Redirect function not redirecting [duplicate] - php

Question

This question already has answers here:
How to fix "Headers already sent" error in PHP
(11 answers)
Closed 6 years ago.
I built a website locally with WAMP server, and everything worked fine, then ported over to web server on GoDaddy, and my redirect function suddenly stopped working.
Simple site at (www.minute.tech), you can test out the one form I have, goes to the form_processing.php, but should redirect back to the index page with a message. When you go back to the index page after the failed redirect, it still shows the proper message of "Booyah!...", and inputs the email into my database.
Any ideas why it won't redirect on my web server, but will on my local WAMP server with the same code? Cheers!
Here's my redirect function in sessions.php:
function redirect_to($new_location) {
header("Location: " . $new_location);
exit();
}
Here's process_email.php where I redirect:
<?php require_once("sessions.php"); ?>
<?php require_once("db_connection.php"); ?>
<?php require_once("functions.php"); ?>
<?php
if(isset($_POST['submit']) && !empty($_POST['email'])){
//Process form
$email = $_POST['email'];
$email = mysql_prep($email);
$techcheck = (isset($_POST['techcheck'])) ? 1 : 0;
// 2. Perform database query
$query = "INSERT INTO signups (";
$query .= " email, techcheck";
$query .= ") VALUES (";
$query .= "'{$email}', $techcheck";
$query .= ")";
$result = mysqli_query($connection, $query);
if ($result) {
// Success
$_SESSION["good_message"] = "Booyah! We will keep you posted on progress.";
redirect_to("../index.php");
} else {
//Failure
$_SESSION["bad_message"] = "Failed to accept email.";
redirect_to("../index.php");
}
} else {
//This can be an accidental GET request
$_SESSION["bad_message"] = "That is not a valid email! Please try again.";
redirect_to("../index.php");
}
?>

Answer 1

You have to start object for header function sometimes
Add this code to all pages
<?php ob_start(); ?>

Answer 2

Do with JS.
<?php
function redirect_to($new_location) { ?>
<script>window.location="<?php echo $new_location; ?>";</script>
<?php } ?>

Answer 3

Remove all the empty spaces. Some server set-ups will be okay with output before the header redirect but the vast majority of servers will not redirect properly. Turn on error reporting and it will probably tell you have output before the redirect:
<?php
// ^---- Just do one open tag
require_once("sessions.php"); // Remove close tag, possible empty space after
require_once("db_connection.php"); // Remove close tag, possible empty space after
require_once("functions.php"); // Remove close tag, possible empty space after
// Remove the close and open php tags
if(isset($_POST['submit']) && !empty($_POST['email'])){
//Process form
$email = $_POST['email'];
$email = mysql_prep($email);
$techcheck = (isset($_POST['techcheck'])) ? 1 : 0;
// 2. Perform database query
$query = "INSERT INTO signups (";
$query .= " email, techcheck";
$query .= ") VALUES (";
$query .= "'{$email}', $techcheck";
$query .= ")";
$result = mysqli_query($connection, $query);
if ($result) {
// Success
$_SESSION["good_message"] = "Booyah! We will keep you posted on progress.";
redirect_to("../index.php");
} else {
//Failure
$_SESSION["bad_message"] = "Failed to accept email.";
redirect_to("../index.php");
}
} else {
//This can be an accidental GET request
$_SESSION["bad_message"] = "That is not a valid email! Please try again.";
redirect_to("../index.php");
}
// If you have no more content below this point, just remove the close php tag
// it is not required and is a possible source of empty space down the line...
Also, you should not be using mysql_ anymore, it is deprecated and removed in PHP 7. Also, bind parameters instead of doing this parameter right into the sql:
$query .= "'{$email}', $techcheck";