Noob - I can't get rid of the go back button

[doodlebug]

Hello All,
First time poster on here so apologies for asking for help straight off. My developer has left with me the project he was working on and I have to try to finish off a few bits and pieces. Some I can do, some I can't. This is probably a simple issue but I can't get rid of the go back button.

There are three error messages where the go back button should appear. However, if the field have been correctly filled out the message reads "your ad has been posted" but the go back button still appears. Can someone have a look at the code to see how I can change it to get the go back button to disappear in this case? Many thanks in advance

echo "<table border=0 width=645>";
echo "<tr><td><input type=button value='<< Go Back' onclick='goBack()'

/></td></tr></table>";

$aprice = $_POST['Price'];
    if(empty($aprice))
    {
    echo("<h5>You didn't AAA</h5>");
    $showbutton=1;
    }
    else
    {

}

$aTeacherLang = $_POST['TeacherLang'];
    if(empty($aTeacherLang))
    {
      echo("<h5>You didn't BBB</h5>");
    $showbutton=1;
      }
    else
    {

}

$athetime = $_POST['thetime'];
//echo("$athetime");

if(empty($athetime))
{
  echo("<h5>You didn't CCC.</h5>");
$showbutton=1;
    }
    else
     {

}      

date_default_timezone_set('UTC');
//$today = $today = date("m.d.y");
//print_r($today);

$todays_date = date("Y-m-d");

//print $todays_date;

if ($showbutton=="1")
{

}

else
{

if (!mysql_query($sql,$con))
  {
  die('Error: ' . mysql_error());
  }
echo "<h2>Your advert has been posted - thank you!";

}
mysql_close($con);

?>

[Krik]

On a quick observation you have real mess going. The code looks very incomplete.

line 2 is what shows the go back button if you remove that line it will not be visible in any situation.

I would say grab the top 4 lines

echo "<table border=0 width=645>";
echo "<tr><td><input type=button value='<< Go Back' onclick='goBack()'

/></td></tr></table>";

and insert them in this "if"

if ($showbutton=="1")
{

}

like so

if ($showbutton=="1")
{
echo "<table border=0 width=645>";
echo "<tr><td><input type=button value='<< Go Back' onclick='goBack()' /></td></tr></table>";
}

Generally using tables to format a page layout is bad technique but as I am not sure of other factors in your page I will not attempt to demonstrate how to change it.

On a side note all the empty "else" statements

    else
    {

}

could be deleted, that is unless you have plans to use them for something.

[doodlebug]

Thanks for answering, i've been basically left with it is as is and have to sort it out on my own which is a real challenge as I've had absolutely no schooling in php.

I have left stuff out regarding code regarding the page which precedes this one and the code about connecting to the DB thinking this was where the issue is.

I've just tried your suggestion about moving the go back button data and removing the empty fields and it worked first time!

Many thanks 🆒

[Krik]

i've been basically left with it is as is and have to sort it out on my own which is a real challenge as I've had absolutely no schooling in php.

Man that has got to be tough. Nothing quite like a trial by fire introduction to PHP.

And if that little bit of code I am seeing is any indication of the rest of the code, the guy who was doing must have been a bit of a novice. If so by the time your done fix it you will know almost as much as him.

If you get stuck again feel free to ask more questions.

[doodlebug]

The more I went through the site and started to change things (largely by trial and error and with mr.google's help) the more I began to see forum examples being used in the code which didn't inspire me with confidence.

Thanks for your continued offer of help, I've got another question out there about Polish characters which (I hope) is the last little gremlin on the site

[johanafm]

Serve all your content as utf-8. First thing is make sure that every requested page sets

<?php
header('content-type: text/html; charset=utf-8');

This has to be done before any output at all. Even a regular white space as shown here will make it fail

<?php
header('content-type: text/html; charset=utf-8');

Then, make sure that your database returns utf-8 data. Using mySql, you'd need to read documentation for character encoding, and perhaps SET NAMES is worth mentioning.
While you're at it, you might as well make sure your db also stores data as utf-8.

Any files containing non-usascii text, such as polish characters, must also be saved as utf-8. If your editor allows you to specify wether the file should be saved with or without BOM, save it without. This is probably only an issue on MS platforms, and also depending on what editor you use.

Finally, some string functions can't be used with utf-8. For example

# 6
echo strlen('åäö');

# 3
echo mb_strlen('åäö');

I found this page by googling, and while I've only glanced at it, I believe you'll get some good information there.

[doodlebug]

Thanks for your help.
Currently the code looks like:

echo nl2br("\n");
$string1 = isset($_POST['firstname']) ? htmlentities($_POST['firstname']) : false;

if(empty($string1))
{

echo("<h2>Imi&#281;:<font color=red>Prozs&#281; wype&#322;ni&#263;</font></h2>\n");
$showbutton=1;
}
else
{
$firstname = preg_replace ("[^0-9a-zA-Z?&#261;&#263;&#281;&#322;&#324;ó&#347;&#380;&#378;&#260;&#262;&#280;&#321;&#323;Ó&#346;&#379;&#377; ]", "", $string1);
$firstname = htmlspecialchars($firstname, ENT_COMPAT, 'UTF-8');
echo("<h2><span class=profile>Imi&#281;:</span> <font color=#04B404>" . $firstname . "</font></h2>\n");
echo("<input type=hidden name=firstname value=" . $firstname . ">");
}

The effect this has now is to produce a blank field rather than symbols. I guess it's progress of some kind