Web programming TipsBy Sergey Skudaev
Let us try to use $_COOKIE[ ] variable.
Edit form_methods.php and add the following piece of code. The cookie´s code must be inserted before HTML header. Other wise you will get error! The setcookie function will set $pref variable to $_COOKIE[] variable.
<?
$pref="Mrs";
setcookie("prefix",$pref);
?>
<html>
<head>
<title>Form Methods
</title>
</head>
<body>
<form method="post" action="formoutputpage.php">
<p><input type=text name=greeting size="15"></p>
<p><input type=text name=name size="15"></p>
<p><input type=submit name=submit value="Salutation"></p>
</form>
</body>
</html>
Edit formoutputpage.php file like that:
<?
echo $_POST['greeting'];
echo " ".$_COOKIE['prefix'];
echo " ".$_POST['name'];
?>
The output page displays
Hello Mrs. Emily.
Let us try to use session variable. The session´s code must be inserted before HTML header. Other wise you will get error! Edit form_methods.php file:
<?
session_start();
$_SESSION['title']="Dr.";
setcookie("prefix","Mrs");
?>
<html>
<head>
<title>Form Methods
</title>
</head>
<body>
<form method="post" action="formoutputpage.php">
<p><input type=text name=greeting size="15"></p>
<p><input type=text name=name size="15"></p>
<p><input type=submit name=submit value="Salutation"></p>
</form>
</body>
</html>
Edit formoutputpage.php file.The session_start() function starts session. It must be used each time you assign value to $_SESSION variable or read value from $_SESSION variable.
<?
session_start();
echo $_POST['greeting'];
echo " ".$_SESSION['title'];
echo " ".$_COOKIE['prefix'];
echo " ".$_POST['name'];
?>
The output page will display:
Hello Dr. Mrs. Emily
You can transfer data from one page to another via link. Edit form_methods.php file. Date sent by link is transfered by get method. It can be read from $_GET[] variable
<?
session_start();
$_SESSION['title']="Dr.";
setcookie("prefix","Mrs");
?>
<html>
<head>
<title>Form Methods
</title>
</head>
<body>
<form method="post" action="formoutputpage.php">
<p><input type=text name=greeting size="15"></p>
<p><input type=text name=name size="15"></p>
<p><input type=submit name=submit value="Salutation"></p>
</form>
<?
$greeting="Good morning"
$person="Michael";
print('<p><a href="link_output.php?greeting='.$greeting.'&person='.$person.'">Link output</a>');
?>
</body>
</html>
When you hover mouse over the link, $GET variables are displayed on the browser task bar.
Create link_output.php file.
<?
$greeting=$_GET['greeting'];
$person=$_GET['person'];
echo $greeting." ".$person."!";
?>
Click the link of form_methods.php page and you will the output:
Good morning Michael!
You can use $_REQUEST[] variable that contains contents of $_GET, $_POST and $_COOKIE variables. Edit formoutputpage.php.
<?
session_start();
echo $_REQUEST['greeting'];
echo " ".$_SESSION['title'];
echo " ".$_REQUEST['prefix'];
echo " ".$_REQUEST['name'];
?>
Fill the form and submit. Output will be the same: Hello Dr. Mrs. Emily!
Also you can insert statement import_request_variables("pgc",""); and use form input field names to access $_GET[], $_POST[] and $_COOKIE[]
Edit formoutputpage.php file like that:
<?
import_request_variables("pgc","");
session_start();
echo $greeting;
echo " ".$_SESSION['title'];
echo " ".$prefix;
echo " ".$name;
?>
Submit form again and you will get the same output: Hello Dr. Mrs. Emily!
Click link on the form and you will get output: Good morning Michael!
User Authorization with Session Cookies
