http and php

WebHelper Joined: 15 Jan 2004 Posts: 91

I would like to find out how to generate and call this link “http://example.cgi?client=public&&quicksearch=test&&scale=25000” using PHP and to specify “test” from the user inputting the word “test” in a PHP generated textbox. This is what I have got so far.

ref_1.php

Code:

<?php
$ref = 'test'; //
setcookie("ref_cookie", $ref);
echo '<a href="_____/ref.php">link</a>';
?>

ref.php

Code:

<?php

      $ref = $_COOKIE["ref_cookie"];
      $a = 'location: http://www.example.cgi?client=public&&quicksearch=';
      $b = '&&scale=25000';
      $combind = $a . $ref . $b;
      header ($combind); // no print or echo statments before this line

?>

I call ref_1.php and click the link which calls ref.php It’s the text box, the order of setting the cookie and the header that I am having problems with. Can it be done just using PHP or should I look at javascript?

thanks,

Dom

Team Member Joined: 06 Jan 2002 Posts: 2564

Shouldn't this

Code:

$combind = $a . $grid_ref . $b;

be changed to this?

Code:

$combind = $a . $ref . $b;

WebHelper Joined: 15 Jan 2004 Posts: 91

sorry, you are correct. I use to call it grid_ref and I must have mistyped it in my post.

I can get it to pass 'test' to the ref.php file (via a cookie) and then send it to the cgi script (which works), but I can not manage to write the cookie after the user has been presented with the form (html form generated with php).

In essence the problem is that I have to send the cookie and the
headder($combind); before any html is sent to the browser.

Any Ideas Daniel?

Team Member Joined: 06 Jan 2002 Posts: 2564

Sorry, I don't understand your question; specifically this part:

Quote:

but I can not manage to write the cookie after the user has been presented with the form (html form generated with php).

WebHelper Joined: 15 Jan 2004 Posts: 91

As I understand it you have to write the cookie before any HTML is sent to the browser otherwise you get an error eg:

Quote:

"warning cannot add header information - headers already sent by ........etc"

therefore when the form has been presented to the user I can not set the cookie using PHP.

If I wanted to use PHP I think I would need to have a separate php file with no html output to the browser to write the cookie, is this the case?

I think I may need to use Javascript, but I was wondering if it could be done with PHP.

Sorry for the drawn out explanation Confused

Do you understand my question?

Team Member Joined: 06 Jan 2002 Posts: 2564

You do realise that once you have written the cookie, you can output HTML, don't you?

WebHelper Joined: 15 Jan 2004 Posts: 91

Yes.

But you can not output HTML, weight for the user to enter information into a text box and then write the cookie with the data from the text box. Can you?

I want to write the cookie with the data from the text box not write the cookie and then output the html..

Sorry if I am not making my self clear, do you understand?

Team Member Joined: 06 Jan 2002 Posts: 2564

Use one page for the form (page1.php Smile

), which submits to another script (page2.php Smile

, which now sets the cookie). Or is that not what you mean?

WebHelper Joined: 15 Jan 2004 Posts: 91

Sorry Daniel,

this is what i mean:

1) construct the form (with page1.php)
2) read 4 text boxes and one combo box ("xx"/ "11"/ "22"/ "33"/"44")(with page1.php)
3) join them together ("xx11223344")(with page1.php)
4) write the string to a cookie(with page1.php)

5) read the cookie with (page2.php)
6) construct the header (with page2.php)
7) call example.cgi (with page2.php)

Page2.php

Code:

$ref = $_COOKIE["ref_cookie"];
$a = 'location: http://www.example.cgi?client=public&&quicksearch=';
$b = '&&scale=25000';
$combind = $a . $ref . $b;
header ($combind); // no print or echo statements before this line

I am not sure how to do page 1. I would like to get to stage 7 before I submit page1.php. I am not sure if this is possible in two php documents
I think I need more, but I am unsure how to split the operations.

I think I need so see some examples of data being passed from server to browser and back again in one php document or I need to see a dynamically staged construction of a html form with a php document.

Do you understand what I am asking?

I am sorry for confusing you, I am trying to get my head round php without knowing fully what it can do.

Thanks for your help,

I really appreciate it,

Dom...

Team Member Joined: 06 Jan 2002 Posts: 2564

If I understood correctly, you want to know how to pass data between pages?

If so, you should put the values of the previous page into hidden <input> fields to keep their values when submitting:

Code:

WebHelper Joined: 15 Jan 2004 Posts: 91

Quote:

If I understood correctly, you want to know how to pass data between pages?

Yes

I have been trying to do it with cookies.

Could you please point me in the direction of a tutorial on this issue?

Quote:

If so, you should put the values of the previous page into hidden <input> fields to keep their values when submitting:

I am not totally sure what you mean by this with respect to the two php pages, could you please explain.

Thanks,

Dom

Team Member Joined: 06 Jan 2002 Posts: 2564

Actually, now that I realise what you're wanting to do, I don't think cookies are necessary. What's wrong with passing data with POST form fields?

If you submit a form via the POST method with a field named 'fieldname', you can access its value with the variable name $_POST['fieldname'].

WebHelper Joined: 15 Jan 2004 Posts: 91

Thank's I shall give that a go.... Wink