variables in functions

[trex005]

I have a variable that is being passed to me via a form... I have tried to use this variable in a function but have been unsucessfull can anyone help?

//page one
<form method='post' action='nextpage.php'>
<input type='text' name='firstname' value='travis'>
<input type='submit' name='submit' value='Submit></form>

//nextpage.php
echo("$firstname ");
function valech()
{
echo("this is the function '$firstname"' it should output variable firstname");
}
//nextpage.php output
travis this is the function '' it should output variable firstname

is there a way to use the variable inside the function?
Thank You
Travis Harris

[big_e]

when you call the function, call it like this:

valech($firstname);

Then the function would look like this:

function valech($firstname){
echo("this is the function $firstname it should output variable firstname");
}

and there you go, it prints it out. Hope that helps!

~ Eric
123 Make Me! ( http://123-makeme.com )

[Anon]

Additionally, this is because functions in php ignore global variables. If you really want to use global variables you have to declare them using the global statement.

function valech(){
global $firstname;

echo("this is the function $firstname it should output variable firstname");
}

Unless the variable really is a global variable you want to use the method Eric mentions.

[kparker]

Unless the variable really is a global variable

Uhh, the variables that get created from url arguments really are global variables--that's why that act like globals. :-)