Install Problem

DJMartin

Hi
I'm two days into learning PHP - so forgive me If I'm gonna sound really dumb!

My problem is this: I have just installed downloads of MySQL, Apache and PHP on WinXP and followed the steps I have read: ie setting the doc root and adding the 'AddType','ScriptAlias' and 'Action' lines to the PHP.INI file (which I saved to the Window/System directory. The PHP files I have created appeared to be parsed correctly until I tried submitting forms. When I submit a form (using POST or GET), the form handler does not receive the variables.
Most of the scripts I have tried have come out of a book so I'm sure they have been tested, so Ihave put it down to s configuration problem.
Can anybody help me?

MrAlaska

First of all, make sure PHP is working. Make a page with only this code on it and save it with any name you want, then send your browser to it:

<?php
phpinfo();
?>

If that works, then your problem is with the scripts. Many books and tutorials were written assuming globals were turned on, which is a security risk and the default installation of PHP has them turned off. The scripts are simple enough to fix, but make sure PHP is working first.

DJMartin

Thanks Mr Alaska,
I tried the PHP info script - which works, in fact everything seems to work except the variables I mentioned.

I just tried switching global variables on (they were off by default) but with no success. Do I have to reboot for changes to the PHP.INI to take effect?

MrAlaska

You shouldn't hafta reboot the system, just Apache. Having globals turned OFF is a good thing though. You can also get your scripts working probably just by adding a couple lines at the top:

extract($POST);
extract($GET);

DJMartin

Mr A
I added the 'Extract' lines and bingo! Do I have to add these to all my scripts then?

MrAlaska

No, those lines are a kludge. You are better off declaring variables explicitly at the top of the page:

$thisvar=$POST['thisvar'];
$thatvar=$POST['thatvar'];

EDIT:

or better yet

if (isset($POST['var'])) {
$var=$POST['var'];
} else $var="";