The target file in action attribute of HTML form gets downloaded instead of getting parsed?

Question

I have a file signupform.html which has the following code:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>
<form action = "signup.php" method = "post">
     USERNAME:<input type="text" name="uname"><br/>
    PASSWORD:<input type="password" name="pswd"><br/>
    <input type ="submit">
</form>
</body>
</html>

Note that the action attribute of form calls signup.php

And the file signup.php has this code:

<?php
require('db.php');

$username = mysqli_real_escape_string($myConn,$_POST['uname']);
$password = mysqli_real_escape_string($myConn,$_POST['pswd']);

$query= 'SELECT COUNT(*) FROM $database WHERE USERNAME=$username;';
$result=mysqli_query($myConn,$query);
$array=mysqli_fetch_array($result);
if(!$query)
    echo 'FAILED:'.mysqli_error();
if($array[0]==1)
    echo 'A user with this username already exists! Please select a different username.';

else if($array[0]==0)
    {
        mysqli_query('INSERT INTO $database VALUES ($username , $password)');
        echo 'Congratulations! You have been signed up successfully.';
    }

?>

db.php has this code:

<?php
$host = 'localhost';
$uname='root';
$pswd='';
$myDB='signup';
$myConn = new mysqli($host,$uname,$pswd);

$database = mysqli_select_db($myConn,$myDB);

?>

Now, the problem I am facing is that when I open signupform.html and enter the username and password, the signup.php file is downloaded. Why is that happening?

is php installed on your server?? have you tried in multiple browsers??? btw are you accessing `signupform.html` from localhost or directly via double click?? — Ali Arshad, Mar 16 '15 at 18:20
I am a beginner so I am not really sure. I use apache2 server. How do I confirm if I have php installed on my server? — user2983071, Mar 16 '15 at 18:26
make a file lets say `php.php`, add this code `` access it from browser... what does it show?? — Ali Arshad, Mar 16 '15 at 18:30
I did what you said with php.php and opened it with chrome. It showed a whole bunch of information including php version. — user2983071, Mar 16 '15 at 18:42
@Gokigooooks It gets downloaded like a normal text file in the web browser. Just like you download a file from some website! — user2983071, Mar 16 '15 at 18:43
Hmmm I dont see any part of the code you've given which prompts a download of a file. — Gokigooooks, Mar 16 '15 at 18:44
Btw, I use apache2 server. I tries restarting it but it won't work! — user2983071, Mar 16 '15 at 18:49
**WARNING**: Writing your own access control layer is not easy and there are many opportunities to get it severely wrong, like how you're using the ancient, deprecated `mysql_query` interface here and are storing **plaintext passwords** which is completely unacceptable. Please, do not write your own authentication system when any modern [development framework](http://codegeekz.com/best-php-frameworks-for-developers/) like [Laravel](http://laravel.com/) comes with a robust [authentication system](http://laravel.com/docs/security) built-in. See [PHP the Right Way](http://www.phptherightway.com/) — tadman, Mar 16 '15 at 18:55

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Mar 16 '15 at 18:26

0

If you are running XAMPP/WAMPP, Have you been placed the file signup.html in your htdocs directory ? If not do place under htdocs/signupform.html

answered Mar 16 '15 at 18:26

Saloni Dhall

86
3

score 0 · Answer 2 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:06

0

I was searching for similar problems to yours and I found this.

Apache is downloading php files instead of displaying them

The solution proposed may be too technichal.A more simple solution would be to uninstall your wamp/xamp and redownload to get a new set of php files.

edited May 23 '17 at 12:06

Community

1
1

answered Mar 16 '15 at 18:50

Gokigooooks

794
10
20

The target file in action attribute of HTML form gets downloaded instead of getting parsed?

2 Answers2