php only works after submit button pressed

fixin2ride

recently i sucessfully installed php mysql and apache server on my windows XP machine. one click and it was working just like they said. i did my usual "hello world" program and then the phpinfo() script. then i started to write a simple guestbook program in order to learn the basics of php (and cuz i wanted a guestbook too).

while testing a file read to a flat non-mysql file i decided to write a way simple read file/print file script and run it by itself. nothing happened. went back to try the "hello world" and phpinfo() scripts and the won't run... just blank screens.

the funny thing? php WILL run in my guestbook script after the form is filled out and the isset($_POST['submit']) turns to TRUE.

another test i did. i at the bottom of my simple(and working) guestbook script, i put a simple <?php phpinfo();?>...... according to my limited knowledge, this script should run with the page, should it not? unfortunately, it only runs, once again, AFTER the submit button is pressed, even though it is in no way connected to the form.....

i'm at a loss....

dalecosp

Originally posted by fixin2ride
i'm at a loss....

Sounds like it.

If you'd like help with your issues, you might give us some useful information --- maybe even post the code?. See the "Newbies Forum FAQ" above, and perhaps http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html ...

fixin2ride

here's the code that works. ONLY after the submit buttnon has been pressed. why doesn't the phpinfo() at the bottom of the script work unless the sumit button is pressed?

<html>
<head>
<title>GUESTBOOK -- Add a Guest</title>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
<script language = "javascript" type = "text/javascript">
</script>
<style type="text/css">
body {
	margin:0px 0px 0px 0px;		}
</style>
</head>

<body bgcolor="#CCCCFF">

<hr>
<?php
ini_set('display_errors',1);
error_reporting(E_ALL &~E_NOTICE);
		if (isset($_POST['submit'])){
			if (empty($_POST['guestname'])|| empty($_POST['guestcom'])){
				print "name is empty dude <br><hr>";}
			else{	
				$gname=strip_tags($_POST['guestname']);
				$gloc=strip_tags($_POST['guestloc']);
				$gmail=strip_tags($_POST['guestmail']);
				$gcom=strip_tags($_POST['guestcom']);
				while (list ($key,$val) = each ($_POST)){
					echo "$key => $val<br>";}
}
}
?> [/COLOR]
<form action="http://localhost/addguest.php" method=POST>
Your Name:
<input type=text name="guestname" size=30><br>
Location:
<input type=text name="guestloc" size=25><br>
Email:
<input type=text name="guestmail" size=25/><br>
Comments:
<textarea name="guestcom" rows="5" cols="30"></textarea>
<br>
<input type=submit value="submit" name="submit">
<input type=reset>
</form>
<hr>
<?php phpinfo(); ?>
</body>
</html>

as i said in my earlier message... my simple test scripts won't work either but this will....

The_Chancer

I always try and set the code out so it is easy to read and you can tell where the braces are:

<html>
<head>
<title>GUESTBOOK -- Add a Guest</title>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
<script language = "javascript" type = "text/javascript">
</script>
<style type="text/css">

body {
margin:0px 0px 0px 0px; }
</style>
</head>

<body bgcolor="#CCCCFF">

<hr>
<?php
ini_set('display_errors',1);
error_reporting(E_ALL &~E_NOTICE);
if (isset($_POST['submit']))
{
	if (empty($_POST['guestname'])|| empty($_POST['guestcom']))
	{
		print "name is empty dude <br><hr>";
	}
	else
	{
		$gname=strip_tags($_POST['guestname']);
		$gloc=strip_tags($_POST['guestloc']);
		$gmail=strip_tags($_POST['guestmail']);
		$gcom=strip_tags($_POST['guestcom']);
		while (list ($key,$val) = each ($_POST))
		{
			echo "$key => $val<br>";
		}
	}
}
?>
<form action="<?php $_SERVER['PHP_SELF'];?>" method=POST>
Your Name:
<input type=text name="guestname" size=30><br>
Location:
<input type=text name="guestloc" size=25><br>
Email:
<input type=text name="guestmail" size=25/><br>
Comments:
<textarea name="guestcom" rows="5" cols="30"></textarea>
<br>
<input type=submit value="submit" name="submit">
<input type=reset>
</form>
<hr>
<?php phpinfo(); ?>
</body>
</html>

All works fine on my machine..
phpinfo is displayed at all times, and the submit works...

Oh - and always close your HTML sections..

fixin2ride

well, any clue is a good clue. 🙂

i'm thinking i'm going to reinstall php and my server... my php is working except for whatever reason and it's working on your machine so that doesn't leave much but some setup snafu or something, a setting i don't know about, that somehow got changed....

thanks for the help!

mandrews1234

I'm not sure I understand what you are asking, but all php code will run once you load the page, if you are going to the page. I.E. if you want the function runNow() to run on startup, just call it. When the user goes to that site, it will run and output whatever you tell it to wherever it is located with the html. Make sure you index file is name with the .php extension. Even if you put html tags in it. Here is an example of index.php

<html>
<head><title>some title</title></head>
<body>
<?php print("this is php output");?>
<h1><?php print("this is php output within a h1 tag");?>
</h1>
<?php print("this is php that can print the <b>bold</b> tag itself"); ?>
<p>this is regular html crap.</p>
<h2>This is a submit button, click it and some php will run</h2>
<form method = "post"><input type="submit" value = "Click for some php code to run" name = "submit"/></form>

<?php
if(isset($_POST['submit'])){

echo("You clicked the Button!");

}

?>
</body>
</html>

Just paste that into any php file and open it in Firefox (or Internet Explorer if your an idiot).

HalfaBee

Just as a side note, in IE if you press ENTER it is not the same as clicking the submit button and the submit value is not set.

SpeedBird

It could be a problem with verb permissions (GET, HEAD, POST, etc.) with your web server (especially if it's IIS). Try testing your configuration with all verbs allowed for PHP.