Strange Problem, not a newbie!

blazin

I'm working on a new client's website and ran into a problem that is probably pretty easy to fix.

If I make a very simple script called test.php:

<?php
echo $test;
?>

Then run this URL: http://www.domain.com/test.php?test=hello

Its blank!

If i take the very same script and upload it to a different client's server, it works fine.

if i run phpinfo() on this server, i get the php info screen (version 4.2.2) looks normal to me. It is also running on an NT server.

Anybody have any idea of what it could be? I'd like to contact the ISP and tell them what the problem is instead of getting the run-around from them.

thanks!

driverdave

What does register_globals say under phpinfo?

Check out superglobals.

Access test via the GET superglobal, $_GET["test"]

jpmoriarty

does it work if you do

<?php
  $test = "hello";
  echo $test;
?>

At least you'd know if it did that its a problem with the posting (or getting, which ever it is) rather than the php itself.

If they've not allowed global variables don't you have to use $GET["test"] (or $POST["test"]) or something?

Sorry to not be specific - just trying to help!

blazin

Thanks for such the quick responses! 😃

according to phpinfo();

register_globals = Off

The script works if I change it to this:

<?php
echo $_GET["test"];
?>

I can just use $GET and $POST... that works fine.

Is there any reason why the ISP would have register globals off?

jpmoriarty

it's supposed to be sloppy programming or something if you rely on them being on - If you look in the PHP ini file then there's blurb about it before the variables are there.

Personally i turn it on - but i think that's because i'm a sloppy programmer.

theeper

register_globals=off was implemented to eliminate the issue of variable poisoning.

Imagine you have a script called myscript.php that looks like this ...

<?
do {
echo "<BR>$i";
$i++;
} while ($i < 10);
?>

... and you called it like this ...
<A HREF="myscript.php">myscript</A>

... it would echo this

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

.. but if I call the script like this with register globals off ...

<A HREF="myscript.php?i=5">myscript</A>

... it would echo
5
6
7
8
9

With register_globals=off, the script would not accept my GET variable, and I would not be able to overwrite the value of $i, so it would run normaly.