Carrying a variable via session to another file - php

Question

I have searched through numerous posts on this site to figure out why my session variable is not being recognized, but I haven't been able to figure out a solution.
It is really simply what I am trying to do. I have two PHP files. The first one I have the following code. I HAVE started a session.
PHP file 1
$profile_viewer = $_GET['user'];
$_SESSION['viewer'] = $profile_viewer;
PHP file 2
$_SESSION['viewer'] = $profile_viewer;
I keep getting the error : Notice: Undefined variable: profile_viewer
What am I doing wrong with putting $profile_viewer in the session and then calling for it?
EDIT:
File 1
$profile_user = $_GET['user'];
$_SESSION['viewer'] = $profile_user;
File 2
$user = new User();
//$profile_user = $_GET['user'];
$profile_user = $_SESSION['viewer'];
echo $profile_user;
$friend_status = $_POST['friend_status'];
$okay = true;
if ( $okay ) {
$add_friend_sql = "
INSERT INTO friends
(friend_one, friend_two, date)
VALUES(?, ?, NOW())
";
$add_friend_stmt = $con->prepare($add_friend_sql);
$add_friend_stmt->execute(array($user_id, $profile_user));
}
Full code for file 1
<?php
ini_set('display_errors', 1);
error_reporting(E_ALL);
require_once '../core/init_account.php';
if(Session::exists('home')) {
echo '<p>' . Session::flash('home') . '</p>';
}
if(!$user->isLoggedIn()) {
Redirect::to('../index');
}
$profile_user = $_GET['user'];
$_SESSION['viewer'] = $profile_user;
// If you make a file function, you can change where things are saved
// You can also change the destination (for portability)
function UploadFile($fileArray = array(), $destinationFolder = 'profile_images/') {
$filename = $fileArray['file']['name'];
$tmp_name = $fileArray['file']['tmp_name'];
$filesize = $fileArray['file']['size'];
$file_error = $fileArray['file']['error'];
$file = $fileArray['file'];
// Save all the default data.
// Success and error should be set by default to fail
$return['error'] = true;
$return['success'] = false;
$return['file']['dest'] = $destinationFolder.$filename;
$return['file']['size'] = $filesize;
if($file_error == 0)
$return['error'] = false;
// I added a directory creation function so you don't have to
// manually make folders. This will do it for you.
if(!is_dir($destinationFolder))
mkdir($destinationFolder,0755,true);
// If your filename is not empty, return success or fail of upload
if (!empty($filename))
$return['success'] = (move_uploaded_file($tmp_name, $destinationFolder.$filename));
return $return;
}
// Create a save-to-database function so it's easier and reusable
function SaveToDb($con,$filename = false) {
// Return fail immediately if the connection is false or image is invalid
if(empty($filename) || !$con)
return false;
$user_id = ( isset( $_SESSION['user'] ) ? $_SESSION['user'] : "" );
$img_insert_sql = "
INSERT INTO profile_img
(user_id, img)
VALUES (?, ?)
";
if($img_insert_stmt = $con->prepare($img_insert_sql)) {
$img_insert_stmt->execute(array($user_id, $filename));
return true;
}
return false;
}
// Get current profile img
function getPhoto($con) {
$user_id = ( isset( $_SESSION['user'] ) ? $_SESSION['user'] : "" );
$profile_viewer = $_GET['user'];
if ($profile_viewer == $user_id) {
/*$img_select_sql = "
SELECT *
FROM profile_img
WHERE user_id = ?
ORDER BY id DESC
LIMIT 1
";*/
$img_select_sql = "
SELECT i.*
FROM profile_img i
WHERE user_id IN (?, ?)
ORDER BY id DESC
LIMIT 1;
";
}
else {
//echo "This is not your image";
echo $profile_viewer;
$img_select_sql = "
SELECT i.*
FROM profile_img i
WHERE user_id IN (?, ?)
ORDER BY id DESC
LIMIT 1;
";
}
if ($select_img_stmt = $con->prepare($img_select_sql)) {
$select_img_stmt->execute(array($user_id, $profile_user));
$rows = $select_img_stmt->fetchAll(PDO::FETCH_ASSOC);
foreach ($rows as $row) {
//$status = $row['status'];
return $row;
}
}
}
// Make sure all functions above are include here. Checks for post
if(isset($_POST['create'])) {
// Try uploading
$upload = UploadFile($_FILES);
// If upload fails
if(!$upload['success']) {
echo '<h3>Sorry, an error occurred</h3>';
}
else {
// You could add error handling here based on the results of
// each function's success or failure below.
// Try to save it
$saveToDb = SaveToDb($con,$upload['file']['dest']);
// Get the profile from image name
$profPic = ($saveToDb)? getPhoto($con,$upload['file']['dest']) : false;
}
}
$profPic = getPhoto($con);
?>
</head>
<body>
<?php
include_once("../analyticstracking.php");
if($user->hasPermission('User')) {
include 'nav/navUser.php';
}
?>
<div id="main">
<?php
$profile_viewer_message = null;
if($profile_user == $user_id) {
echo $profile_viewer_message = "This is your profile.";
} else {
echo $profile_viewer_message = "You are viewing someone elses profile.";
echo '<div id="add-friend"><img src="../icons/collection/add.png" alt="Add Friend">' . "Add Friend" . '</div>';
}
?>
<div id="profile-pic-container">
<img id="profile-pic" src="<?php echo (!empty($profPic) && $profPic != 0)? $profPic['img'] : "profile_images/default.jpg"; ?>" alt="<?php echo (!empty($profPic) && $profPic != 0)? "Profile Picture" : "No Picture"; ?>" />
<img src="../icons/photo-camera.png" id="change-picture" alt="Profile Picture">
<form action="" method="POST" enctype="multipart/form-data">
<input type="file" id="upload-profile-pic" name="file" class="file-input">
<div id="profile-pic-change">Change profile pic</div>
</div>
<!-- <img width="300px" height="200px" class="none" id="file" src="#" alt="your image">
<input type="submit" class="none" name="create" value="Upload Profile Picture">
</form> -->
<div id="new-profile-pic-preview">
<div id="pic-preview-container"><img class="none pic-preview total-center" id="file" src="#" alt="your image"></div>
<input type="submit" class="none" name="create" value="Upload Profile Picture">
</form>
<a class="popup-close" data-popup-close="popup-1" href="#">Close</a>
</div>
<!-- <form action="" method="POST" enctype="multipart/form-data">
<input type="file" id="upload-profile-pic" name="file" class="file-input">
<img width="300px" height="200px" class="none" id="file" src="#" alt="your image">
<input type="submit" class="none" name="create" value="Upload Profile Picture">
</form> -->
<form action="profile.php" method="POST">
<div class="field">
<label for="streetline1">First Name</label>
<input type="text" class="inputbar" name="streetline1" value="<?php echo escape($user->data()->firstname); ?>">
</div>
<div class="field">
<label for="streetline2">Last Name</label>
<input type="text" class="inputbar" name="streetline2" value="<?php echo escape($user->data()->lastname); ?>">
</div>
<div class="field">
<label for="city">Email</label>
<input type="text" class="inputbar" name="city" value="<?php echo escape($user->data()->email); ?>">
</div>
<div class="field">
<label for="state">Phone</label>
<input type="text" class="inputbar" name="state" value="<?php echo escape($user->data()->phone); ?>">
</div>
<div class="field">
<label for="zipcode">Phone Network</label>
<input type="text" class="inputbar" name="zipcode" value="<?php echo escape($user->data()->network); ?>">
</div>
<div class="field">
<label for="zipcode">Birthday</label>
<input type="text" class="inputbar" name="zipcode" value="<?php echo escape($user->data()->birthday); ?>">
</div>
<label for="submit">
<input id="signinButton" name="submit" type="submit" value="Submit">
</label>
</form>
</div>
</body>
</html>
Session class
class Session {
public static function exists($name) {
return (isset($_SESSION[$name])) ? true : false;
}
public static function put($name, $value) {
return $_SESSION[$name] = $value;
}
public static function get($name) {
return $_SESSION[$name];
}
public static function delete($name) {
if(self::exists($name)) {
unset($_SESSION[$name]);
}
}
public static function flash($name, $string = '') {
if(self::exists($name)) {
$session = self::get($name);
self::delete($name);
return $session;
} else {
self::put($name, $string);
}
}
}

Answer 1

The only variables that get carried between scripts are $_SESSION['xxx']. Ordinary variables like $profile_user don't persist. The assignment
$_SESSION['viewer'] = $profile_user;
doesn't make $profile_user get copied, it copies its value into $_SESSION, and you have to pull it out of there in the other script. So script 2 should start with:
session_start();
$profile_user = $_SESSION['viewer'];