Why can't I set a string value in this PHP code?

Question

I visit:

http://www.mydomain.com/test.php?loc=1

This should set $location to be 'VC' and print it out to the screen.

But when I do this, I get a zero '0' instead.

What am I doing wrong, why can't I set a string?

<?php
    $loc = $_REQUEST['loc'] ;
if($loc == 1){
$location = 'VC';
echo 'yes';
}
else {
echo "ERROR - Wrong Location code presented";
}   
    echo 'Location: ' + $location;

?>

I started with:

<?php
    $loc = $_REQUEST['loc'] ;
    echo 'Location: ' + $loc;
?>

Where I would visit:

http://www.mydomain.com/test.php?loc=VC

and it would do what I want, but that didn't work.

I must be missing something obvious, but I can't see what. help!

PHP concatenation is with dots, not + `echo 'Location: ' . $loc;` — Matt Dodge, Jul 02 '12 at 19:16

score 4 · Accepted Answer · edited Jul 02 '12 at 19:26

4

You have to change it this:

<?php
    $loc = $_REQUEST['loc'] ;
    echo 'Location: ' + $loc;
?>

to this:

<?php
    $loc = $_REQUEST['loc'] ;
    echo 'Location: ' . $loc;
?>

PHP's string concatenation operator is the . dot instead of a + as used in JavaScript, etc.

edited Jul 02 '12 at 19:26

Bojangles

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answered Jul 02 '12 at 19:18

itsme

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Slaps head hard! I knew it was staring me in the face, how stupid of me! What an amateur! LOL – Cheeky Cherub Jul 02 '12 at 22:42
How do they say? its never too late. :-) – itsme Jul 02 '12 at 22:45

score 1 · Answer 2 · edited May 23 '17 at 10:34

1

Use $_GET['loc'] instead of $_REQUEST['loc'] and concetenate with a . instead of a + as Mattedgod already stated.

Why $_GET instead of $_REQUEST?? See: Among $_REQUEST, $_GET and $_POST which one is the fastest?

edited May 23 '17 at 10:34

Community

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answered Jul 02 '12 at 19:19

Wouter Dorgelo

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Why can't I set a string value in this PHP code?

2 Answers2