Undefined Variables - HTML Form

kevcox

I'm very new at PHP and having a hard time trying to get my form to submit the data to the MySQL DB. It submits a couple of the variables I've declared within the PHP Syntax but every variable established within the HTML Form indicates it is undefined. It was working and then all the sudden it stopped working with multiple "Undefined Variables".
Does anyone have any ideas?
Also you'll notice this page has lots of lines of code which is mostly JavaScript since PHP does not link to other objects like the two Drop Down Menus you'll see within my code. Does anyone know how I can reduce my lines of Code by replacing the lengthy JavaScript?

tsinka

Hi,

i think that register_globals is set to off in php.ini. In that case you need to use $GET['varname'] to fetch get variables and $POST['varname'] to fetch post variables (like the ones submitted by your form).

The javascript part can be reduced using arrays, somethink like (in short)

        var optionArray = new Array();
        optionArray["Commercial Property"] = new Array('Business Properties-Lease','Business Property-Sale');
        optionArray["Employment"] = new Array('Part Time','Full Time');

    function ChangeOne(category) {
            if (optionArray[category]) {
                    document.submit_ad.Subcategory.options.length=0;
                    for (i=0;i<optionArray[category].length;i++) {
                            myOpt = new Option();
                            myOpt.text = optionArray[category][i];
                            myOpt.value = optionArray[category][i];
                            document.submit_ad.Subcategory.options[document.submit_ad.Subcategory.options.length]=myOpt;
                    }
            }

    }

You need to change the category select code a little bit:

A way without the ChangeOne function is to submit the form each time the Category changes and to print the options using PHP.

Regards,
Thomas

kevcox

Thank you for the JavaScript recommendation. It will be a lot of work but will save lots of extra code that is probably slowing down the page.
The register_globals is turned off within the php.ini file but this issue is calling my variables posted within the same form this PHP code is in. Do I still need to use $POST and $GET to resolve this issue?

tsinka

Having register_globals set to off is the recommended setting. In that case you must use $GET and $POST to access get and post variables. So use $_POST for all variables that come from the form.

Thomas

tsinka

The file

kevcox

After reading my handy PHP book I understand what you are saying but I shouldn't have to use the $POST or $GET commands if the variables are being collected in the same page which has the code to post it to the MySQL DB. This is only used when variables need to be passed onto other webpages.
Am I missing something here?
I'm trying not to be difficult...

tsinka

You always need to use $_POST (at least if register_globals is set to off) even if you're posting to the same script.

But you need to check if the form has been submitted at all. This is why I added the isset line to the script.

Always use $POST to fetch post variables and $GET to fetch get variables.
$POST and $GET are not commands but arrays defined by PHP.