Simple Problem With Variable Scope

[wwolfson]

This is my code:
[code=php]
<?php

//start a session
session_start() ;

$errors = NULL;

$firstname = $_POST["firstname"];

//validate fields
function validate_firstn ame($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_first name($firstname ) == true)
{
include("header .php");
include("notmem berbar.php");
echo "<div class=\"content \">";
echo "<h1>Detail s Are Valid</h1>";
echo "<p>Well done</p>";
include("bottom .php");
return true;
}
else if (validate_first name($firstname ) == false)
{
include("header .php");
include("notmem berbar.php");
echo "<div class=\"content \">";
echo "<h1>Detail s Are Invalid</h1>";
echo "<p>$errors </p>";
include("bottom .php");
return false;
}
?>
[/code]

[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:
[code=php]
$GLOBALS['varname'] = 'What?';
[/code]

[wwolfson]

THANKS a lot for your help, but it still didn't work.
Found a way round it though:
[code=php]
<?php

//start a session
session_start() ;

//$GLOBALS['errors'] = NULL;

$firstname = $_POST["firstname"];

//validate fields
function validate_firstn ame($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_first name($firstname ) == true)
{
include("header .php");
include("notmem berbar.php");
echo "<div class=\"content \">";
echo "<h1>Detail s Are Valid</h1>";
echo "<p>Well done</p>";
include("bottom .php");
return true;
}
else if (validate_first name($firstname ) == false)
{
include("header .php");
include("notmem berbar.php");
echo "<div class=\"content \">";
echo "<h1>Detail s Are Invalid</h1>";
echo "<p>";
validate_firstn ame($firstname) ;
echo "</p>";
include("bottom .php");
return false;
}
?>
[/code]
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:
[code=php]
<?php
// Create you function, and pass the
// error variable with a & sign,
// indicating that it is a reference
// parameter that points to the $error
// variable defined outside the function.
function validate_firstn ame($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_fir stname("Jack", $error)) {
// Name valid
echo "Welcome John!";
}
else {
// Name invalid, print the error.
echo "Login failed: ". $error;
}
?>
[/code]

[moishy]

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