Undefined Variables in PHP

Question

I realized that not only was i trying to make things more complicated for myself I was also working in an external sheet. So when I defined, action="<?php echo htmlspecialchars($_SERVER["PHP_SELF"]);?>" The form was looking on the page for the script. Therefore could not locate the variables. Additionally, some of you pointed out case sensitive errors, which I have also addressed. The complete script now works like a charm, so i thank you again for your help. :)

PHP Solution

<?php
//*--/ variables /--*//
$emailSubject = 'Email Title';
$webMaster = 'php.test@outlook.com';

//*--/ define variables and set to empty values /--*//
$first_nameErr = $last_nameErr = $email_fieldErr = $tel_fieldErr = $select_optionErr = $enquiry_areaErr = "";
$first_name = $last_name = $email_field = $tel_field = $select_option = $enquiry_area = "";

if ($_SERVER["REQUEST_METHOD"] == "POST") {
if (empty($_POST["firstname"])) {
 $first_nameErr = "First name is a required field.";
} else {
 $first_name = test_input($_POST["firstname"]);
}

if (empty($_POST["lastname"])) {
 $last_nameErr = "Last name is a required field.";
} else {
 $last_name = test_input($_POST["lastname"]);
}

if (empty($_POST["email"])) {
 $email_fieldErr = "E-mail is a required field.";
} else {
 $email_field = test_input($_POST["email"]);
}

if (empty($_POST["tel"])) {
 $tel_fieldErr = "Tel No. is a required field.";
} else {
 $tel_field = test_input($_POST["tel"]);
}

if (empty($_POST["select"])) {
 $select_option= "";
} else {
 $select_option = test_input($_POST["select"]);
}

if (empty($_POST["enquiry"])) {
 $enquiry_areaErr = "Enquiry is a required field.";
} else {
 $enquiry_area = test_input($_POST["enquiry"]);
}
}

function test_input($data) {
$data = trim($data);
$data = stripslashes($data);
$data = htmlspecialchars($data);
return $data;
}

$body = <<<EOD
<br><hr><br>
First Name: $first_name <br>
Last Name: $last_name <br>
Email: $email_field <br>
Tel: $tel_field <br>
I heard about you from; $select_option <br>
Enquiry: $enquiry_area <br> 
EOD;

$headers = "From: $email_field\r\n";
$headers .= "Content-type: text/html\r\n";
$success = mail($webMaster,$emailSubject, $body, $headers);
?>

HTML Solution " method="POST">

    <!--/ form left /-->
    <div id="form-left">
        <input type="text" name="first_name" placeholder="First Name" maxlength="64"><span class="error">* <?php echo $first_nameErr; ?></span><br>
        <input type="text" name="last_name" placeholder="Last Name" maxlength="64"><span class="error">* <?php echo $last_nameErr; ?></span><br>
        <input type="text" name="email" placeholder="JohnDoe@example.com" maxlength="128"><span class="error">* <?php echo $email_fieldErr; ?></span><br>
        <input type="text" name="tel" placeholder="Tel No." maxlength="16"><span class="error">* <?php echo $tel_fieldErr; ?></span><br>
        <input type="reset">
    </div>

    <!--/ form right /-->
    <div id="form-right">
        <select>
            <option value="where" name="select" selected>How did you find us? ▼</option>
            <option value="facebook">Facbook</option>
            <option value="twitter">Twitter</option>
            <option value="event">An Event</option>
            <option value="friend">A Friend</option>
            <option value="partner">A Partner</option>
            <option value="other">Other</option>
        </select> <br>
        <textarea name="enquiry" placeholder="Have an enquiry?" maxlength="750"></textarea><span class="error">* <?php echo $enquiry_areaErr; ?></span>
    </div>
    <div id="form-submit">
    <input type="submit" onClick="alert('Thank you, your enquiry has been recieved.')">
    </div>
    </div>
    </form>

in your given code there is no `$first_NameErr`. Did you provide the entire code or just a sample? — Luketep, May 02 '14 at 13:00
You say you defined the variables but you didn't. I don't see your variable `$first_NameErr` defined anywhere. — putvande, May 02 '14 at 13:00
possible duplicate of [PHP: "Notice: Undefined variable" and "Notice: Undefined index"](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/4261133/php-notice-undefined-variable-and-notice-undefined-index) — Gerald Schneider, May 02 '14 at 13:00
`$Tel_FieldErr` != `$telFieldErr`. You also know PHP is case sensitive right? — putvande, May 02 '14 at 13:02
Stick with a naming convention, don't combine camel case with underscores. Also, as said, what you're getting is notices, they won't break the script as they're not fatal. If it's not working quite right, then you've another problem. — i-CONICA, May 02 '14 at 13:05
This question appears to be off-topic because it is not likely to help any further visitors — Wouter J, May 02 '14 at 13:51

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered May 02 '14 at 13:08

1

Non of your error variables are defined. If you check your PHP, only when there was a POST action, the variables would get a value.

Just define every variable at the top of your PHP page and it should work.

answered May 02 '14 at 13:08

Wesley De Keirsmaeker

1,026
9
29

Developer · Accepted Answer · 2014-05-02T13:58:24.000

0

in your html code, you are using php variables, they are not defined when html form is loaded. so you are getting errors saying undefined variables.

if you dont want to see those errors simply use this

ini_set('display_errors', 0);

edited May 02 '14 at 13:58

answered May 02 '14 at 13:07

Developer

3,857
4
37
47

Thank you for mentioning the form being loaded. It made me realize I was working in an unlinked external file. – Beaniie May 02 '14 at 13:50
How is disabling error reporting a good solution? – Lodder Feb 11 '15 at 23:53

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered May 02 '14 at 13:08

You don't use the good variables at your PHP code. You have affected value of variables from your html form. ----codes error $body = <<

First Name: $first_Name
Last Name: $last_Name
Email: $email_Field
Tel: $tel_Field
I heard about you from; $select_Option
Enquiry: $enquiry_Field
EOD;

----replace by $body = <<

First Name: $firstField
Last Name: $lastField
Email: $emailField
Tel: $telField
I heard about you from; $selectField
Enquiry: $enquiryField
EOD;

Undefined Variables in PHP

3 Answers3