simple href / php var problem

[Robby_G]

hi - I'm a beginner with a simple problem.
I've debugged the situation enough to know that my php server and scripts are working okay for executing functions assigning a variable like this:

$var1 = "PHP"; // Assigns a value of "PHP" to $var1
$var2 = 5; // Assigns a value of 5 to $var2

but when I try to do the typical and basic action of assigning a selectable variable in an href statement so that the variable is passed to the named .php file, something isn't working.

i.e.

<a href="welcome.php?name=Kevin"> Hi, I'm Kevin! </a>

should cause this file:
<?php
echo( "Welcome to our Web site, $name !" );
?>

to come up as:
Welcome to our Web site, Kevin!

BUT INSTEAD, ALL I'M GETTING IS
Welcome to our Website, !

???? thanks,
Rob

[grieg]

You need to assign the $name variable like this: $name = $_REQUEST["name"];
also take a look in manual at HTTP POST VARS
and this is straight copy from the same manual (it is a very simple thing to take a look at it):

Request variables: $_REQUEST
Note:
Introduced in 4.1.0. There is no equivalent array in earlier versions.

An associative array consisting of the contents of $GET, $POST, and $_COOKIE.

Note:
Prior to PHP 4.3.0, $FILES information was also included into $REQUEST.

This is a 'superglobal', or automatic global, variable. This simply means that it is available in all scopes throughout a script. You don't need to do a global $_REQUEST; to access it within functions or methods.

If the register_globals directive is set, then these variables will also be made available in the global scope of the script; i.e., separate from the $_REQUEST array. For related information, see the security chapter titled Using Register Globals. These individual globals are not autoglobals

[Robby_G]

COOL!

but pardon my ignorance here, but which manual? is there a default manual for PHP? where do I go?

[grieg]

http://www.php.net/docs.php
also i have seen a lot of HTML versions of this manual on the web