PHP getting data from the client

Newtophp4

Hello everyone my alias speaks for itself can anyone please help. I'm running PHP 4.3.1 on IIS 5.1. and using Beginning php 4 as a guide, but I ran into this problem.

Html page:

<HTML>
<HEAD></HEAD>
<BODY>
<FORM METHOD="GET" ACTION="text.php" >
Who is your favorite author?
<INPUT Name="Name" TYPE="TEXT">
<BR>
<BR>
<INPUT TYPE = SUBMIT>
<BR>
</FORM>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Php Page

<HTML>
<HEAD></HEAD>
<BODY>
Your favorite author is?
<?php

echo $Name;

?>
</BODY>
</HTML>

The problem is that it doesn't echo the variable, but displays a query string in the url.
I'm I missing an extension?

Thanks In advance
NTPhp4

TheDefender

Register Globals is off by default in your installed version of PHP. I don't recommend turning it on, but if you want to, you have to edit the php.ini file. I will let you search for how to do that yourself, but again, I STRONGLY urge you to not even think about it.

Instead, you should code to retrieve your variables using the SuperGlobal $_GET array.

So on your text.php page, it should be:

<?php
echo $_GET['Name'];
?>

The info in your book is a bit outdated. If you submit using the POST method instead of GET, then call the variable like so:

<?php
echo $_POST['Name'];
?>

You can read up on Predefined variables, including the Superglobal arrays, by clicking here and digging into the PHP Manual. You can also read up about why the Register Global option was turned off in the default install.

Newtophp4

Thanks Defender.

I think I'm going to pick up PHP 5.

NTPHP4

TheDefender

Just be carful learning PHP 5 only, because there is a bit you can learn that doesn't apply to 4... So just keep yourself aware to what you are trying to do... P.S. The same thing still applies.

ganesh129

why is it that you should have register globals off?

TheDefender

If you follow the link I provided above, you can read about it, but the basic idea is to prevent or minimize the potential for the malicious injection of variables by hackers or other unwanted net vandals. Of course, you always want to code so as to have a good system of checks, but this is a simple thing to do to minimize problems. There is a link there that will take you to this page where it discusses it in greater detail, and gives an example code of how it can be exploited.