Work around for global_variables=off

how to declare variable when global vars is off

[scotty28]

I turned global variables off in php.ini

I know have the following problem with my forms.
This is what i see in my text boxes. <?=$varname?> instead of the value of the variable. Does anyone know how to fix this, do i need to declare the variable before i use it, if so how do i do this?

thanx

[Dolemite]

If register_globals is off, you'll have to use predefined superglobals to get the variables you need to fill the form.

$varname=$_GET['varname'];
$varname=$_POST['varname'];

and then echo $varname, or just

echo $_GET['varname'];
echo $_POST['varname'];

There's no reason you should see PHP (<?=$varname?>) in HTML, though. If those variables are empty, the fields should just be blank. Check your code or post more of it here.

[jamie]

might it be 'cos short tags <?> are not activated in your php.ini?

try <?php echo $variable;?>

[scotty28]

Thanks Dolemite
$varname = $_POST['varname'] solved my problem.

Jamie,
I did not have short tags turned on in php.ini, thanks

[jatar_k]

another useful function is extract [ca.php.net]

[coopster]

Regarding the register_globals directive:

"Perhaps the most controversial change in PHP is when
the default value for the PHP directive register_globals went
from ON to OFF in PHP 4.2.0."

I actually prefer register_globals off and the PHP manual recommends this practice for security purposes (the directive itself isn't insecure but rather it's the misuse of it). [us3.php.net]

If you have a shared server and you're hosting provider has register_globals on, you can set yourself up by adding an .htaccess file to your php code directories with a single line to turn the register_globals off:

php_flag register_globals off

You'll have to modify your code though, just as described earlier in this post.