Question

I have a simple form that I am passing data from to a php page using session variables. I have two functions in an external function page, but I cannot get the variables in each function to work globally unless I name the variable in each particular function.

Here is an example that I am hoping someone can help with.

$dbName = $_SESSION['dataBaseName'];    
$tableName = $_SESSION['tableName'];
$artistName = $_SESSION['artistName'];
$songName = $_SESSION['songName']; 

function table_exists($tableName)
{

if(mysql_num_rows(mysql_query("SHOW TABLES LIKE '".$tableName."'"))==1) 
{
echo "Table exists <br />";
}
else
{
$sql = "CREATE TABLE songList (songId int NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT PRIMARY KEY, artistName varchar(60), songName varchar(25))";
$result= mysql_query($sql) or die(mysql_error());
return $result;
}   
}

In my OTHER function I put the variables INSIDE the function. Doesnt seem to matter what combo I use, my variables have to be REDECLARED every function I use. I tried using GLOBAL in front but that just causes an error. Here is the other function:

function tableWrite() 

{

$dbName = $_SESSION['dataBaseName'];    
$tableName = $_SESSION['tableName'];
$artist = $_SESSION['artist'];
$song = $_SESSION['song']; 


 if(!empty($_REQUEST['insert']))
 {
  $sql = "INSERT INTO $tableName (artistName, songName) values ('$artist', '$song')";
  $result = mysql_query($sql) or die(mysql_error());
  $showaresult = mysql_query("SELECT * from $tableName where artistName = '$artist' AND songName= '$song' ") or die("Invalid query: " . mysql_error());
  echo ("New entry added"); 

  $row = mysql_fetch_array($showaresult);
  echo ("<br> Catalog Number = ". $row["songId"] . "<br> Artist Name =  " . $row["artistName"] . "<br>");
  echo("Song Name = " . $row["songName"] . "<br>");

  echo ("<h1> Current Catalog </h1>");

  $showresult = mysql_query("SELECT * from $tableName") or die("Invalid query: " . mysql_error());
  while ($row = mysql_fetch_array($showresult))
  {
   echo ("<br> Catalog Number = ". $row["songId"] . "<br> Artist Name =  " .    $row["artistName"] . "<br>");
  echo("Song Name = " . $row["songName"] . "<br>");

  }

  }
  }

Answer 1

You should put those database access variables in a different php file (maybe db_config.php?). You can then use a require directive in files where you need the values of said variables.

Also, don’t use mysql_* functions. They have been deprecated in favor of PDO or MySQLi. This will help you write better code and prevent SQL injection vunerabilities.