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Tutorial: page.php?page=blah / query strings / easy template tutorial (UPDATED)

Hopefully, this will cut down on the incredible number of requests we get for this. First, a couple of key terms: 'query string' is the ?page=blah part in 'page.php?page=blah'. page=blah is called a variable=value pair. You can seperate them by doing 'page.php?var1=bob&var2=tom'.

Now, something that will cause many of you problems is register_globals. If its off (which it is by default in the last few php distrubs), using $queryStringVar when going to page.php?queryStringVar=tom wont print out anything. In fact, chances are it will give you an unset / undefined variable error... whcih isnt good! But we have a soultion.

Remember the variable=value pairs?

We can get things from the query string through the $_GET array, no matter what. So since $queryStringVar doesnt work, we have to get it through $_GET['queryStringVar'].

The general idea is this:
If you go to 'page.php?color=red&money=37&var1337=sure', then we DONT get it by this:

PHP:

<?php

print $color . '<br />';
print $money . '<br />';
print $var1337 . '<br />';

?>

Instead, we use the $_GET array!

PHP:

<?php

print $_GET['color'] . '<br />';
print $_GET['money'] . '<br />';
print $_GET['var1337'] . '<br />';

?>

This works, and is proper coding. HAPPY DAY.

Now, we have the all to oft template/ include problem:

Things that DONT work"

PHP:

<?php

if($page == 'one') {
    include 'page1.php';
}

?>

AND

PHP:

<?php

include $page;

?>

Instead, were going to use the switch statement and the $_GET array!

PHP:

<?php

switch( $_GET['page'] ) {
    case 'news' : 
        include 'news.php';
        break;
    case 'portfolio' :
        include 'portfolio.php';
        break;
    case 'bush' :
        include 'go_to_war_with_iraq_for_no_reason.php';
        break;
    case 'me' :
        print 'war sucks... GO ANTI WAR ME';
    default:
        include 'news.php';
        break;
}

?>

Isnt that easy to read? It is, isnt it. Thats why you should use it. Feel free to ask questions...here.

new as of june 15:

Now, you may ask - what about index.php?news / index.php?portfolio means of navigation? This actually isn't that hard. You see, when you go to index.php?variable, variable is initialized but not given a value. That means you can do this:

Way one, if you intend to have other query string variables besides just ?page

PHP:

<?php

if( isset($_GET['news']) and !defined('PAGE_LOADED') ) {
     include 'pages/news.php';
     define ('PAGE_LOADED', '');
}
if( isset($_GET['portfolio']) and !defined('PAGE_LOADED') ) {
     include 'pages/portfolio.php';
     define ('PAGE_LOADED', '');
}
if( isset($_GET['forum']) and !defined('PAGE_LOADED') ) {
     define ('PAGE_LOADED', '');
     header("Location: forum.php");
}
?>

And if you don't intend to have other query string variables:

PHP:

<?php

if(isset($_SERVER['QUERY_STRING']) && $_SERVER['QUERY_STRING'] == 'news') {
     include 'pages/news.php';
}
if(isset($_SERVER['QUERY_STRING']) && $_SERVER['QUERY_STRING'] == 'portfolio') {
     include 'pages/portfolio.php';
}
if(isset($_SERVER['QUERY_STRING']) && $_SERVER['QUERY_STRING'] == 'forum') {
     header("Location: forum.php");
}
?>

And thats how you do index.php?news

links:
switch control structure
Register globals

___________________

http://www.philbrodeur.com - Expert PHP Development and Tutorials

Last edited by Phil, June 16th, 2003 12:17 AM (Edited 1 times)

nice, i will link this from the sticky.

___________________

PHP:

<?php

    case 'bush' :
        include 'go_to_war_with_iraq_for_no_reason.php';
        break;
    case 'me' :
        print 'war sucks... GO ANTI WAR ME';

?>

Priceless

___________________

lol agreed jomdom

___________________

Travis Farrell

PHP:

<?php
if(strstr($post, "iraq")) {
    echo "not need here. go post in the debate forum or something.\n";
}
?>

___________________

sorry but what if i wanted to put html in here, would I just

PHP:

<?php
switch( $_GET['page'] ) {
    case 'news' : 
        include 'news.php';
        break;
    case 'portfolio' :
        include 'portfolio.php';
        break;
    case 'bush' :
        include 'go_to_war_with_iraq_for_no_reason.php';
        break;
    case 'me' :
        print '<img src='www.whitehouse.com/bushy.jpg'>';
        print '<center>Bush having fun :P</center>';
    default:
        include 'news.php';
        break;
}

?>

also, could somebody in explain to me, in english :P, what is the difference between the variables, print, include, echo?

Thank you very much
~Zober

It would be best to put your html in another page and include it.

Include: Outputs the contents of the page that is included

Echo: Outputs Text

Print: Basicly The Same as Echo

for the people that didn't read the other threads

PHP:

<?php
// what variable in the query string.  ex; index.php?goto=some page
$var_name = "goto";
// list of your pages, what you want to call it and what file should be included.
// example 'pictures' => '/home/url/public/page/that/is/not/in/the/same/directory',
// default is the default page, duh!
// 404 is the page to load when the user wants a  page that does not exist.  404.php
// can be a file that stores the URL into a text-file so you know if you have any broken links.
$pages = array(
       'default' => 'main.php',
       '404' => '404.php',
       'pic' => 'what.php',
       'page name' => 'whatever.asdfsdfdsfsdf',
);

$var = @$_GET[$var_name];
if(!$var)
    include($pages['default']);
elseif(!isset($pages[$var]))
    include($pages['404']);
else
    include($pages[$var]);

?>

___________________

http://celerondude.com

Yeah, I'm sorta stuck here. i put the code in my page (articles.php) like so:

PHP:

<?php
switch( $_GET['article'] ) {
    case 'articone' : 
        include 'stupidpeople.php';
        break;
    default:
        include 'articlesmain.php';
        break;
}
?>

But when I go to articles.php?article=articone, it includes the default (articlesmain.php) instead of stupidpeople.php. Man, this PHP stuff is harder than it looks.

___________________

I like pie.

Try replacing $_GET with $HTTP_GET_VARS.

If that doesn't work, I'm stumped.

___________________

Adam Goossens -- PHP is my mother tounge.

Linux: ( kernel.org | winehq ) -- f33l the p0w3r.

Nobody replying to your questions? Getting flamed? Getting told to RTFM? Ask your questions the right way.

Last edited by Jeb, March 24th, 2003 09:29 PM (Edited 1 times)