register_globals and php 4.2

I'm trying to rewrite my code so it will be useful under PHP 4.2. the links at my site are in this format index.php?pagetype=newsarchive&id=15&read=1 this will make php to look fpr the file /newsarchive/data.php and use the $id var to get the correct newsline from the databse, however, when the register_globals is set to off I can't use this and I cann't figre out how to do it, HELP! the index.php starts with the code: if (!isset($pagetype)) { $pagetype = "news"; } so all links displays the news page and that's not my goal =) /brother