Session Problem

Storyman

I'm having a problem with a script found on page 289 of Gareth Downes-Powell's book, "Dreamweaver MX: Advanced PHP Web Development." The script is part of a process that allows users to select their preference for a stylesheet.

The PHP version being run is 4.3 and global variables is off. Does the script, as written, need global variables on? Is it possible the problem has to do with $_SERVER['HTTP_REFERER']? I recall seeing somewhere that there could be problems when using it with GET.

Anyone know of an alternate way to allow users to select their favorite stylesheet?

When the script runs it chokes on this line:
(Of course my_domain is replaced with the real domain.)

setcookie("first_name", $first_name, mktime(21,00,0,12,31,2014,"/", ".my_domain.com", 0);

The error message reads:

Parse error: parse error in /public_html/change_style.php on line 11

THIS IS THE COMPLETE CODE:

<?php 

$style_selection=strip_tags($_GET['style_selection']);

$first_name=strip_tags($_GET["first_name"]);

if($style_selection == "" || $first_name == "") 
{
header("Location: $_SERVER['HTTP_REFERER']");
}

setcookie("first_name", $first_name, mktime(21,00,0,12,31,2014,"/", ".my_domain.com", 0);

setcookie("style_selection", style_selection, mktime(21,00,0,12,31,2014,"/", ".my_domain.com", 0);

header("Location: $_SERVER[HTTP_REFERER]");
?>

Weedpacket

A parse error means that your code doesn't conform to PHP's syntax for one reason or another.

The problem, as you guessed, is this line

header("Location: $_SERVER['HTTP_REFERER']");

For some reason that I've never bothered to look into, associative array indices inside double-quoted strings shouldn't be quoted. Sounds dumb to me, but there are several workarounds. The most effective for various reasons IMO is

header("Location: ".$_SERVER['HTTP_REFERER']);

PS: when posting code, consider using the [php]...[/php] tags so that it's easier to read.

Storyman

Weedpacket,

Made the script header changes you suggested. It's a good tip to know.

I'm still getting the error problem.

After numberous debugging attempts it appears that the problem is associated with:

".my_domain.com", 0);

I've tried: "http://www.my_domain.com" and "www.my_domain.com", but of course they didn't work.

The problem appears to be ".my_domain.com". Any ideas?

BTW Thanks for the PHP tag. Already revised my original posting.

Weedpacket

Ah, are you sure it's the same error? Because the error message I get now is
Parse error: parse error, unexpected ';' in test.php on line 13

which highlights the fact you're missing a ) on that line 🙂

Storyman

Weedpacket,

Another tip of the hat for your astute observation. Finally have the script running fine.

One question remains about why the book gives the code without quotation marks and both you and Dreamweaver MX write the code with single quotation marks around HTTP_REFERER.

In the book the line of code is written:

header("Location: $_SERVER[HTTP_REFERER]");

Dreamweaver writes the code as:

header("Location: " .$_SERVER['HTTP_REFERER']);

Does it make any difference if the single quotations are left off of HTTP_REFERER?

Does moving the double quotation mark immediately after Location: and inserting the joiner dot make a difference to if the single quotation marks appear around HTTP_REFERER?