global variables coding n00b query

bloomoon

i have been given a script which requires that the php.ini file has global variables set to on:

function go_url() {
global $default_dbname, $directory_tablename;
global $url_id, $url;
if(isset($url_id) && isset($url)) {
if(!$link_id) $link_id = db_connect($default_dbname);

$result = mysql_query("UPDATE $directory_tablename SET hit = hit + 1 WHERE url_id=$url_id");
if(!$result) error_message(sql_error());
header("Location: $url");
exit;
}
}

how do i change this script to work with a php.ini file that has global variables set to OFF? i understand that the "global" part of the coding must be deleted but i am unsure of how it should be replaced. many thanks for any help as i am an utter n00b.

http403

making a config.php file which hold all the info, then every time u need it u use include("config.php");

Weedpacket

Originally posted by bloomoon
i have been given a script which requires that the php.ini file has global variables set to on:
...elided...
how do i change this script to work with a php.ini file that has global variables set to OFF? i understand that the "global" part of the coding must be deleted but i am unsure of how it should be replaced. many thanks for any help as i am an utter n00b.

There's nothing in that script that inherently requires register_globals (I presume you're referring to) to be turned on. register_globals affects what PHP does with data coming from a form request; nothing to do with global declarations inside functions.

If any of those variables are supposed to contain form-submitted data, then they will be affected, but I can only guess which ones they might be - $url_id and $url?

See the manual on subjects of Variables from Outside PHP and Variable Scope

the_Igel

if by 'global variables' you mean register_globals, it has nothing to do with possibility to declare some variables as global.

REGISTER_GLOBALS on/off is about whether the variables from outside the script (e.g. sent by a form, or environment variables) are registered as variables in your script.

Ex: one request your script as myscript.php?var=1

if reg_glob are on, then you will have this value available as $var in your script.
if reg_glob is off, then it will be available as $_GET['var'] only.

reg_glob OFF is more secure than ON.

On the other side, declaring a variable as a global inside a function means that this variable is taken from outside a function.

Ex:

$hello = 1;

function foo()
{
echo $hello; //it will echo an empty string, because $hello has no initial value
}

function bar()
{
global $hello;
echo $hello; //it will echo 1, because $hello has value set in the first line of the code
}

So, you should never be afraid of a variable declared as global.