Simple Problem With Variable Scope

[wwolfson]

This is my code:

<?php
 
//start a session
session_start();
 
$errors = NULL;
 
$firstname = $_POST["firstname"];
 
//validate fields
function validate_firstname($firstname)
{
global $errors;
 
if (ereg("^[A-Z][a-z]+", $firstname))
{
    return true;
}
else
{
    $errors = $errors + "The first name entered is invalid.<br />e.g. Daniel<br /><br />";
    return false;
}
}
 
 
 
//produce validation errors
if (validate_firstname($firstname) == true) 
{
    include("header.php");
    include("notmemberbar.php");
    echo "<div class=\"content\">";
    echo "<h1>Details Are Valid</h1>";
    echo "<p>Well done</p>";
    include("bottom.php");
    return true;
}
else if (validate_firstname($firstname) == false)
{
    include("header.php");
    include("notmemberbar.php");
    echo "<div class=\"content\">";
    echo "<h1>Details Are Invalid</h1>";
    echo "<p>$errors</p>";
    include("bottom.php");
    return false;
}
?>
 

[Please use CODE tags when posting source code. Thanks! --pbmods]

I'm having massive trouble printing out that variable $errors.
Any ideas? - I got an idea that its a very simple error im making.
Thanks.
William.

[pbmods]

Heya, William. Welcome to TSDN!

Try declaring $errors as $GLOBALS['errors'] instead.

[Atli]

The global keyword is nothing but trouble.

I always define global variables like this:

$GLOBALS['varname'] = 'What?';
 

[wwolfson]

THANKS a lot for your help, but it still didn't work.
Found a way round it though:

<?php
 
//start a session
session_start();
 
//$GLOBALS['errors'] = NULL;
 
$firstname = $_POST["firstname"];
 
//validate fields
function validate_firstname($firstname)
{
 
 
if (ereg("^[A-Z][a-z]+", $firstname))
{
    return true;
}
else
{
    echo "The first name entered is invalid.<br />e.g. Daniel<br><br />";
    return false;
}
}
 
 
//produce validation errors
if (validate_firstname($firstname) == true) 
{
    include("header.php");
    include("notmemberbar.php");
    echo "<div class=\"content\">";
    echo "<h1>Details Are Valid</h1>";
    echo "<p>Well done</p>";
    include("bottom.php");
    return true;
}
else if (validate_firstname($firstname) == false)
{
    include("header.php");
    include("notmemberbar.php");
    echo "<div class=\"content\">";
    echo "<h1>Details Are Invalid</h1>";
    echo "<p>";
    validate_firstname($firstname);
    echo "</p>";
    include("bottom.php");
    return false;
}
?>
 

William.

[Atli]

Ok, that works. But you are calling the function three times, each time going through all the code and causing three times the overhead needed.

Might I suggest something like this:

<?php
// Create you function, and pass the
// error variable with a & sign,
// indicating that it is a reference
// parameter that points to the $error
// variable defined outside the function.
function validate_firstname($fname, &$outError)
{
  // Do whatever test you want
  if($fname == "John"){
    // The name is valid, return true.
    return true;
  }
  else{
    // The name is invalid, change the 
    // $outError,which will also change the 
    // $error variable. Then return false.
    $outError = "Sorry, John's only!";
    return false;
  }
}
 
// this is the var for our error message
$error = "Error";
 
// Try to validate
if(validate_firstname("Jack", $error)) {
  // Name valid
  echo "Welcome John!";
}
else {
  // Name invalid, print the error.
  echo "Login failed: ". $error;
}
?>
 

[moishy]

Make each error a variable within an array of all the errors.
Then use foreach to list out the errors