"global" variables

Hi, I build a small web interface to a database. I include into the index.php the <filepaths> and a <manage.php>: #index.php <?php session_start(); $base_path = "/.../"; include('manage.php'); ?> In <manage.php> I include the <variables.php> and the <functions.php> and then decide on the status of a variable $page_no which further <file.php> has to be included to perfom the query jobs: #manage.php <?php include('variables.php'); include('functions.php'); if(!isset($page_no)) { $page_no = "login"; } if(!(login_status($session_id)) == 1) { $page_no = "login"; } // user logged in? if(!($page_no == "login")) { include('head.php'); } else { if(isset($_POST['login'])) { if(!($_POST['user'] == "") && !($_POST['passw'] ==""))

    {
    $user_pid = check_user($_POST['user'], $_POST['passw']);
    if(($user_pid != false) && (login_status($user_pid) == false))
     {
     login($user_pid, $session_id);
     $res_login = 1;
     $page_no = "start_select";
     }
     else
     .
     .
     .	

if($res_login == 0) { include('b_login.php'); } } if($page_no == "start_select") { if(isset($_POST['b_start_select']))

      {
      if(!($_POST['sources'] == ""))
         {
         switch($_POST['sources'])
            {
            case "wells":         $page_no = "wells";
                                  break;
            case "springs":       $page_no = "springs";
                                  break;
            case "precipitation": $page_no = "precipitation";
                                  break;
            case "surface":       $page_no = "surface";
                                  break;
            case "used":          $page_no = "used";
                                  break;
            default:              $page_no = "start_select";
            }
         }
      }

} if(!($page_no == "login")) { switch($page_no)

      {
      case "start_select":  include('b_start_select.php');
                            break;
      case "wells":         include('b_wells.php');
                            break;
      case "springs":       include('b_springs.php');
                            break;
      case "precipitation": include('b_precipitation.php');
                            break;
      case "surface":       include('b_surface.php');
                            break;
      case "used":          include('b_used.php');
                            break;
      default:              echo "If you see this side, please mail to.;
      }

include('fuss.php'); } ?> I declared the $page_no in my #variables.php as $v_dec["page_no"] = $page_no. Now I have the problem that after login and switching to b_start_select.php still $page_no="start_select", because I can print it to this page: echo $page_no gives: start_select but echo $v_dec["page_no"] prints nothing Second problem: When I pass my selection through the form on the b_start_select.php (form action = "index.php") $page_no again becomes unset. That means I fall back to the login page. Any suggestions? How in general do you this. Thank you, Torsten