n00b here! Undefined variables error

Robbeh · November 22, 2010

Hi Guys,

Real PHP newbie here, and slowly getting to grips with it (I did say slowly, right!). Basically, I've created this register page. It's supposed to ask the user for their username, password, password verificiation, email address and then finally to ask the user to select from a tick list of interests (populated via the DB).

Here's my code:

<?
include('includes/config.php');
$is_error = 0;

if ($_POST['task'] == 'singup_do') {

      $signup_username = $_POST['user_username'];
      $signup_password = $_POST['user_password'];
      $signup_pwd_again = $_POST['user_password_again'];
      $signup_email = $_POST['user_email_address'];
      $signup_interest = $_POST['signup_interest'];
    
    if ($signup_username == ''){
        $is_error = 1;
        $signup_username_msg = 'The username cannot be left blank';
    }

    if ($signup_password == ''){
       $is_error = 1;
        $signup_password_msg = 'Password field cannot be left blank';
    }

    if ($signup_pwd_again == ''){
        $is_error = 1;
        $signup_pwd_again_msg = 'Password again field cannot be left blank';
    }

    if ($signup_email == ''){
        $is_error = 1;
        $signup_email_msg = 'Email cannot be left blank';
    }
    if ($signup_email != '' && !validateEmailAddress($signup_email)) {
        $is_error = 1;
        $signup_email_msg = 'Incorrect E-mail address';
    }
    if (!is_array($signup_interest) || count($signup_interest)==0){
        $is_error = 1;
        $signup_interest_msg = 'Please select atleast one interest';
    }

    //EMAIL ADDRESS VALIDATION
    if ($signup_password!='' && $signup_pwd_again!='' && $signup_password != $signup_pwd_again) {
        $is_error = 1;
        $error_msg = 'Passwords don\'t match';
    }

    //USERNAME DUPLICATION VALIDATION
    if (!$is_error && $signup_username!='' && !checkUsername($signup_username)) {
        $is_error = 1;
        $signup_username_msg = 'Username already taken, please enter another';
    }

    if (!$is_error) {

       $signup_interest_ids = ( is_array($signup_interest) ? implode(',', $signup_interest) : '' );
       $users_insert = "INSERT INTO users SET user_id='', user_username = '{$signup_username}' , user_password='{$signup_password}', user_email_address = '{$signup_email}', users_interests='{$signup_interest_ids}', user_active='Y', user_date_added=NOW()";
       mysql_query($users_insert);
       header('Location:login.php?signup=success');
    }

}
?>
<html>
<head>
<title>Register</title>
<link href="css/style.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" />
</head>
<body >
<div align="center"><BR><BR><BR>
<div style="width:50%; ">
<form name="frmSignup" action="sign_up.php" method="post">
<input type="hidden" name="task" value="singup_do">
<table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="4" cellpadding="4" align="center">
<? if ($error_msg!='') {?>
<tr><td> </td><td class="tahoma10rednormal"><?=$error_msg?></td></tr>
<? }?>
<tr><td width="20%" valign="top">Username : </td><td><input name="user_username" type="text" class="textfield" size="35" value="<?=$signup_username?>"/><? if ($signup_username_msg!='') { echo '<BR><span class="tahoma10rednormal">' . $signup_username_msg. '</span>' ; } ?></td></tr>
<tr><td valign="top">Password : </td><td><input name="user_password" type="password" class="textfield"  size="35"  value="<?=$signup_password?>"/><? if ($signup_password_msg!='') { echo '<BR><span class="tahoma10rednormal">' . $signup_password_msg. '</span>' ; } ?></td></tr>
<tr><td valign="top">Password (again): </td><td><input name="user_password_again" type="password" class="textfield" size="35" value="<?=$signup_pwd_again?>"/><? if ($signup_pwd_again_msg!='') { echo '<BR><span class="tahoma10rednormal">' . $signup_pwd_again_msg. '</span>' ; } ?></td></tr>
<tr><td valign="top">Email address: </td><td><input name="user_email_address" type="text" class="textfield" size="35" value="<?=$signup_email?>"/><? if ($signup_email_msg!='') { echo '<BR><span class="tahoma10rednormal">' . $signup_email_msg. '</span>' ; } ?></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2" ><b>Interests:</b><? if ($signup_interest_msg!='') { echo '  <span class="tahoma10rednormal">' . $signup_interest_msg. '</span>' ; } ?></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2">
                        <? 
                         $categories = getCategories(); 
                         $categories_count = count($categories);
                         if (is_array($categories)) { $cat_counter=0; ?>
                            <table width="80%" border="0" cellspacing="4" cellpadding="4">
                            <? foreach($categories as $cats) {
                                if ($cat_counter==0 || ($cat_counter%4) == 0) echo '<tr>';

                                $chk_selected = '';
                                if (is_array($signup_interest) && in_array($cats['id'], $signup_interest)) $chk_selected = "CHECKED"; 
                            ?>
                                <td><input type="checkbox" name="signup_interest[]" value="<?=$cats['id']?>" <?=$chk_selected?>><?=$cats['text']?></td>
                             <? if ($cat_counter==$categories_count || ($cat_counter%4) == 3) echo '</tr>';
                                $cat_counter++;
                                }
                            ?>
                            </table>
                         <? 
                          } else {
                            echo 'No interest added yet.';
                         }
                        ?>
</tr>
<tr>
<td> </td>
<td><input type="submit" name="submit_btn" value="Sign Up"> <input type="button" name="cancel_btn" value="Cancel" onClick="window.location.href='index.php'"></td>
</tr>
</table>
</div>
</div>
</body>
</html>

I'm getting undefined varible errors for:

Notice: Undefined variable: error_msg

Undefined variable: signup_username_msg

Notice: Undefined variable: signup_password_msg

Notice: Undefined variable: signup_pwd_again_msg

Notice: Undefined variable: signup_email_msg

Notice: Undefined variable: signup_interest_msg

Notice: Undefined variable: signup_interest

Which as the canny of you will have noticed, is all of them! Hurrah at least I'm consistent!

If anyone could help out a n00b I'd be so so grateful.

Thanks!

Rob

MrXHellboy · November 22, 2010

You declare the msg variable after a if construct, which means, they will only be set IF something is wrong. Do for instance for all:

$signup_username_msg = ''; @ the top of your script somewhere. and they are gone. Or you can check isset();

GKWelding · November 22, 2010

The code below should now work, notice the use of the isset construct in the if statements.

<?
include('includes/config.php');
$is_error = 0;

if (isset($_POST['task']) && $_POST['task'] == 'singup_do') {

      $signup_username = $_POST['user_username'];
      $signup_password = $_POST['user_password'];
      $signup_pwd_again = $_POST['user_password_again'];
      $signup_email = $_POST['user_email_address'];
      $signup_interest = $_POST['signup_interest'];
    
    if ($signup_username == ''){
        $is_error = 1;
        $signup_username_msg = 'The username cannot be left blank';
    }

    if ($signup_password == ''){
       $is_error = 1;
        $signup_password_msg = 'Password field cannot be left blank';
    }

    if ($signup_pwd_again == ''){
        $is_error = 1;
        $signup_pwd_again_msg = 'Password again field cannot be left blank';
    }

    if ($signup_email == ''){
        $is_error = 1;
        $signup_email_msg = 'Email cannot be left blank';
    }
    if ($signup_email != '' && !validateEmailAddress($signup_email)) {
        $is_error = 1;
        $signup_email_msg = 'Incorrect E-mail address';
    }
    if (!is_array($signup_interest) || count($signup_interest)==0){
        $is_error = 1;
        $signup_interest_msg = 'Please select atleast one interest';
    }

    //EMAIL ADDRESS VALIDATION
    if ($signup_password!='' && $signup_pwd_again!='' && $signup_password != $signup_pwd_again) {
        $is_error = 1;
        $error_msg = 'Passwords don\'t match';
    }

    //USERNAME DUPLICATION VALIDATION
    if (!$is_error && $signup_username!='' && !checkUsername($signup_username)) {
        $is_error = 1;
        $signup_username_msg = 'Username already taken, please enter another';
    }

    if (!$is_error) {

       $signup_interest_ids = ( is_array($signup_interest) ? implode(',', $signup_interest) : '' );
       $users_insert = "INSERT INTO users SET user_id='', user_username = '{$signup_username}' , user_password='{$signup_password}', user_email_address = '{$signup_email}', users_interests='{$signup_interest_ids}', user_active='Y', user_date_added=NOW()";
       mysql_query($users_insert);
       header('Location:login.php?signup=success');
    }

}
?>

<html>
<head>
<title>Register</title>
<link href="css/style.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" />
</head>
<body >
<div align="center"><BR><BR><BR>
<div style="width:50%; ">
<form name="frmSignup" action="sign_up.php" method="post">
<input type="hidden" name="task" value="singup_do">
<table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="4" cellpadding="4" align="center">
<? if (isset($error_msg) && $error_msg!='') {?>
<tr><td> </td><td class="tahoma10rednormal"><?=$error_msg?></td></tr>
<? }?>
<tr><td width="20%" valign="top">Username : </td><td><input name="user_username" type="text" class="textfield" size="35" value="<?=$signup_username?>"/><? if (isset($signup_username_msg) && $signup_username_msg!='') { echo '<BR><span class="tahoma10rednormal">' . $signup_username_msg. '</span>' ; } ?></td></tr>
<tr><td valign="top">Password : </td><td><input name="user_password" type="password" class="textfield"  size="35"  value="<?=$signup_password?>"/><? if (isset($signup_password_msg) && $signup_password_msg!='') { echo '<BR><span class="tahoma10rednormal">' . $signup_password_msg. '</span>' ; } ?></td></tr>
<tr><td valign="top">Password (again): </td><td><input name="user_password_again" type="password" class="textfield" size="35" value="<?=$signup_pwd_again?>"/><? if (isset($signup_pwd_again_msg) && $signup_pwd_again_msg!='') { echo '<BR><span class="tahoma10rednormal">' . $signup_pwd_again_msg. '</span>' ; } ?></td></tr>
<tr><td valign="top">Email address: </td><td><input name="user_email_address" type="text" class="textfield" size="35" value="<?=$signup_email?>"/><? if (isset($signup_email_msg) && $signup_email_msg!='') { echo '<BR><span class="tahoma10rednormal">' . $signup_email_msg. '</span>' ; } ?></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2" ><b>Interests:</b><? if (isset($signup_interest_msg) && $signup_interest_msg!='') { echo '  <span class="tahoma10rednormal">' . $signup_interest_msg. '</span>' ; } ?></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2">
                        <? 
                         $categories = getCategories(); 
                         $categories_count = count($categories);
                         if (is_array($categories)) { $cat_counter=0; ?>
                            <table width="80%" border="0" cellspacing="4" cellpadding="4">
                            <? foreach($categories as $cats) {
                                if ($cat_counter==0 || ($cat_counter%4) == 0) echo '<tr>';

                                $chk_selected = '';
                                if (is_array($signup_interest) && in_array($cats['id'], $signup_interest)) $chk_selected = "CHECKED"; 
                            ?>
                                <td><input type="checkbox" name="signup_interest[]" value="<?=$cats['id']?>" <?=$chk_selected?>><?=$cats['text']?></td>
                             <? if ($cat_counter==$categories_count || ($cat_counter%4) == 3) echo '</tr>';
                                $cat_counter++;
                                }
                            ?>
                            </table>
                         <? 
                          } else {
                            echo 'No interest added yet.';
                         }
                        ?>
</tr>
<tr>
<td> </td>
<td><input type="submit" name="submit_btn" value="Sign Up"> <input type="button" name="cancel_btn" value="Cancel" onClick="window.location.href='index.php'"></td>
</tr>
</table>
</div>
</div>
</body>
</html>

Robbeh · November 22, 2010

Thanks guys (especially GKWelding) , that's fixed most of the errors, and a couple of others I corrected using the issit statement you taught me (thanks W3Schools!).

The error I'm getting now tht I can't seem to fix with the same method is:

Notice: Undefined variable: signup_interest

And this appears once for each 'interest' in the database, so have I done something crazy with my looping?

Thanks so much guys,

Rob

GKWelding · November 22, 2010

Does it happen to give you a line number for that error?

Robbeh · November 22, 2010

Hello again,

Yes, each one happens on 93 (sorry, I should have posted that before and saved your time).

Thanks,

Rob

GKWelding · November 22, 2010

ok, on line 93 in front of

is_array($signup_interest)

put

isset($signup_interest) &&

Robbeh · November 22, 2010

Sorry dude, more problems. I'm now getting Parse error: syntax error, unexpected T_STRING on Line 5

Off to W3C to look up what the bloody hell a T_String is...

You know how they say some people have programmers minds? Think maybe I'm just not cut out to have one!

GKWelding · November 22, 2010

it means it's getting a string when it wasn't expecting it, the error messages in php aren't really that cryptic, you may have deleted a quote or semi-colon by accident? If you post the code again I'll spot it in 2 seconds flat, lol.

Robbeh · November 22, 2010

lol thanks dude. Your two seconds start....

....

NOW!

<?
include('includes/config.php');
$is_error = 0;

if (isset($_POST['task']) && $_POST['task'] == 'singup_do') {

      $signup_username = $_POST['user_username'];
      $signup_password = $_POST['user_password'];
      $signup_pwd_again = $_POST['user_password_again'];
      $signup_email = $_POST['user_email_address'];
      $signup_interest = $_POST['signup_interest'];
    
    if ($signup_username == ''){
        $is_error = 1;
        $signup_username_msg = 'The username cannot be left blank';
    }

    if ($signup_password == ''){
       $is_error = 1;
        $signup_password_msg = 'Password field cannot be left blank';
    }

    if ($signup_pwd_again == ''){
        $is_error = 1;
        $signup_pwd_again_msg = 'Password again field cannot be left blank';
    }

    if ($signup_email == ''){
        $is_error = 1;
        $signup_email_msg = 'Email cannot be left blank';
    }
    if ($signup_email != '' && !validateEmailAddress($signup_email)) {
        $is_error = 1;
        $signup_email_msg = 'Incorrect E-mail address';
    }
    if (!is_array($signup_interest) || count($signup_interest)==0){
        $is_error = 1;
        $signup_interest_msg = 'Please select atleast one interest';
    }

    //EMAIL ADDRESS VALIDATION
    if ($signup_password!='' && $signup_pwd_again!='' && $signup_password != $signup_pwd_again) {
        $is_error = 1;
        $error_msg = 'Passwords don\'t match';
    }

    //USERNAME DUPLICATION VALIDATION
    if (!$is_error && $signup_username!='' && !checkUsername($signup_username)) {
        $is_error = 1;
        $signup_username_msg = 'Username already taken, please enter another';
    }

    if (!$is_error) {

       $signup_interest_ids = ( is_array($signup_interest) ? implode(',', $signup_interest) : '' );
       $users_insert = "INSERT INTO users SET user_id='', user_username = '{$signup_username}' , user_password='{$signup_password}', user_email_address = '{$signup_email}', users_interests='{$signup_interest_ids}', user_active='Y', user_date_added=NOW()";
       mysql_query($users_insert);
       header('Location:login.php?signup=success');
    }

}
?>

<html>
<head>
<title>Register</title>
<link href="css/style.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" />
</head>
<body >
<div align="center"><BR><BR><BR>
<div style="width:50%; ">
<form name="frmSignup" action="sign_up.php" method="post">
<input type="hidden" name="task" value="singup_do">
<table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="4" cellpadding="4" align="center">
<? if (isset($error_msg) && $error_msg!='') {?>
<tr><td> </td><td class="tahoma10rednormal"><?=$error_msg?></td></tr>
<? }?>
<tr><td width="20%" valign="top">Username : </td><td><input name="user_username" type="text" class="textfield" size="35" value="<?=$signup_username?>"/><? if (isset($signup_username_msg) && $signup_username_msg!='') { echo '<BR><span class="tahoma10rednormal">' . $signup_username_msg. '</span>' ; } ?></td></tr>
<tr><td valign="top">Password : </td><td><input name="user_password" type="password" class="textfield"  size="35"  value="<?=$signup_password?>"/><? if (isset($signup_password_msg) && $signup_password_msg!='') { echo '<BR><span class="tahoma10rednormal">' . $signup_password_msg. '</span>' ; } ?></td></tr>
<tr><td valign="top">Password (again): </td><td><input name="user_password_again" type="password" class="textfield" size="35" value="<?=$signup_pwd_again?>"/><? if (isset($signup_pwd_again_msg) && $signup_pwd_again_msg!='') { echo '<BR><span class="tahoma10rednormal">' . $signup_pwd_again_msg. '</span>' ; } ?></td></tr>
<tr><td valign="top">Email address: </td><td><input name="user_email_address" type="text" class="textfield" size="35" value="<?=$signup_email?>"/><? if (isset($signup_email_msg) && $signup_email_msg!='') { echo '<BR><span class="tahoma10rednormal">' . $signup_email_msg. '</span>' ; } ?></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2" ><b>Interests:</b><? if (isset($signup_interest_msg) && $signup_interest_msg!='') { echo '  <span class="tahoma10rednormal">' . $signup_interest_msg. '</span>' ; } ?></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2">
                        <? 
                         $categories = getCategories(); 
                         $categories_count = count($categories);
                         if (is_array($categories)) { $cat_counter=0; ?>
                            <table width="80%" border="0" cellspacing="4" cellpadding="4">
                            <? foreach($categories as $cats) {
                                if ($cat_counter==0 || ($cat_counter%4) == 0) echo '<tr>';

                                $chk_selected = '';
                                if (isset($signup_interest) && is_array($signup_interest) && in_array($cats['id'], $signup_interest)) $chk_selected = "CHECKED"; 
                            ?>
                                <td><input type="checkbox" name="signup_interest[]" value="<?=$cats['id']?>" <?=$chk_selected?>><?=$cats['text']?></td>
                             <? if ($cat_counter==$categories_count || ($cat_counter%4) == 3) echo '</tr>';
                                $cat_counter++;
                                }
                            ?>
                            </table>
                         <? 
                          } else {
                            echo 'No interest added yet.';
                         }
                        ?>
</tr>
<tr>
<td> </td>
<td><input type="submit" name="submit_btn" value="Sign Up"> <input type="button" name="cancel_btn" value="Cancel" onClick="window.location.href='index.php'"></td>
</tr>
</table>
</div>
</div>
</body>
</html>

GKWelding · November 22, 2010

not quite sure wtf is going on there, line 5 looks fine to me.

check that line 5 is exactly like it is in your php file as that shouldn't be throwing any kind of error.

And I say PHP errors aren't cryptic but wait until you get an 'Unexpected: T_PAAMAYIM_NEKUDOTAYIM'... Meaning you have an extra : somewhere...

Robbeh · November 22, 2010

hehe not cryptic to you perhaps

Glad you couldn't spot it either, makes me seem less useless! Yeah it's defo exactly the same as here (copy/pasta) but its cool, I can struggle on! Cheers for all your help

Pikachu2000 · November 22, 2010

The code you've posted has no parse errors. Are you sure the error reported isn't in the config.php file you've include()d?

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n00b here! Undefined variables error

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