RE: [PHP] question on <?php and $HTTP_POST_VARS (possibly unrelat ed)

> -----Original Message----- > From: Jason Jacobs [mailto:jason@factory7.com] > Sent: 22 May 2003 17:12 > > We are setting up a new server with the Apache config > described at the end of the email and PHP 4.2.2, and I came > across some issues. I hope this is not a production server -- the combination of Apache 2.0.40 and PHP 4.2.2 is at best beta-quality, and gives rise to a number of known issues. The latest Apache 1.3.x (.27 last time I looked) is warmly recommended for use with PHP -- if you absolutely must have Apache 2, go for Apache 2.0.45 with PHP 4.3.2 (due out in the next week or so). > > I took a site I built on another server and only ever used <? > to designate my php and never ever used $HTTP_POST_VARS (or > GET), nor did I refer to session variables as anything but > $sessionvar. In fact, a package I downloaded had all passed > variables referred to with $HTTP_GET_VARS['foo'] and it > didn't work. I had to take that out and refer to it only as $foo. Well, that I don't understand -- if anything, it should have been the other way around. > > On this new server, my code broke. The guy who set up the > server said the <? needed to be changed to <?php, so he > grep-ed it and changed those. Then I found that variables > weren't being passed to other pages, but they did once I > added $HTTP_GET_VARS. As it's PHP 4.2.2, use $_GET, $_POST, etc. > I thought this was a configuration thing in Apache, or PHP at > least. I also thought <?php was the "old" way and you didn't > need that anymore. Am I wrong? Yes. <?php is the new and XML-compliant way, and is also the most portable. If you're aiming to write code that will run on any site, use <?php -- that will work regardless of PHP configuration. > Is it possible to easily > allow this server to accept "naked" variables and <? only? > Thanks for your help. It's possible, but not generally recommended. The configuration option you are looking for for "naked" variables is register_globals, but you should read up about why turning this on is discouraged before you do so. For <? you want short_open_tags, but you can't have "only" <? -- <?php always works, and short_open_tags just gives you <? in addition. Cheers! Mike --------------------------------------------------------------------- Mike Ford, Electronic Information Services Adviser, Learning Support Services, Learning & Information Services, JG125, James Graham Building, Leeds Metropolitan University, Beckett Park, LEEDS, LS6 3QS, United Kingdom Email: m.ford@lmu.ac.uk Tel: +44 113 283 2600 extn 4730 Fax: +44 113 283 3211