Just started Forms

cschotch

Heres an example I just tried but for some reason its not working.....

<?php
$db = mysql_connect("localhost", "root","");
mysql_select_db("test",$db);
$sql = "INSERT INTO personnel (firstname, lastname, nick, email, salary) VALUES ('$first','$last','$nickname','$email','$salary')"; 
$result = mysql_query($sql);
echo 'Thank you! Information entered.';
?>

whenever the form from before it passes to this file it says

Notice: Undefined variable: first in c:\public_website\Test\datain.php on line 4

Notice: Undefined variable: last in c:\public_website\Test\datain.php on line 4

Notice: Undefined variable: nickname in c:\public_website\Test\datain.php on line 4

Notice: Undefined variable: email in c:\public_website\Test\datain.php on line 4

Notice: Undefined variable: salary in c:\public_website\Test\datain.php on line 4

huh????

siwis

register_globals is set to off.

As such you need to use the $GET['first'] or $POST['first'] construct to use the variables.

cschotch

ok i just checked the register_globals is off......
so.....when i do the $POST['first'] do i do this

$sql = "INSERT INTO personnel (firstname, lastname, nick, email, salary) VALUES ('"$_POST['first']"','"$_POST['last']"','"$_POST['nickname']"','"$_POST['email']"','"$_POST['salary']"')";

it gives me this error.....
Notice: Undefined index: 'first' in c:\public_website\Test\datain.php on line 4
.....etc...for the rest of them...
am i missing a syntax somewhere?

volleytotal_ch

you missed some points '.' 😉

$sql = "INSERT INTO personnel (firstname, lastname, nick, email, salary)
VALUES ('".$_POST['first']."','".$_POST['last']."','".$_POST['nickname']."','".$_POST['email']."','".$_POST['salary']."')";

hope i inserted them at the right place 😉

siwis

well, I prefer to assign the $POST['name'] to friendly variables before using them:
$name = $POST['name'];
etc

The error you are being returned looks as though your form field names are not the same as the variables you are trying to use. ie <input type=text name=first id=first size=30> would correspond to a POST'ed variable being assigned as $_POST['first'].
Check your form html. Also, esure the form action is POST.

Before you invoke the sql, test the passing of the variables by echo'ing them to screen.

cschotch

ok...i pasted it into the php script i have and it still gives me that error so heres everything and tell me what im screweing up please......

<html>
<body>
<form method="post" action="datain2.php">
First name:
<br><input type="text" name="first">
<br>Last name:
<br><input type="text" name="last">
<br>Nick Name:
<br><input type="text" name="nickname">
<br>E-mail:
<br><input type="text" name="email">
<br>Salary:
<br><input type="text" name="salary">
<br><input type="submit" name="submit" value="Enter information">
</form>
</body>
</html>

<?php
$db = mysql_connect("localhost", "root","");
mysql_select_db("test",$db);
$sql = "INSERT INTO personnel (firstname, lastname, nick, email, salary) VALUES ('".$_POST['first']."','".$_POST['last']."','".$_POST['nickname']."','".$_POST['email']."','".$_POST['salary']."')";
$result = mysql_query($sql);
echo 'Thank you! Information entered.';
?>

I can't believe I cannot get this script to work ...it's so simple and it's bugging me. ARGHHHHH!!!

it puts something in the database but its an empty insertion...nothing is there......

siwis

so echo the individual variables to screen and $sql to screen.

See whether the entries you make in the form are being passed to your datain script.

Comment out the sql query to avoid your database being filled with crap whilst you sort out the first problem (you're invisible variables 😉 )

cschotch

oh crud still errors...same ones when i just echo the variavbles....
ok im not getting it i guess.....
is there something that i need to do with $_POST at the front of the php script to bring all the variables over???

PHP Version 4.3.0
register globals are off...
anything else in php.ini i should check to see whats going on?

cschotch

ok..so i did the form i needed...finally found the problem thanks for all the help from everyone, unfortunately I did something stupid.
My webhost has register_globals on and my computer that i do for testing has it off so how do i turn it on on the local machine that i do all my work at?

ntburchf

Look in your php.ini file,
do a search for global , you'll find this

; You should do your best to write your scripts so that they do not require
; register_globals to be on; Using form variables as globals can easily lead
; to possible security problems, if the code is not very well thought of.
register_globals = On

zurron

what is the advantage or disadvantage to put
register_globals = On?

is it some security problem?

I had the same cschotch's problem and I fix it putting register_globals = On

thanks

cschotch

so if i do all my scripts on my local machine with register globals OFF will there be any problems with them on my webserver with them on???....

siwis

There is an inherent security risk (apparently) using register_globals = on) but as yet I've not seen an explanation that I found satisfactory as to why I shouldn't run that way.

I run my own web server, it only has my clients on which is where I'm potentailly different to many of you guys. I believe the crux of the problem is that with register_golbals = on, it makes no difference whether a variable is passed using POST or GET therefore scripts which you have set up expecting to receive their variables via POST could in theory be hijacked by someone placing them into the URL.

However, in my experience, good coding should remove this risk.
Sometimes, there's no risk at all because no variables are passed in to the script, they are collected through includes etc which automatically resets any passed in the URL.