Question

I’m new to php and need some help with “GET” variables.

Here an extraction of my Code for index.php:

$array = array("section","view","sub","cat","point");
$i = 0;
$check = true;

foreach ($_GET as $position => $wert) {
  if ($position != $array[$i]) {
    //if GET doesnt exist in the array set check to false
    $check = false;
    break;
  }
  $i++;
}

//if GET variables exists
if ($check == true) {
  if (isset($_GET['section'], $_GET['view'], $_GET['sub'], $_GET['cat'], $_GET['point'], $point[$_GET['point']])) {
    $path = $path_dynamic.$_GET['section']."/".$_GET['view']."/".$_GET['sub']."/".$_GET['cat']."/".$point[$_GET['point']];
    check($path);
  } else if (isset($_GET['section'], $_GET['view'], $_GET['sub'], $_GET['cat'], $cat[$_GET['cat']])) {
    $path = $path_dynamic.$_GET['section']."/".$_GET['view']."/".$_GET['sub']."/".$cat[$_GET['cat']];
    check($path);
  } else if (isset($_GET['section'], $_GET['view'], $_GET['sub'], $sub[$_GET['sub']])) {
    $path = $path_dynamic.$_GET['section']."/".$_GET['view']."/".$sub[$_GET['sub']];
    check($path);
  } else if (isset($_GET['section'], $_GET['view'], $view[$_GET['view']])) {
    $path = $path_dynamic.$_GET['section']."/".$view[$_GET['view']];
    check($path);
  } else if (isset($_GET['section'], $section[$_GET['section']])) {
    $path = $path_dynamic.$section[$_GET['section']];
    check($path);
    //if section isn't set
  } else if (!isset($_GET['section'])) {
    include ($path_dynamic.$section['news']);
  }
} else {
  echo "GET doesn't exist";
  include ($path_static.$section['error']);
}

//check if GET exists
function check($path) {
  if (file_exists($path)) {
    echo "File imported<br />";
    include ($path);
  } else {
    echo "GET set correct but file doens't exist";
    include ('include/static/fehler.html');
  }
}

Example of section.php (view, sub, cat and point is the same):

$section = array();
$section['error'] = 'fehler.html';

My problem is that if i set this link:

index.php?section=verein&view=vorstande

“vorstande” doesn’t exist in my view array. So the code checks for the section “verein” and include “verein”. But it should give an error.

So it seems that this code

 } else if (isset($_GET['section'], $_GET['view'], $view[$_GET['view']])) {

is ignored and it jumps to

  } else if (isset($_GET['section'], $section[$_GET['section']])) {

Also if I change my url to this:

index.php?section=vereine&view=vorstande

nothing happens. I even don’t know where the code is right now.

But if I change the url to this:

index.php?section=vereine&view=vorstand

everything works fine.

So “verein” and “vorstand” is defined by me. “vereine” and “vorstande” doens’t exist.

Any suggestions? Sry for comments in german. The echo only gives me a hint where the code is right now!

Link to my HP:

Edit:
– translated comments for better conversation
– deleted all “$…[$_GET[‘…’]]” structures to show the error I will get instead.

Answer 1

“vorstande” doesn’t exist in my view array. So the code checks for the
section “verein” and include “verein”. But it should give an error.

By “give an error” you mean $check = false;?

} else if (isset($_GET['section'], $_GET['view'], $view[$_GET['view']])) {

If in your $view the key vorstande does not exist, this the whole condition will evaluate to false and next condition will be checked:

} else if (isset($_GET['section'], $section[$_GET['section']])) {

Edit:

Your code:

else if (isset($_GET['section'], $_GET['view'], $view[$_GET['view']])) {
    $path = $path_dynamic.$_GET['section']."/".$view[$_GET['view']];
    check($path);
}

Your requirement:

if (!isset($view[$_GET['view']]))
    check(/* something invalid to display fehler.html */ false);

What actually happens:

isset($_GET['section'])     // true
isset($_GET['view'])        // true
isset($view[$_GET['view']]) // FALSE

=> isset($_GET['section'], $_GET['view'], $view[$_GET['view']]) // FALSE

If the $_GET['view'] does not exist in $view, the block which would call check is not executed. If you want it to be executed regardless, simply remove the condition isset($view[$_GET['view']]):

else if (isset($_GET['section'], $_GET['view'])) {
    $path = $path_dynamic.$_GET['section']."/".@$view[$_GET['view']]; // @ to suppress errors from accessing 
    check($path);
}

If you don’t like this approach, work on your cases. You have one case for section isset AND view isset AND view is valid. The next case ignores the view parameter. So if your view parameter is not valid, your code handles it like it was not set. The requirement though is to have a case for section isset AND view isset AND view is invalid:

else if (isset($_GET['section'], $_GET['view']) && !isset($view[$_GET['view']])) {
    check(false);
}

This is of course pretty much redundant checking so just nest it to something like:

else if (isset($_GET['section'], $_GET['view']))
{
     // section and view have been passed

     if (isset($view[$_GET['view']])
         // view is actually valid
         $path = $path_dynamic.$_GET['section']."/".$view[$_GET['view']];

     else
         // view has been passed but is invalid. show fehler.html
         $path = false;

     check($path);
}

Alternate Example

If I understand you correctly, you have the following requirement: If the user passes a parameter section, view, sub, cat or point, you want that this value is also in your list of valid values. If it isn’t, you want to display fehler.html.

We now first ensure that if the parameter is set, it is also valid:

foreach ($array as $param)
{
    // example for $param == "view":
    // !isset( $view[$_GET["view"]] )
    if (!isset( ${$param}[$_GET[$param]] ))
    {
        $check = false;
        break;
    }
}

We then check all your combinations of parameters and build a $path

$path = false;
if ($check)
{
    // your long if isset else if isset block where 
    // isset($_GET['view']) also implies isset($view[$_GET['view']])
    // so you don't have to check for it.

    // just set the $path variable with some string.
    // we are going to check it later
}

If now the initial $check failed or we built an invalid $path, display fehler.html

if ($check === false || !file_exists($path))
{
    // display fehler.html
}
else
    include($path);