[SOLVED] href pass variable

[gish]

hi

 

how do i get href to pass a php variable. I am thinking something like this!!

 

<a href="thesamepage.php" onclick="<?php  $variable='this is  a variable';?>">wow</a> 

 

All I want is the variable become a session variable and then return to the same page but I am drawing a blank =).

 

thanks gish

 

[gevans]

The way your trying doesn't involve sessions

 

<?php  $variable='this is  a variable';?>
<a href="thesamepage.php?variable=<?php echo $variable; ?>">wow</a>

 

On the next page

 

<?php
$foo = $_REQUEST['variable']
?>

[JasonLewis]

Use $_GET for the URL and $_POST for posting it through forms, avoid using $_REQUEST. It's better to specifically point to what you want to get.

[gish]

Thanks I have been doing some reading with the difference of opinion.

[gevans]

Use $_GET for the URL and $_POST for posting it through forms, avoid using $_REQUEST. It's better to specifically point to what you want to get.

 

Why would you avoid using $_REQUEST? It does the exact same job as $_POST, $_GET and $_COOKIE all under one roof...

[kenrbnsn]

It does not do the same thing. It combines all the values into one array and if you have the same index in any of the original arrays, you only get one not all. It's almost as bad as register_globals, since there is no way to verify where the value came from.

 

If you always use the explicit superglobal arrays, you will always know where you've gotten the value.

 

Ken

[gevans]

True, but I also know my own code, so I know what cookies have been set, and what data is being sent from forms etc... So I am aware of all the array names and indexes.

 

Obviously $_POST, $_GET and $_COOKIE are different thing, but I never use the same name to declare array variable in them.

[kenrbnsn]

You won't, but you don't know what hackers might try.

 

I would recommend always using the appropriate superglobal array. If you're expecting values to come from the URL, use $_GET, values from a posted form (or ajax post, or cURL post) are in $_POST, and cookie values are in $_COOKIE.  Also if someone else has to maintain your code (or you come back to it after many years), using the appropriate array will be very helpful when trying to figure out what the code does. -- I've been there.

 

Ken

[gevans]

Ok, I see what you're saying. I don't think I'll be making any changes to code I already have, but will take these things into consideration when building in the future.