When php &quot;meets&quot; unicode

When php "meets" unicode

rolwong

I have a big difficulty in using unicode with PHP. I created a php file with the following script and save as unicode format in notepad.

<?
session_start();
$HTTP_SESSION_VARS['language'] = "3";
echo $HTTP_SESSION_VARS['language'];
?>
<html>
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8">
<title>test2</title>
</head>
<body>
Testing
</body>
</html>

I run this with apache 2.0.3 and php 4.3, the following warning occurs: (** the word "Testing" will be replaced by Chinese letters, so that is why i really need to use unicode)

Warning: Cannot send session cookie - headers already sent by (output started at C:\myapache\wise_teacher\test1.php:1) in C:\myapache\wise_teacher\test1.php on line 2

Warning: Cannot send session cache limiter - headers already sent (output started at C:\myapache\wise_teacher\test1.php:1) in C:\myapache\wise_teacher\test1.php on line 2
3 Testing

Can somebody tell me what's wrong with this? How to avoid this problem? Million of thanks.

dwilson32

are you including this file in another PHP document? I am trying to find the post I saw a long time ago on how to clear the buffers before sending more headers so that you don't get that error.

I normally have one HTML page generated by the main PHP module and include everything else based on events. This way I never send a header a second time and you can get HTML tables to function like frames this way.

Kind of like:

 
<? session_start(); ?>
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>
<? echo $sPageTitle; ?>
</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY>

<table width="100%" border=1>
    <tr>
        <td width="20%">
            Something in the left side of the table such as navigation links
        </td>
        <td width="80%"> 

<?
// I didn' include any session functions because 
// I don't believe that was your problem

$sRequest = $_GET['request'];

switch ($sRequest)
{
    case "":
?>
    <table><tr><td>
        Show some default content.  Like the main index content because the request variable has not been populated.
    </tr></td></table>
<?
    case "products":
?>
    <table><tr><td>
        Show some content for the products page.  I usually store my content in a database so that it can be easily updated with other interface modules.
    </tr></td></table>
<?
}

?>
        </td>
    </tr>
</table>
</BODY>
</HTML>

dwilson32

I can't recreate your error no matter how hard I try.
I even included the document within another that was already sending headers.

I would still go with making the main HTML body template static and then making the rest dynamic. Sorry if this didn't help.

Weedpacket

Here's a question. Seeing as the error message is stating that the output causing the problem was started on line 1 of the file, what is on line 1?

I've got a fairly good guess in mind, but I want to hear what you reckon it is.

dwilson32

Line 1 is starting the session. That has to be the first thing in his script. If he has that included in another script with session_start() it could cause problems I suppose but I can't get it to fail.
Normally can't get $HTTP_SESSION_VARIABLES to work so I use $_SESSION, however, both ways still don't fail when I try and recreate his problem.

Weedpacket

Originally posted by dwilson32
Line 1 is starting the session. That has to be the first thing in his script.

No: if you read the error message the session_start() is on line 2 of the same file.

dwilson32

While the error specifies session_start on line 2 it is still in the correct place. You can not have session_start outside of the <? ?>

session start is in the correct place. Line 1 of the actual code.

Weedpacket

The line numbers given in PHP's error messages refer to lines in files. So the question still stands:

session_start() is on line 2. What is on line 1?

rolwong

No, I didn't include any file from other php, it is only a single file.
I really have no idea how to solve this problem.

dwilson32

The line numbers given in PHP's error messages refer to lines in files. So the question still stands:

don't be an idiot. if the session_start is on line 2 then obviously <? is on line 1.

rolwong

dwilson32
I cause this problem when my <meta> uses charset UTF-8 and also save as UTF-8 format. This error would happen when I try to save as UTF-8 format ONLY

examancer

make sure there are NO character, newlines, empty lines... NO ANYTHING before the <? tag... if there is the server will spit out headers, which will cause you session stuff to fail like it did. I'm not sure if thats the problem, but double check anyways.

dwilson32

Good point but I tried putting a space before the <? and it did not fail. I also saved it as unicode and it did not fail. I am thinking that it is his apache or PHP setup. I am at a loss

rolwong

When I write this script, there is no blank line before the first <?, I even write it on a single line, warning still exist.
I figured out this wouldn't happen when save as ANSI format. Only happens when saving as unicode. Unicode makes me mad.

rolwong

dwilson32
Do you mind tell me what version of apache you are using?
I have tested with 2 version, apache 1.3 and apach 2.0.3. Both are failed

dwilson32

I have version 1.3.24

dwilson32

Maybe this will provide some information and maybe not.

http://forums.devshed.com/t4411/s.html?highlight=bless+Chinese:)

http://phpwiki.sourceforge.net/phpwiki/Utf8Migration

rolwong

Thanks for the reference. It doesn't help a lot when display chinese letter.
I start to guess that it is a matter of unicode, not php or apache.

rolwong

dwilson,
The second reference gave me a big hint. Seem can work it out.
Thanks a lot

rolwong

dwilson32
What I did was following the instruction to amend php.ini, Chinese letter can be displayed properly and no more warning msgs are displayed.
Seems the following script correct the output warning:

;; Enable Output Buffering
output_buffering = On

;; Set mb_output_handler to enable output conversion
output_handler = mb_output_handler