PARSE_ERRORS, etc. Very basic questions, please help!

dezrik

Hey guys,

I'm a complete newbie when it comes to Php and I'm getting lost and frustrated with it.

I've managed to create a database for myself, one that you can add and delete entries from via some pages I created...

However whenever I get around to trying to make login page, no matter which way I try, I always end up stuffed.

The main error I have been getting is something along the lines of PARSE_ERROR: Unexpected T String at line...

This is my latest attempt, based on the Php For Dummies Book:

(First few lines of code:

"session_start();
include(“database_info.inc”);
switch (@$_GET[‘do’])
{
case “login”:

-> $connection = mysql_connect($host, $user, $password) or die (“Couldn’t connect to server.”);

$db = mysql_select_db($database, $connection) or die (“Couldn’t select database.”);
$sql = “SELECT loginName FROM newitstaff WHERE loginName=’$_POST[fusername]’”;
$result = mysql_query($sql) or die(“Couldn’t execute query.”);
$num = mysql_num_rows($result);
if ($num == 1) "

Now, the line marked '### ->' is where I am currently getting my parse error. Can anyone help? Does this have anything to do with superglobals, etc. I am not very understanding of them. For example, should it be something like '".$_REQUEST['host']."' instead of $host? (Tried that syntax and it didn't work either.

I'm sure it's some really simple error that you will all pick up on quickly but I would appreciate your help as I am very frustrated!!!!

laserlight

What is the parse error that you get?

Note that your post in this forum uses Microsoft specific quote characters. You should use the quote characters in the ASCII set.

dezrik

Okay I've simplified it a bit, so hopefully the error is within here:

This is the output: "Parse error: syntax error, unexpected T_STRING"

And this is the line it is referring to:

switch (@$_GET[‘do’])
{
case "login":
$connection = mysql_connect($host, $user, $password) or die (“Couldn’t connect to server.”);

Or at least, the line and the two lines preceeding it. The $connection line is the one where I am currently seeing an error... I think I got rid of the Microsoft quotes as well!

The page is told to include a "database_info.php" file at the top of the page, as well as a "session.start()" being the first line. (It was originally a database_info.inc based on the dummies book, but I changed it to .php and it seemed not to care either way.)

Rodney_H_

A little off-topic... (sorry)

I am not sure that I like the practice the book is teaching you, by placing an @ symbol in front of the GET value.

I think it is better to test to see if it is set, and then, if it is, use the swich case...

Also, I think it is a good practice to quote array keys in the GET, POST, SESSION superglobals...

Lastly, I would not save my DB config info in a file with a .inc file extension. I would save it in a .php file and try and locate it ABOVE the root of the other files, for security. (But, that is another story, which you can find more about by searching the forums here...) But at lease change the file extension to PHP (making sure to use proper PHP syntax within it to avoid another parse error.

One last thing that is helpful is using the: mysql_error() function when
you are first starting out to see WHAT exactly the error is when trying to establish your connection to SQL, or selecting your db, or within your query statement, etc...

SO, I would suggest:

<?php
session_start();

include('database_info.php'); 

// if the value is set:
if(isset($_GET['do']))
{
	// determine action:
	switch($_GET['do']) {

	case 'login':

		$connection = mysql_connect($host, $user, $password) or die (mysql_error());

		$db = mysql_select_db($database, $connection) or die (mysql_error());

		$sql = "SELECT loginName 
				FROM newitstaff 
				WHERE loginName = '" . $_POST['fusername'] . "'
				LIMIT 1";

		$result = mysql_query($sql) or die(mysql_error());

		if(mysql_num_rows($result))
		{
			//echo 'you were found...';
		}
		else {
			//echo 'you were NOT! found...';
		}
		break;

	case 'logout':
		// do something else
		break;
} // .end switch
} // .end if "do" is set
?>

dezrik

Thanks a lot Rodney H - I'm going to try putting that into action now!

Also, I went through the code a little more and indeed some of the quotes WERE Microsoft formatted that I missed! :S Seems to have fixed up a lot of my parse errors... Now I just need to fix up all the other ones. 🙂

laserlight

I think I got rid of the Microsoft quotes as well

Look carefully at: $GET[‘do’]. See a difference with $GET['do']?

I am not sure that I like the practice the book is teaching you, by placing an @ symbol in front of the GET value.

Agreed. Use [man]isset/man or [man]empty/man to check incoming variables before using them.

dezrik

Thanks Laserlight, I'm so tired and frustrated the quotes thing went over my head at first!

I'm now attempting to get the isset() thing working instead of doing it the book's way.

rvdavid

a quick workaround the if (isset($_GET['do])) check is the ternary operator.

$do = (isset($_GET['do'])) ? $_GET['do'] : null;

switch ($do) {
    case 'logout':
        //... logout process
        break;

default:
    //... process to handle an empty do.
    break;
}

HTH

Regards,