Parse error: parse error, unexpected T_VARIABLE in c:\inetpub\wwwroot\test\script.php

[asneem]

Parse error: parse error, unexpected T_VARIABLE in c:\inetpub\wwwroot\test\script.php on line 22

Here is a script from resma.net. I tried the tutorial and at the last portion of the tutorial I get the above mentioned error. I tried several ways and went to the extent of actually pasting the entire code and the result is the same. I am very very new to PHP and MySQL. Infact not more than 24 hrs.

Would like to know whats wrong here...

<?
//Our PHP/MYSQL page.
//This script takes the data from the form
//fields and adds them to specified parts
//parts of the database
//MySQL Variables. Edit where necessary
$host = "localhost";
$login_name = "user";
$password = "pass";

//Connecting to MYSQL
MySQL_connect("$host","$login_name","$password");

//Select the database we want to use
MySQL_select_db("asneem1") or die("Could not select database");

//Assign contents of form to variables
$name = $POST['Name1'];
$email = $POST['Email1'];

$sql = "INSERT INTO addressbook SET
Email = "$email",
First_Name = "$name"
");

$result = mysql_query($sql);

//Code to check if statement executed properly and display message
if ($result) {
echo("Email and Name successully added");
} else {
echo("An error has occured");
}

//Close connection with MySQL
MySQL_close()
?>

[weekender]

in the $sql assignment, you need the entire thing on one line. Also, you need to escape quote marks (or use single quotes). And you have a random close bracket at the end of the statement.

$sql = "INSERT INTO addressbook SET Email = \"$email\", First_Name = \"$name\"";

escaping quote marks (by putting \ before) shows php that the quote mark should be included in the string, and does not indicate the end of the string.

[weekender]

forgot to say, an unexpected T_VARIABLE error appears regularly and almost always means that you forgot the semi colon (😉 from the end of a line, or a line has broken over two lines where it should be on one.

[helz]

aye, me thinks that the main problem is that little ol' ) bracket

good pickup weekender

[asneem]

first problem sorted out. the new problem is...

Undefined index: Name in c:\inetpub\wwwroot\test\script.php on line 18

Undefined index: Email in c:\inetpub\wwwroot\test\script.php on line 19

and nothing gets added to the database. only ID and empty fields. Am I being a Newbie Newbie. Man does this have to be so complicated.

<?
//Our PHP/MYSQL page.
//This script takes the data from the form
//fields and adds them to specified parts
//parts of the database
//MySQL Variables. Edit where necessary
$host = "localhost";
$login_name = "";
$password = "";

//Connecting to MYSQL
MySQL_connect("$host","$login_name","$password");

//Select the database we want to use
MySQL_select_db("asneem1") or die("Could not select database");

//Assign contents of form to variables
$name = $POST['Name'];
$email = $POST['Email'];

//{echo ($name);
//echo $email;
//echo ("$name");}

$sql = "INSERT INTO addressbook SET Email = \"$email\", First_Name = \"$name\"";
$result = mysql_query($sql);

//Code to check if statement executed properly and display message
if ($result) {
echo("Email and Name successully added");
} else {
echo("An error has occured");
}

//Close connection with MySQL
MySQL_close()
?>

[asneem]

Just sorted out the problem by replacing $POST with $GET..

Thanx for all the help.

[weekender]

the Undefined index errors occur when you use an array index (in []) and forget to use quote marks

$array[$index] works because it's a variable
$array['index1'] works because its a value in quote marks
$array[index1] will cause a warning.

note it is a warning, and not an error; so with default php ini error settings, it will not stop the script, just display the warning.

[helz]

ah kool, anyway his code seems to have the ' ' so could it be possible that its meant to be: name and email not Name and Email?

[suntra]

Little suggestion : use $REQUEST instead of $GET or $POST. $REQUEST is $GET + $POST + $COOKIE + $FILES.

[helz]

yeh but only if the vars in the uri and the vars from a form are unique, how will $REQUEST know the difference between
$POST['this']
and
$_GET['this']

[laserlight]

Originally posted by suntra
Little suggestion : use $REQUEST instead of $GET or $POST. $REQUEST is $GET + $POST + $COOKIE + $FILES.

Actually if you know the data should be coming from GET, it probably is better just to use $_GET.

[weekender]

ass-kicked by a girlie - youch!

😃

[helz]

yup ouch, but wouldn't $REQUEST get confused if you had 2 variables named the same, one being $GET['var'] and the other being $_POST['var'] ??

[suntra]

Be smart and don't name two variables with the same name. And I never use $GET with $POST. Never !