Please Help

[jsims]

Hi I am having a problem with understanding how to put data into mysql using php

Here is a script I am using.
I found it on a tutorial on the web and did exactly what it said to do. But when I try to check it. I get an error:
Parse error: syntax error, unexpected T_VARIABLE in C:\Documents and Settings\John Sims\My Documents\phpandmyql\scripts_named\12\html\test1.p hp on line 26

Can anyone help me. Please

John

PHP Code:

// Set Mysql Variables
$host = 'localhost';
$user = 'root';
$pass = '';
$db = 'ex';
$table = 'comment';

// Set global variables to easier names
$uname = $_GET['uname'];
$ucomment = $_GET['ucomment'];

// Connect to Mysql, select the correct database, and run teh query which adds the data gathered from the form into the database
mysql_connect($host,$user,$pass) or die(mysql_error());
mysql_select_db($db) or die(mysql_error());
$add_all = 'INSERT INTO $table values('$uname','$ucomment','$ip','$time','')';
mysql_query($add_all) or die(mysql_error());
}

else
{

// If the form has not been submitted, display it!
?>
<form method='get' action='<? echo'$PHP_SELF'; ?>'>
Name : <input type='text' name='uname'><br><br>
Comment : <input type='text' name='ucomment'><br><br>
<input type='hidden' name='commented' value='set'>
<input type='submit' value='Post your comment'>
</form>
<?
}
?>

[sde]

Hi John, welcome to the site ..

The problem 'MIGHT' be in your form line. It is really hard to tell because I don't know where line 26 falls on your script. Next time it would be helpful if you point out what line is 26.

Try changing this line:

PHP Code:

<form method='get' action='<? echo $PHP_SELF; ?>'>

now that i look at it, i am 99% sure that will correct your problem.

[jsims]

Sorry, but that didn't help. The problem is in this line

$add_all = 'INSERT INTO $table values('$uname','$ucomment','$ip','$time','')';

[DJMaze]

TIP: Don't use <? but use the correct coding <?php
Open php.ini and change the short_open_tag directive to Off and you will understand.

short_open_tag = Off

Don't use $PHP_SELF, instead use $_SERVER['SCRIPT_NAME'] or basename(__FILE__)

[DJMaze]

Originally Posted by jsims

Sorry, but that didn't help. The problem is in this line

$add_all = 'INSERT INTO $table values('$uname','$ucomment','$ip','$time','')';

The following way is the only correct way:

PHP Code:

$add_all = "INSERT INTO $table values('$uname','$ucomment','$ip','$time','')"; 


For example use the following test to see the difference

PHP Code:

<?php
$test = 'string';
echo $test.'<br>';
echo "$test<br>";
echo '$test<br>';

The output is:

string<br>
string<br>
$test<br>

it's the difference between single and double quotes

[sde]

Originally Posted by jsims

Sorry, but that didn't help. The problem is in this line

$add_all = 'INSERT INTO $table values('$uname','$ucomment','$ip','$time','')';

oops, didn't mean to make u angry

[nimaj]

Originally Posted by DJMaze

TIP: Don't use <? but use the correct coding <?php
Open php.ini and change the short_open_tag directive to Off and you will understand.

short_open_tag = Off

Don't use $PHP_SELF, instead use $_SERVER['SCRIPT_NAME'] or basename(__FILE__)

I can understand not using short tags, but can you explain why $_SERVER['PHP_SELF'] shouldn't be used?

[sde]

$_SERVER['PHP_SELF'] is perfectly fine.

i screwed up and corrected the syntax around the variable without paying attention that $_SERVER was missing.

not sure why DJ prefers SCRIPT_NAME.

[DJMaze]

'PHP_SELF'

The filename of the currently executing script, relative to the document root. For instance, $_SERVER['PHP_SELF'] in a script at the address http://example.com/test.php/foo.bar would be /test.php/foo.bar. The __FILE__ constant contains the full path and filename of the current (i.e. included) file.

If PHP is running as a command-line processor this variable contains the script name since PHP 4.3.0. Previously it was not available.

'SCRIPT_NAME'

Contains the current script's path. This is useful for pages which need to point to themselves. The __FILE__ constant contains the full path and filename of the current (i.e. included) file.

[sde]

that's great to know DJ. so i guess if you are not writting command-line scripts i guess it still doesn't matter? and if you are, then it still doesn't matter if you are using v 4.3.x or greater?

hmm .. i just tried to run this script in CGI command-line mode, and neither variable returns anything.

PHP Code:

#!/usr/bin/php
<?
echo "script name: ".$_SERVER['SCRIPT_NAME']."\n";
echo "php self: ".$_SERVER['PHP_SELF']."\n";
?>

Originally Posted by output

$ ./test.php
Content-type: text/html
X-Powered-By: PHP/4.3.10

script name:
php self:

aahh, .. a simple print_r($_SERVER) will show there is not a lot of server vars available... and a whole different set of them too. ( SCRIPT_NAME doesn't even show up. PHP_SELF does, except it has no value )

i'm testing on php version 4.3.10

i think it's safe to say it still doesn't matter whichever you use.

[DJMaze]

Strange, anyway my bad then. Ignore my comment

[sde]

but your comments come from the manual, .. i wonder why the manual mentions command line like that. the logic makes sense, but i wonder why they don't make the script name available to you.

[DJMaze]

I don't have time to investigate it though.

basename(__FILE__) will always work unless you use a

<base href="http://my-website.com/" />

in a subdirectory on the web