method="POST" changes '.' to '_'

**Andy Hassall** · Jul 6 '06, 10:25 PM

Re: method="PO ST" changes '.' to '_'

On 6 Jul 2006 15:07:59 -0700, "Robert S" <robert.spam.me .senseless@gmai l.com>
wrote:

>I am trying to use POST to transfer data to another page. When I do
>this, '.' characters get converted to"_". For example:
>
>#index.html:
><form action="test.ph p" method="post">
><input type="submit" name="filename. txt">
></form>
>
>#test.php
><html>
><?php
>var_dump( $_POST );
>?>
></html>
>
>This displays:
>
>array(1) { ["filename_t xt"]= string(12) "Submit Query" }
>
>ie 'filename.txt' is changed to 'filename_txt'
>How can I stop this behaviour?

You'd have to patch PHP.

See main/php_variables.c , php_register_va riable_ex
(line 92 in PHP 5.1.4):

/* ensure that we don't have spaces or dots in the variable name (not binary
safe) */
for (p = var; *p; p++) {
if (*p == ' ' || *p == '.') {
*p='_';
} else if (*p == '[') {
is_array = 1;
ip = p;
*p = 0;
break;
}
}
var_len = p - var;

--
Andy Hassall :: andy@andyh.co.u k :: http://www.andyh.co.uk
http://www.andyhsoftware.co.uk/space :: disk and FTP usage analysis tool

**Robert S** · Jul 6 '06, 10:35 PM

Re: method="PO ST" changes '.' to '_'

I am trying to use POST to transfer data to another page. When I do

this, '.' characters get converted to"_". For example:

You'd have to patch PHP.
>

Thanks for the speedy answer.

Is there another way? I'm using debian on a work PC and am extremely
reluctant to do any patching.

**Alvaro G. Vicario** · Jul 6 '06, 10:45 PM

Re: method="PO ST" changes '.' to '_'

*** Robert S escribió/wrote (6 Jul 2006 15:34:38 -0700):

Is there another way? I'm using debian on a work PC and am extremely
reluctant to do any patching.

Why don't do simply perform some sort of encoding and decoding, like
bin2hex() or base64_encode() or even a custom one?

--
-+ http://alvaro.es - Álvaro G. Vicario - Burgos, Spain
++ Mi sitio sobre programación web: http://bits.demogracia.com
+- Mi web de humor con rayos UVA: http://www.demogracia.com
--

**Andy Hassall** · Jul 6 '06, 10:45 PM

Re: method="PO ST" changes '.' to '_'

On 6 Jul 2006 15:34:38 -0700, "Robert S" <robert.spam.me .senseless@gmai l.com>
wrote:

>I am trying to use POST to transfer data to another page. When I do
>this, '.' characters get converted to"_". For example:
>

> You'd have to patch PHP.
>>

>
>Thanks for the speedy answer.
>
>Is there another way? I'm using debian on a work PC and am extremely
>reluctant to do any patching.

If you're brave, then there's $HTTP_RAW_POST_ DATA, but since you'll then have
to do your own POST-data decoding then beware of getting it wrong.

Just going back to your original post:

Are you committed to this layout? "filename.t xt" can exist fine as a value,
it's just as a name it's a problem. Can you not send the filename over as a
value in an input type=hidden field, for example?

--
Andy Hassall :: andy@andyh.co.u k :: http://www.andyh.co.uk
http://www.andyhsoftware.co.uk/space :: disk and FTP usage analysis tool

**flamer die.spam@hotmail.com** · Jul 6 '06, 11:05 PM

Re: method="PO ST" changes '.' to '_'

umm why dont you just (on the test.php page) do a str replace and
change the '_' back to a '.' ??

flamer.

Robert S wrote:

I am trying to use POST to transfer data to another page. When I do
this, '.' characters get converted to"_". For example:
>
#index.html:
<form action="test.ph p" method="post">
<input type="submit" name="filename. txt">
</form>
>
#test.php
<html>
<?php
var_dump( $_POST );
?>
</html>
>
This displays:
>
array(1) { ["filename_t xt"]= string(12) "Submit Query" }
>
ie 'filename.txt' is changed to 'filename_txt'
How can I stop this behaviour?

**Robert S** · Jul 6 '06, 11:25 PM

Re: method="PO ST" changes '.' to '_'

>

Why don't do simply perform some sort of encoding and decoding, like
bin2hex() or base64_encode() or even a custom one?
>

Thanks. That looks like the best idea. Fortunately the program that
creates the files seems to give the files "safe" filenames, except for
the '.' with the extension. I might just trim off the extension and
add it at the other end. bin2hex also looks promising.

**Jerry Stuckle** · Jul 7 '06, 01:45 AM

Re: method="PO ST" changes '.' to '_'

Geoff wrote:

On 6 Jul 2006 16:03:14 -0700, flamer die.spam@hotmai l.com wrote...
>

>>umm why dont you just (on the test.php page) do a str replace and
>>change the '_' back to a '.' ??
>>
>>flamer.

>
>
Thought about that too, but could have a problem with
>
<input type="submit" name="file_name .txt">
>
becoming "file.name.txt" , if other form fields are using that logic.
>
Saw someone else (Andy?) mention the "name" being the problem and not the value.
Instead of messing around with the ".txt", name it "filename" and append a
".txt" later if it's that crucial to the program.
>
>
Geoff
>

Geoff,

Remember - the name attribute is just something for you to identify the
data when it's passed. It does not have to be an actual filename - it
could be "xyz" for that matter. But it HAS to be changed, because '.'
is not a valid character in a PHP variable.

Whatever you have here is the identifier in the $_POST or $_GET array,
i.e. $_POST['xyz'].

The value in the field is where you want "filename.t xt", and that should
not be changed.

--
=============== ===
Remove the "x" from my email address
Jerry Stuckle
JDS Computer Training Corp.
jstucklex@attgl obal.net
=============== ===

**Toby Inkster** · Jul 7 '06, 06:55 AM

Re: method="PO ST" changes '.' to '_'

Robert S wrote:

Why are you even passing the filename in a button's name?

Why not:

<form action=test.php method=post>
<div>
<input type=hidden name=myfile value="filename .txt">
<input type=submit>
</div>
</form>

??

--
Toby A Inkster BSc (Hons) ARCS
Contact Me ~ http://tobyinkster.co.uk/contact

**Robert S** · Jul 7 '06, 07:25 AM

Re: method="PO ST" changes '.' to '_'

Why are you even passing the filename in a button's name?

>
Why not:
>
<form action=test.php method=post>
<div>
<input type=hidden name=myfile value="filename .txt">
<input type=submit>
</div>
</form>

The page is a fax client that allows large numbers of files to be faxed
off to multiple recipients. I have a whole lot of buttons and text
inputs that refer to different files. The receiving page loops through
$POST and identifies the file that the button refers to. All text
inputs and checkboxes etc need to be sent to the receiving page, so I
can't use multiple <formelements . The example I gave was just an
illustrative example - its not from my code. As far as I can see this
seems to be the only way of doing it. The files are .PDF files created
by cups-pdf - so they are FULL of underscores. If I use an <a href>
tag, the POST variables don't get sent to the receiving page.

bin2hex looks like the way to go.

**jussist@gmail.com** · Jul 7 '06, 08:55 AM

Re: method="PO ST" changes '.' to '_'

Robert S wrote:

Why are you even passing the filename in a button's name?

Why not:

<form action=test.php method=post>
<div>
<input type=hidden name=myfile value="filename .txt">
<input type=submit>
</div>
</form>

>
The page is a fax client that allows large numbers of files to be faxed
off to multiple recipients. I have a whole lot of buttons and text
inputs that refer to different files. The receiving page loops through
$POST and identifies the file that the button refers to. All text
inputs and checkboxes etc need to be sent to the receiving page, so I
can't use multiple <formelements . The example I gave was just an
illustrative example - its not from my code. As far as I can see this
seems to be the only way of doing it. The files are .PDF files created
by cups-pdf - so they are FULL of underscores. If I use an <a href>
tag, the POST variables don't get sent to the receiving page.
>
bin2hex looks like the way to go.

In my mind if you cannot avoid having those periods in the form-fields,
you have a design problem in your code. For example:

<input type="hidden" name="filename1 " value="filename 1.txt">
<input type="submit" name="SubmitStu ff1">

<input type="hidden" name="filename2 " value="filename 2.txt">
<input type="submit" name="SubmitStu ff2">

With this kind of stuff on the target page you get the filename by:

if( isset($_POST["SubmitStuf f1"])) {
$MyFilename = $_POST["filename1"];
}

or

for($i=0;$i<100 ;$i++) {
if(isset($_POST["SubmitStuff".$ i)) {
$MyFilename = $_POST["filename". $i];
}
}

and so forth. You never really need a period in the field name, unless
the form is produced by some other software, generator, or some
framework, but these are other issues then.

**Robin** · Jul 7 '06, 09:25 AM

Re: method="PO ST" changes '.' to '_'

Robert S wrote:

>>Why are you even passing the filename in a button's name?
>>
>>Why not:
>>
>> <form action=test.php method=post>
>> <div>
>> <input type=hidden name=myfile value="filename .txt">
>> <input type=submit>
>> </div>
>> </form>

>
>
The page is a fax client that allows large numbers of files to be faxed
off to multiple recipients. I have a whole lot of buttons and text
inputs that refer to different files. The receiving page loops through
$POST and identifies the file that the button refers to. All text
inputs and checkboxes etc need to be sent to the receiving page, so I
can't use multiple <formelements . The example I gave was just an
illustrative example - its not from my code. As far as I can see this
seems to be the only way of doing it. The files are .PDF files created
by cups-pdf - so they are FULL of underscores. If I use an <a href>
tag, the POST variables don't get sent to the receiving page.
>
bin2hex looks like the way to go.
>

If you don't mind assuming that javascript is on then:

one of these:
<input type='hidden' name='myfile' value='' />

and many of (assuming form's name is 'myform'):
<input type='submit'
onclick='docume nt.myform.myfil e.value="filena me.txt"' />

-------------------------------------------------
Alternatively, assuming the buttons have the filename as their text,
just have many:

<input type='submit' name='myfile' value='filename 1.txt' />
<input type='submit' name='myfile' value='filename 2.txt' />
<input type='submit' name='myfile' value='filename 2.txt' />
....

then $_POST['myfile'] should be the value field of the clicked submit
button.

**Robert S** · Jul 7 '06, 10:15 AM

Re: method="PO ST" changes '.' to '_'

Both of these suggestions look good. I'm using javascript already and
that looks like the most elegant method.

**Jerry Stuckle** · Jul 7 '06, 11:35 AM

Re: method="PO ST" changes '.' to '_'

Robert S wrote:

>>Why are you even passing the filename in a button's name?
>>
>>Why not:
>>
>> <form action=test.php method=post>
>> <div>
>> <input type=hidden name=myfile value="filename .txt">
>> <input type=submit>
>> </div>
>> </form>

>
>
The page is a fax client that allows large numbers of files to be faxed
off to multiple recipients. I have a whole lot of buttons and text
inputs that refer to different files. The receiving page loops through
$POST and identifies the file that the button refers to. All text
inputs and checkboxes etc need to be sent to the receiving page, so I
can't use multiple <formelements . The example I gave was just an
illustrative example - its not from my code. As far as I can see this
seems to be the only way of doing it. The files are .PDF files created
by cups-pdf - so they are FULL of underscores. If I use an <a href>
tag, the POST variables don't get sent to the receiving page.
>
bin2hex looks like the way to go.
>

OK, no problem. Just:

<form action=test.php method=post>
<input type=hidden name="filename[0]" value="filename .txt">
<input type=submit name="Submit[0]">
<input type=hidden name="filename[1]" value="filename .pdf">
<input type=submit name="Submit[1]">
<input type=hidden name="filename[2]" value="filename .doc">
<input type=submit name="Submit[2]">
<input type=hidden name="filename[3]" value="filename .html">
<input type=submit name="Submit[3]">
</form>

File names are in $_POST['filename[0]'], $_POST['filename[1]'], etc.
The button which was pressed will be in $_POST['Submit[x]'].

Simply loop through the Submit array to find which one was pressed with
isset(), and pick the appropriate file from the filename array.

Expandable, easily programmed and requires no JS.

--
=============== ===
Remove the "x" from my email address
Jerry Stuckle
JDS Computer Training Corp.
jstucklex@attgl obal.net
=============== ===

**Robert S** · Jul 7 '06, 01:15 PM

Re: method="PO ST" changes '.' to '_'

>

OK, no problem. Just:
>
<form action=test.php method=post>
<input type=hidden name="filename[0]" value="filename .txt">
<input type=submit name="Submit[0]">
<input type=hidden name="filename[1]" value="filename .pdf">
<input type=submit name="Submit[1]">
<input type=hidden name="filename[2]" value="filename .doc">
<input type=submit name="Submit[2]">
<input type=hidden name="filename[3]" value="filename .html">
<input type=submit name="Submit[3]">
</form>
>
Simply loop through the Submit array to find which one was pressed with
isset(), and pick the appropriate file from the filename array.
>

I've gone for this approach. Works a treat. Many thanks for the help
folks.

method="POST" changes '.' to '_'

method="POST" changes '.' to '_'

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