myrow["id"], $myrow["first"], $myrow["last"]);
  }
}
?>

</body>
</html>

nikolai · March 29th, 2004, 04:26 PM

http://p2p.wrox.com/archive/beginnin...2002-11/17.asp
http://www.google.com/search?q=regis...e:p2p.wrox.com

The problem is that $id doesn't exist because PHP isn't configured to copy variables submitted by GET or POST forms into global variables. Read the above links for more info about the issue and how to fix your script.

Take care,

Nik
http://www.bigaction.org/

kuehhc · April 22nd, 2004, 12:47 AM

i must be real dumb cos it is still giving me problems after following ur instruction...
anyway, i got the book begining php4 and i follow all the instructions closely...
except tat i am using IIS
(Btw, using iis does not need to have apache rite? cos tats wat i thot, unless otherwise)

i tried the codes from chapter 3 (checkbox.html, checkbox.php, checkboxes.html & checkboxes.php)
it all gives me the erroe undefine variable.

so i change the codes base on wat u have said, thru my understanding, and it does not show anything after that.
Its a empty screen after i click submit from checkbox.html and checkboxes.html.

checkbox.html
===============
<HTML>
<HEAD></HEAD>
<BODY>
<FORM METHOD=POST ACTION="checkbox.php">
Have you ever eaten haggis before?<INPUT NAME="Choice" TYPE="Checkbox">
<BR><BR><INPUT TYPE=SUBMIT>
</FORM>
</BODY></HTML>

checkbox.php
============
<HTML>
<HEAD></HEAD>
<BODY>
<?php
$Choice = & $_GET['Choice'];
echo $Choice;
?>
</BODY></HTML>

checkboxes.html
===============
<HTML>
<HEAD></HEAD>
<BODY>
<?php
$Choice1 = & $_GET['Choice1'];
$Choice2 = & $_GET['Choice2'];
$Choice3 = & $_GET['Choice3'];

echo "$Choice1<BR>";
echo "$Choice2<BR>";
echo "$Choice3<BR>";
?>
</BODY>
</HTML>

please guide me along.
thanks

richard.york · April 22nd, 2004, 01:01 AM

Here's one problem, you haven't given the checkbox field a value, so your script won't output anything. Second, you are using the $_GET superglobal to access 'Choice' when your HTML form is sending via the POST method, change one or the other.

checkbox.html
===============
<HTML>
<HEAD></HEAD>
<BODY>
<FORM METHOD=POST ACTION="checkbox.php">
Have you ever eaten haggis before?<INPUT NAME="Choice" TYPE="Checkbox" value='yes'>
<BR><BR><INPUT TYPE=SUBMIT>
</FORM>
</BODY></HTML>

Here you're passing the value of $_GET['Choice'] to $Choice by reference (that's what the amphersand does in the assignment). Why not just echo the orginal value and skip the extra step. Second, you aren't using any validation to check that the value of this variable exists.

Code:

// Original Code
checkbox.php
============
<HTML>
<HEAD></HEAD>
<BODY>
<?php
$Choice =& $_GET['Choice'];
echo $Choice;
?>
</BODY></HTML>

Since you're using the POST method in your HTML form, we'll access the variable via the POST superglobal array, and we'll use a little validation to make sure a value exists in the first place.

Code:

// Modified
<HTML>
<HEAD></HEAD>
<BODY>
<?php
     if (isset($_POST['Choice']) && !empty($_POST['Choice']))
     {
          echo $_POST['Choice'];
     }
     else
     {
          echo 'You did not enter a value!';
     }
?>
</BODY></HTML>

hth,
Rich

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
The Spicy Peanut Project
http://www.spicypeanut.net
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

kuehhc · April 22nd, 2004, 01:43 AM

hi richard,

Thank you for answering my post.
I got the codes from the books. Begining PHP4 by wrox ISBN : 1-861003-73-0
borrow it from the library as i can't find 1 around my neighbourhood.
Does tat means all the codes can't work without some modifications?

I did not do any validations becos i was trying out whether it will work as i was having some configurations problems earlier.

nikolai · April 22nd, 2004, 01:53 PM

You should be able to get the code to work by turning register_globals on and setting error_reporting to E_ALL & ~E_NOTICE. Bear in mind that it's not considered good style (anymore) to write code that depends on these settings, but if it helps you to start learning the language, then by all means do it!

When you're more comfortable programming in PHP, it should be much easier to go back to code you've already written and identify what needs to be changed to make it work without register_globals and the strictest error_reporting (E_ALL).

Take care,

Nik
http://www.bigaction.org/

kuehhc · April 23rd, 2004, 03:15 AM

thank u so much...
i am able to get the code to work out fine now.

can u point me to a website or book that teaches the new coding practise.
i would prefer to learn the newer method rather than to do catch up later, but for now i will just try to understand all the examples tat is in the book.

is there an index or list as to wat is new in php version 4?

nikolai · April 23rd, 2004, 03:44 PM

You can look at PHP's change log, though I don't know how useful it will be...
http://www.php.net/changelog

Take care,

Nik
http://www.bigaction.org/