Problems writing custom assert function

[Kelvin Jones]

Hey, I am trying to write a custom assert function that would be used
to forward a user to an error page if the assertion fails. Here is the
definition of this function and an example of its intended usage:

function fm_assert($iser ror)
{
if($iserror)
{
header("Locatio n:http://x.com/errorpage.php") ;
return true;
}
else
return false;
}

//========
// USAGE EXAMPLE
//========
fm_assert(!mysq l_query($sql));
....
header("Locatio n: http://second-page.com");


What should happen here is if there IS an error (assertion fails), then
the user should be forwarded to the error page
(http://x.com/errorpage.php). However, what DOES happen is that the
user actually ends up at http://second-page.com not the error page
(this is happening I guess because the header Location is being
replaced by the 2nd header call).

To prevent this, I added those return statements to the fm_assert
function, and started using it like this:
if(fm_assert(!m ysql_query($sql ))) exit;

This works fine, but it looks ugly. My question is (finally) Is there
some way to make this sleeker so I can call the assert function as just
fm_assert($iser ror) and not have to put the 'if' or the 'exit' in
there?

PS- i tried to move the exit to the fm_assert, but obviously that only
exited the fm_assert function itself, not the page that it was running
in.

Thanks!

[Joshua Beall]

Re: Problems writing custom assert function

"Kelvin Jones" <kelvin.jones@g mail.com> wrote in message
news:1109958809 .994714.75150@g 14g2000cwa.goog legroups.com...[color=blue]
> PS- i tried to move the exit to the fm_assert, but obviously that only
> exited the fm_assert function itself, not the page that it was running
> in.[/color]

What version of PHP are you running, exactly? I have to think that you are
mistaken. If you are not, then you have discovered a nasty bug in PHP.
exit is supposed to terminate the entire script:

http://php.net/exit

You are sure that it is not doing this?

[Dan Stumpus]

Re: Problems writing custom assert function


"Kelvin Jones" <kelvin.jones@g mail.com> wrote
[color=blue]
> function fm_assert($iser ror)
> {
> if($iserror)
> {
> header("Locatio n:http://x.com/errorpage.php") ;
> return true;
> }
> else
> return false;
> }
>
> //========
> // USAGE EXAMPLE
> //========
> fm_assert(!mysq l_query($sql));
> ...
> header("Locatio n: http://second-page.com");[/color]

Yeah, you're sending two headers; apparently the second one takes effect.

I'd remove the header() statement from fm_assert$, and simply:

if ( fm_assert(...) ) {
header("Locatio n:http://x.com/errorpage.php") ;
} else {
header("Locatio n: http://second-page.com");
}

Since your function is designed to assert, just have it assert -- deal with
what to do outside of it.

This is a good design principle -- having a routine do just one thing makes
it more versatile.

-- Dan

[Timin Uram]

Re: Problems writing custom assert function

Well in this case, there wouldn't be a point of having assert return
only true or false..because then it would just return the conditional
that was inputted. Then instead of versatile, it would be redundant and
probably useless.

[Dan Stumpus]

Re: Problems writing custom assert function


"Timin Uram" <somenimit@hotm ail.com> wrote in message
news:1109972643 .881804.198560@ z14g2000cwz.goo glegroups.com.. .[color=blue]
> Well in this case, there wouldn't be a point of having assert return
> only true or false..because then it would just return the conditional
> that was inputted. Then instead of versatile, it would be redundant and
> probably useless.[/color]

By god, you're right! Assert is now utterly useless (unless there's some
murky PHP reason for it), but the suggested code would at least do what the
OP wanted!

Good catch,

Dan

[Henk Verhoeven]

Re: Problems writing custom assert function

Hi Kelvin,

The follown combination is usually quite effective:

$url = "http://x.com/errorpage.php";
@header("Locati on:$url");
print "<script> document.locati on='$url'; </script>";
exit();

print will force the header that has just been set to be output. But in
case something already has been output, so the header will have no
effect, the script may do the trick.

Greetings,

Henk Verhoeven,

http://www.phppeanuts.org/site/index.php?pntType=HcodeClass&id=pnt.unit.PntAssert

Kelvin Jones wrote:
[color=blue]
> Hey, I am trying to write a custom assert function that would be used
> to forward a user to an error page if the assertion fails. Here is the
> definition of this function and an example of its intended usage:
>
> function fm_assert($iser ror)
> {
> if($iserror)
> {
> header("Locatio n:http://x.com/errorpage.php") ;
> return true;
> }
> else
> return false;
> }
>
> //========
> // USAGE EXAMPLE
> //========
> fm_assert(!mysq l_query($sql));
> ...
> header("Locatio n: http://second-page.com");
>
>
> What should happen here is if there IS an error (assertion fails), then
> the user should be forwarded to the error page
> (http://x.com/errorpage.php). However, what DOES happen is that the
> user actually ends up at http://second-page.com not the error page
> (this is happening I guess because the header Location is being
> replaced by the 2nd header call).
>
> To prevent this, I added those return statements to the fm_assert
> function, and started using it like this:
> if(fm_assert(!m ysql_query($sql ))) exit;
>
> This works fine, but it looks ugly. My question is (finally) Is there
> some way to make this sleeker so I can call the assert function as just
> fm_assert($iser ror) and not have to put the 'if' or the 'exit' in
> there?
>
> PS- i tried to move the exit to the fm_assert, but obviously that only
> exited the fm_assert function itself, not the page that it was running
> in.
>
> Thanks!
>[/color]

[Michael Fesser]

Re: Problems writing custom assert function

.oO(Kelvin Jones)
[color=blue]
>This works fine, but it looks ugly. My question is (finally) Is there
>some way to make this sleeker so I can call the assert function as just
>fm_assert($ise rror) and not have to put the 'if' or the 'exit' in
>there?[/color]

You have to put an exit; after the header() call or the script will
continue to run (this is mentioned in the manual!) and overwrite the
Location header.

function fm_assert($iser ror) {
if ($iserror) {
header('Locatio n: http://x.com/errorpage.php') ;
exit;
}
}
[color=blue]
>PS- i tried to move the exit to the fm_assert, but obviously that only
>exited the fm_assert function itself, not the page that it was running
>in.[/color]

exit terminates the entire script.

Micha

[Kelvin Jones]

Re: Problems writing custom assert function

Thanks henk, this seemed to do the trick...though it looks a bit clunky
when it has to be forwarded by the <script>, it works :)

[Michael Fesser]

Re: Problems writing custom assert function

.oO(Kelvin Jones)
[color=blue]
>Thanks henk, this seemed to do the trick...though it looks a bit clunky
>when it has to be forwarded by the <script>, it works :)[/color]

It's ugly and shouldn't be necessary.

header(...);
exit;

always worked here.

Micha

[Wayne]

Re: Problems writing custom assert function

On 4 Mar 2005 09:53:30 -0800, "Kelvin Jones" <kelvin.jones@g mail.com>
wrote:
[color=blue]
>PS- i tried to move the exit to the fm_assert, but obviously that only
>exited the fm_assert function itself, not the page that it was running
>in.[/color]

As stated before, exit() always exits the entire script.

http://ca3.php.net/manual/en/function.exit.php

In fact, I have a redirect() function which works very similarily to
your assert function which exits right after sending the location
header.

[Henk Verhoeven]

Re: Problems writing custom assert function

Michael Fesser wrote:[color=blue]
> It's ugly and shouldn't be necessary.[/color]

Ha, ha, i agree, all code should allways be 100 % bugfree :-)))
[color=blue]
>
> header(...);
> exit;
>
> always worked here.
>
> Micha[/color]

I suppose your code never fails after the headers have been sent :>


Henk.

[Michael Fesser]

Re: Problems writing custom assert function

.oO(Henk Verhoeven)
[color=blue]
>I suppose your code never fails after the headers have been sent :>[/color]

No. If PHP complains about "headers already sent" then you've made a
mistake and there's an error in the program flow. It's that simple.

You should first check everything that has to be checked before sending
any output to the user agent. Another way is to use output buffering.

Micha