Not receiving URL variables in controller with GET, codeigniter - php

Question

I'm not receiving variables in my controller from a URL from Paypal indicating a successful transaction. They appear in the URL fine but my controller is not receiving them for some odd reason. I think the code is absolutely correct. What could be the reason?
Example:
Received URL: http://example.com/Paypal/success?tx=8FA47070HF454623K&st=Completed&amt=20%2e00&cc=USD&cm=&item_number=
Controller, PHP:
function success(){
//get the transaction data
$paypalInfo = $this->input->get();
$data['item_number'] = $paypalInfo["item_number"];
$data['txn_id'] = $paypalInfo["tx"];
$data['payment_amt'] = $paypalInfo["amt"];
$data['currency_code'] = $paypalInfo["cc"];
$data['status'] = $paypalInfo["st"];
//pass the transaction data to view
$this->load->view('paypal/success', $data);
}
I get this result for all variables:

Answer 1

Looks like item_number is not set. Performing a GET on it can cause an error.
You are using a class function to obtain the $_GET items.
Within the function $this->input->get() you should check if the var is available (if(isset($_GET[..]))) and otherwise return a default, so you don't run into these problems.
On the other hand, it seems that you don't submit a item_number to Pay Pal. May also be a problem for processing your order later on in the script and backtracing it to the original...
---- ALSO SEE ANSWER BELOW ----
Paypal sends POST vars...

Answer 2

Remember Paypal not send data via URL, So you couldn't receive data via GET method. You should try this
$paypalInfo = $this->input->post();
instead what you are using now. If it not works then use following
$paypalInfo = $_POST;
it will must work

Answer 3

Just processing $_POST gives you a huge security risk! Also for $_GET. Change $_POST to $_GET below to use $_GET in stead of $_POST.
I would suggest at least the following;
foreach ($_POST as $key->$value)
{
$cleankey = addslashes($key);
$paypalInfo[$cleankey] = addslashes($value);
}
Then;
$req_keys = array(
'item_number' => 'item_number',
'txn_id' => 'tx',
'payment_amt' => 'amt',
'currency_code' => 'cc',
'status' => 'st',
);
$data = array();
$error = array();
foreach($req_keys as $req_data_key=>$req_paypalinfo_key )
{
if(isset($paypalInfo[$req_paypalinfo_key]))
{
$data[$req_data_key] = $paypalInfo[$req_paypalinfo_key];
}
else
{
$error[] = "missing POST data:".$req_paypalinfo_key;
}
}
if(count($error) > 0)
{
var_dump($error);
}
else
{
$this->load->view('paypal/success', $data);
}
This will give you insight if your required info is there and also gives you some protection against SQL injection.