[RESOLVED] Redirecting error using header()

[philweb]

Hi,

I have a script that uploads the files to the server and inserts the link into the database, but what I want to do is to have the page redirect to a confirmation page when the submit button is pressed. I have used the header function but it is throwing up an error and was wondering if anyone might know why? The error is -
Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/philweb/public_html/add_file5.php:1) in /home/philweb/public_html/add_file5.php on line 118

this is line 118

$pdf = "uploads/pdf".$_FILES['upload_pdf']['name'];

Thanks in advance as always,

Phil

Here is the full script:

$page_title = 'Upload a File';

if (isset($_POST['submit'])) { // Handle the form.

require_once ('./mysql_connect.php'); // Connect to the database.

$message = NULL;

// Function for escaping and trimming form data.
function escape_data ($data) { 
	global $dbc;
	if (ini_get('magic_quotes_gpc')) {
		$data = stripslashes($data);
	}
	return mysql_real_escape_string (trim ($data), $dbc);
} // End of escape_data() function.

 // Check for a property type.
if (!empty($_POST['type'])) {
	$t = escape_data($_POST['type']);
	$message .= '<p>You forgot to enter the property type!</p>';
} else {
	$t = '';
}
// Check for a location.
if (!empty($_POST['location'])) {
	$l = escape_data($_POST['location']);
	$message .= '<p>You forgot to enter your location!</p>';
} else {
	$l = '';
}
// Check for a price.
if (!empty($_POST['price'])) {
	$p = escape_data($_POST['price']);
	$message .= '<p>You forgot to enter the price!</p>';
} else {
	$p = '';
}
// Check for a reference.
if (!empty($_POST['ref'])) {
	$r = escape_data($_POST['ref']);
	$message .= '<p>You forgot to enter the reference!</p>';
} else {
	$r = '';
}
// Highlights.
if (!empty($_POST['high_lights'])) {
	$h = escape_data($_POST['high_lights']);
	$message .= '<p>You forgot to enter the highlights!</p>';
} else {
	$h = '';
}

// Status.
if (!empty($_POST['status'])) {
	$s = escape_data($_POST['status']);
	$message .= '<p>You forgot to enter the status!</p>';
} else {
	$s = '';
}
// Check for a reference.
if (!empty($_POST['active'])) {
	$a = escape_data($_POST['active']);
	$message .= Null;
} else {
	$a = '';
}
$pics_thumburl = "uploads/".$_FILES['upload']['name'];

$pdf = "uploads/pdf".$_FILES['upload_pdf']['name'];

// Add the record to the database.
$query = "INSERT INTO woodman (type, location, price, ref, high_lights, status, pics_thumburl, pdf, registration_date) VALUES ('$t', '$l', '$p', '$r', '$h', '$s', '$pics_thumburl', '$pdf', NOW())";
$result = @mysql_query ($query);

if ($result) {



	// Create the file name.
	$extension = explode ('.', $_FILES['upload']['name']);
	$uid = mysql_insert_id(); // Upload ID
	$filename = $_FILES['upload']['name'];

	// Move the file over.
	if (move_uploaded_file($_FILES['upload']['tmp_name'], "./uploads/$filename")) {
		echo '<p>The file has been uploaded!</p>';
	} else {
		echo '<p><font color="red">The file could not be moved.</font></p>';

		// Remove the record from the database.
		$query = "DELETE FROM woodman WHERE upload_id = $uid";
		$result = @mysql_query ($query);
	}
	// Create the file name.
	$extension = explode ('.', $_FILES['upload_pdf']['name']);
	$uid = mysql_insert_id(); // Upload ID
	$filename = $_FILES['upload_pdf']['name'];

	// Move the file over.
	if (move_uploaded_file($_FILES['upload_pdf']['tmp_name'], "./uploads/pdf/$filename")) {;

	} else {
		echo '<p><font color="red">The file could not be moved.</font></p>';

		// Remove the record from the database.
		$query = "DELETE FROM woodman WHERE upload_id = $uid";
		$result = @mysql_query ($query);
	} 

} else { // If the query did not run OK.
	echo '<p><font color="red">Your submission could not be processed due to a system error. We apologize for any inconvenience.</font></p>'; 
}
header ('Location: http://www.mysite.co.uk/woodman_confirm_detail.php');
mysql_close(); // Close the database connection.

} // End of the main Submit conditional.

[Tyree]

header() operations MUST take place before any html is output to the page.

[philweb]

Thanks for the reply, so where would you put the header () line for it to work?

Thanks,

Phil

[Tyree]

You would need to get it before the doctype and html tags for the html portion of the page. Since php parses from top down, it'll get to the header() before it sees any html code.

[philweb]

Hi,

I have put the header () in the php code which goes before the doctype html code, so why am I getting the error?

Thanks,

Phil

[Tyree]

If all that code is before the html, that's good. But, then you have parts like this:

if (move_uploaded_file($_FILES['upload']['tmp_name'], "./uploads/$filename")) { 
            echo '<p>The file has been uploaded!</p>'; 
        } else { 
            echo '<p><font color="red">The file could not be moved.</font></p>';

That's outputting html to your page before it gets to the header() bit.

Which I'm not real sure why that's in there anyway since (unless I'm missing something) it seems like you'll be switching pages before the user sees that anyway. 🙂

[philweb]

I have placed the header near the top before any html and I am still getting the error as above, how would you adapt the script to have the page redirect after submitting?

Thanks,

Phil

[Tyree]

Okay, analyzing your code...

So, once your form is submitted...
You go through some error checking...for which the code is not making much sense to me.

if (!empty($_POST['type'])) { 
        $t = escape_data($_POST['type']); 
        $message .= '<p>You forgot to enter the property type!</p>'; 
    } else { 
        $t = '';
}

If you get a value for 'type', then set $t to the value and then print a message that says you didn't fill it in??? If you don't have a value, then $t is nothing???

Why not do it this way:

if (strlen($_POST['type'])) { 
        $t = escape_data($_POST['type']);
    } else { 
        $message .= '<p>You forgot to enter the property type!</p>';
}

So, that would say, if you have a value for 'type' then set $t to that value....otherwise, append an error to the $message var.

Okay, after you check for the errors...
You'll probably want to put an if statement around your sql query so that it doesn't occur if there were errors:

if (empty($message)){
$query = "INSERT INTO woodman (type, location, price, ref, high_lights, status, pics_thumburl, pdf, registration_date) VALUES ('$t', '$l', '$p', '$r', '$h', '$s', '$pics_thumburl', '$pdf', NOW())"; 
    $result = @mysql_query ($query);
}

Next...You have your file operations. That all looks fine...basically.

What confuses me about all this is that you've got the header() there with only one condition on it. If the form is submitted, go to http://www.mysite.co.uk/woodman_confirm_detail.php. So, none of the error checking, confirm and failure messages matter at all. They're set and ready to go, but right before they're displayed to the user, the page changes. They'll never know if their operation worked or not.

Where is $message printed?

You should do the same type thing as $message with all the echos you've written for the file operations. Maybe even append those to the $message var. That way you can leave your header() where it is because you won't be echoing anything.

The only case you'd need to echo something is in the event of an error. If everything goes fine, the page will redirect and you won't see any message unless you send it to the following page to be displayed.

You'll need to put your redirect in a conditional statement as well. If there are errors, don't do it and print the message on the page instead.

See what I mean?

[Pehape]

to use header even after output, set the value of your 'output_buffering' on php.ini to 'ON' or set it in bytes (e.g 4096)..., (set this on will make your page load slower in price),
then to let your messages to be viewed for a few seconds before redirect, try to use this
header("Refresh:3;url=http://www.mysite.co.uk/woodman_confirm_detail.php");
it will wait for 3 seconds before redirecting to url you specified.
other option to redirect? use js (make like a 'goto' function) instead of header.

[suntra]

Pehape wrote:

to use header even after output, set the value of your 'output_buffering' on php.ini to 'ON' or set it in bytes (e.g 4096)..., (set this on will make your page load slower in price),
then to let your messages to be viewed for a few seconds before redirect, try to use this
header("Refresh:3;url=http://www.mysite.co.uk/woodman_confirm_detail.php");
it will wait for 3 seconds before redirecting to url you specified.
other option to redirect? use js (make like a 'goto' function) instead of header.

JS => not activated by everyone...

Output buffering can also be set using ob_start() and other functions... (see php.net)

[Pehape]

yeah, that's what i said as an other option... use it with consideration and
yeah like u said, it's better to let the ob value to 'off' and make it start using ob_start(), when u ready to throw the output , u can use ob_end_flush();

[philweb]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for your responses, I have made a few changes to the code to what you said tyree, but I still can't get it to work. Well, what I mean is I still can't get it to either show the error messages if there was an error or transfer to another page when it is submitted. When I use the ob_start, clean and flush with the script the script works as far as it will submit all of the boxes to the database and upload the files, but it won't then say after submitting that the file was trasferred. When I don't use the ob() function I get an error like this - Your submission could not be processed due to a system error. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Warning: mysql_close(): no MySQL-Link resource supplied in /home/philweb/public_html/add_file6.php on line 114

I am sorry but I am going to have to call on your expertise to get me out of this one again. Here is the code for what I have done, I have taken the ob() function out.

Thanks,

Phil

// Set the page title and include the HTML header.
$page_title = 'Upload a File';

if (isset($_POST['submit'])) { // Handle the form.

require_once ('./mysql_connect.php'); // Connect to the database.

// Function for escaping and trimming form data.
function escape_data ($data) { 
	global $dbc;
	if (ini_get('magic_quotes_gpc')) {
		$data = stripslashes($data);
	}
	return mysql_real_escape_string (trim ($data), $dbc);
} // End of escape_data() function.

 // Check for a property type.
if (strlen($_POST['type'])) { 
    $t = escape_data($_POST['type']);
} else { 
    $message .= '<p>You forgot to enter the property type!</p>';
}

// Check for a location.
if (strlen($_POST['location'])) { 
    $l = escape_data($_POST['location']);
} else { 
    $message .= '<p>You forgot to enter the location!</p>';
}

// Check for a price.
if (strlen($_POST['price'])) { 
    $p = escape_data($_POST['price']);
} else { 
    $message .= '<p>You forgot to enter the price!</p>';
}

}
// Check for a reference.
if (strlen($_POST['ref'])) { 
    $r = escape_data($_POST['ref']);
} else { 
    $message .= '<p>You forgot to enter the reference!</p>';
}

// Highlights.
if (strlen($_POST['high_lights'])) { 
    $h = escape_data($_POST['high_lights']);
} else { 
    $message .= '<p>You forgot to enter the highlights!</p>';
}


// Status.
if (strlen($_POST['status'])) { 
    $s = escape_data($_POST['status']);
} else { 
    $message .= '<p>You forgot to enter the status!</p>';
}

$pics_thumburl = "uploads/".$_FILES['upload']['name'];

$pdf = "uploads/pdf".$_FILES['upload_pdf']['name'];

// Add the record to the database.
if (empty($message)){
$query = "INSERT INTO woodman (type, location, price, ref, high_lights, status, pics_thumburl, pdf, registration_date) VALUES ('$t', '$l', '$p', '$r', '$h', '$s', '$pics_thumburl', '$pdf', NOW())"; 
    $result = @mysql_query ($query);
}

if ($result) {



	// Create the file name.
	$extension = explode ('.', $_FILES['upload']['name']);
	$uid = mysql_insert_id(); // Upload ID
	$filename = $_FILES['upload']['name'];

	// Move the file over.
	if (move_uploaded_file($_FILES['upload']['tmp_name'], "./uploads/$filename")) {
		echo '<p>The file has been uploaded!</p>';
	} else {
		echo '<p><font color="red">The file could not be moved.</font></p>';

		// Remove the record from the database.
		$query = "DELETE FROM woodman WHERE upload_id = $uid";
		$result = @mysql_query ($query);
	}
	// Create the file name.
	$extension = explode ('.', $_FILES['upload_pdf']['name']);
	$uid = mysql_insert_id(); // Upload ID
	$filename = $_FILES['upload_pdf']['name'];

	// Move the file over.
	if (move_uploaded_file($_FILES['upload_pdf']['tmp_name'], "./uploads/pdf/$filename")) {;

	} else {
		echo '<p><font color="red">The file could not be moved.</font></p>';

		// Remove the record from the database.
		$query = "DELETE FROM woodman WHERE upload_id = $uid";
		$result = @mysql_query ($query);
	} 
	header ('Location: http://www.mysite.co.uk/woodman_confirm_detail.php');
} else { // If the query did not run OK.
	echo '<p><font color="red">Your submission could not be processed due to a system error. We apologize for any inconvenience.</font></p>'; 
}


mysql_close(); // Close the database connection.

[philweb]

Hi,

I have changed the mysql result line to what you said. The errors still say when I view the page "Your submission could not be processed due to a system error. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Warning: mysql_close(): no MySQL-Link resource supplied in /home/philweb/public_html/add_file6.php on line 114"

Line 114 is the

mysql_close();

However when I now upload the form there is a message that says the file has been uploaded but then a waning like this appears - Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/philweb/public_html/add_file6.php:1) in /home/philweb/public_html/add_file6.php on line 108

Line 108 is this -

header ('Location: http://www.mysite.co.uk/woodman_confirm_detail.php');

Thanks,

Phil

[Pehape]

yeah, that's because you remove the ob() function. header cannot be sent because an output has already started.
have u try what i said before, try to use like
header("Refresh:3;url=http://www.mysite.co.uk/woodman_confirm_detail.php");
it hold display for 3 second, that's enough for ur user to read the result information.
e.g:

  if (move_uploaded_file($_FILES['upload']['tmp_name'], "./uploads/$filename")) { 
           ob_start();
           header("Refresh:3;url=http://www.mysite.co.uk/woodman_confirm_detail.php");
           echo '<p>The file has been uploaded!</p>';
           ob_end_flush();  

        } 

i assume the words 'file has been uploaded!' is ur first output.
user can read it for 3 secs before it moves to url you specify.
try to apply it in your code.

[Tyree]

Phil,

The problem is you're still echoing before you get to the header(). Because of this you will always get the header error.

Before you can go any further, you have to decide if you want the user to see any confirmation message on this page before he/she is redirected.

Right now, if you were to set all those echos to be a variable...like you did with $message...you could echo them out after the redirect...BUT, that makes no sense because you'll be on another page before the message is ever printed.

So, right now you're between a rock and a hard place. The way I see it, you have 3 options:
1. Scrap confirmation messages to get the redirect working.
2. Set the confirmation messages as a variable and pass the variable to the next page to be displayed there.
3. Scrap the redirect and provide a link under the confirm messages to go to the next page.

Well, a fourth would be Pehape's suggestion...Although I've never done that and if you're not absolutley sure of yourself, I wouldn't go tinkering with the php.ini file. 🙂

Let me know which of those options you want to do.

Later!

[stolzyboy]

if you are going to use ob_start(), put it as the FIRST line of the entire page, that'll supress the header error

of course, it is best to rethink how you are doing things so you can negate using the ob_start(), but it will work as suggested

stolzyboy

[philweb]

Hi,

Yes it has all got a bit confusing, so I think that I would like to scrap the message and just get the redirection working once the form is submitted. Is it possible to write a few lines for me to insert into the code to get this working?

As usual, I appreciate all of your help and one day I hope to be able to offer some help to other newbies.

Thanks,

Phil

[Pehape]

if you decide to scrap the message, then do a usual insert routine and after that feel confident to place your header("location:url");,yeah it would work since you decided to scrap the output message, just remember that header location must takes place before any output. make sure there is no output before (including any html tag or the one you echoed), so you can place your header location anywhere in your code.
: in your code. e.g (form.php)

    <?
       if (isset($_POST['submit'])) // true if submit button is pressed
      { cek post variable then do a insert process 
         header("location:url"); // redirect
       }
      else
      { ?> 
         <html>
                ...
                   <form action=form.php method=post>
                   ...       //input box here including submit button, name="submit"
                  </form>
                ...
         </html>
    <?  }
?>

see, each time this page is processed (start from top) until it found the header function, no output would be sent. the form is the else part, where the user first open your page, the isset submit s false since submit is not set yet. -- if submit is pressed then it will re-call the page and start from top again. where now, the isset is the true part. so no tag html will be sent. and your header will work fine.

[philweb]

Thanks Pehape,

I have tried putting in your code into my script but I can't seem to get it working, is the code you wrote correct? Is it possible you can adjust the code below so you can see what you are working with?

Thanks,

Phil

$page_title = 'Upload a File';

if (isset($_POST['submit'])) { // Handle the form.
     require_once ('./mysql_connect.php'); // Connect to the database.
	 header ('Location: http://www.mysite.co.uk/woodman_confirm_detail.php'); // redirect
	// Function for escaping and trimming form data.
	function escape_data ($data) { 
		global $dbc;
		if (ini_get('magic_quotes_gpc')) {
			$data = stripslashes($data);
		}
		return mysql_real_escape_string (trim ($data), $dbc);
	} // End of escape_data() function.

 // Check for a property type.
if (strlen($_POST['type'])) { 
    $t = escape_data($_POST['type']);
} else { 
    $message .= NULL;
}

// Check for a location.
if (strlen($_POST['location'])) { 
    $l = escape_data($_POST['location']);
} else { 
    $message .= NULL;
}

// Check for a price.
if (strlen($_POST['price'])) { 
    $p = escape_data($_POST['price']);
} else { 
    $message .= NULL;
}

}
// Check for a reference.
if (strlen($_POST['ref'])) { 
    $r = escape_data($_POST['ref']);
} else { 
    $message .= NULL;
}

// Highlights.
if (strlen($_POST['high_lights'])) { 
    $h = escape_data($_POST['high_lights']);
} else { 
    $message .= NULL;
}


// Status.
if (strlen($_POST['status'])) { 
    $s = escape_data($_POST['status']);
} else { 
    $message .= NULL;
}

$pics_thumburl = "uploads/".$_FILES['upload']['name'];

$pdf = "uploads/pdf".$_FILES['upload_pdf']['name'];

// Add the record to the database.
if (empty($message)){
$query = "INSERT INTO woodman (type, location, price, ref, high_lights, status, pics_thumburl, pdf, registration_date) VALUES ('$t', '$l', '$p', '$r', '$h', '$s', '$pics_thumburl', '$pdf', NOW())"; 
    $result = @mysql_query ($query) or die('MySQL error: ' . mysql_error() . '<hr>Query: ' . $query); 
}

if ($result) {



	// Create the file name.
	$extension = explode ('.', $_FILES['upload']['name']);
	$uid = mysql_insert_id(); // Upload ID
	$filename = $_FILES['upload']['name'];

	// Move the file over.
	if (move_uploaded_file($_FILES['upload']['tmp_name'], "./uploads/$filename")) {
		echo '<p>The file has been uploaded!</p>';
	} else {
		echo '<p><font color="red">The file could not be moved.</font></p>';

		// Remove the record from the database.
		$query = "DELETE FROM woodman WHERE upload_id = $uid";
		$result = @mysql_query ($query);
	}
	// Create the file name.
	$extension = explode ('.', $_FILES['upload_pdf']['name']);
	$uid = mysql_insert_id(); // Upload ID
	$filename = $_FILES['upload_pdf']['name'];

	// Move the file over.
	if (move_uploaded_file($_FILES['upload_pdf']['tmp_name'], "./uploads/pdf/$filename")) {;

	} else {
		echo '<p><font color="red">The file could not be moved.</font></p>';

		// Remove the record from the database.
		$query = "DELETE FROM woodman WHERE upload_id = $uid";
		$result = @mysql_query ($query);
	} 

} else { // If the query did not run OK.
	echo '<p><font color="red">Your submission could not be processed due to a system error. We apologize for any inconvenience.</font></p>'; 
}


mysql_close(); // Close the database connection.

 // End of the main Submit conditional.

[Pehape]

what i wrote is just a code structure which showed the header place.
the code you showed us , was it the complete one? i don't see any <html> tag, you sure you don't use it in this php file,don't you?
sorry but it's hard for us to know where is the wrong part. perhaps you could tell us more detail :
you said it's not working...,it ran well but didn't redirect ? or there was errors that have made your code was not processed. if so, then could you tell us what it say?

--sorry for my bad english ^_--- are u find a hard time to read and understand my post? hehehe sorry for that ----