cannot get variable to work [duplicate] - php

Question

This question already has answers here:
Why is PHP not replacing the variable in string? [closed]
(2 answers)
Closed 8 years ago.
I have this code here:
<?php
$search=htmlspecialchars($_GET['load']);
$method = isset( $_GET['btnAction'] ) ? $_GET['btnAction'] : '';
switch( $method ) {
case 'Search':
header('Location: search.php?load=$search');
break;
case 'Im Feeling Lucky':
//do chapter two stuff
header('Location: search_lucky.php?load=$search');
break;
default:
echo 'Not a valid operation';
}
?>
Everything works except the $search variable, I don't understand what is wrong.
Can someone tell me why $search variable dont work when i hit this url: handler.php?load=keyword&btnAction=Search

Answer 1

The problem is in your header() function.
header('Location: search_lucky.php?load=$search');
should be
header("Location: search_lucky.php?load=$search");
as php treats everything between the (') as literals. so it's literally passing load=$search

Answer 2

Have you tried using an if() statement to do it.. see below..
<?php
$search=htmlspecialchars($_GET['load']);
if(isset($_GET['btnAction']) {
$method = $_GET['btnAction'];
}
switch( $method ) {
case 'Search':
header('Location: search.php?load=$search');
break;
case 'Im Feeling Lucky':
//do chapter two stuff
header('Location: search_lucky.php?load=$search');
break;
default:
echo 'Not a valid operation';
}
?>
EDIT: just noticed the the 'Search' with capitol S. Change to lowercase might work better.

Answer 3

This code is a little bit broken, so take a look at this after it's changed:
<?php
$search=htmlspecialchars($_GET['load']);
$method = isset( $_GET['btnAction'] ) ? $_GET['btnAction'] : '';
switch( $method ) {
case "search":
header("Location: search.php?load=$search");
break;
case "Im Feeling Lucky":
//do chapter two stuff
header("Location: search_lucky.php?load=$search");
break;
default:
echo 'Not a valid operation';
}
?>
The reason is because you were testing $method (which had a value of 'search') to see if it matched 'Search' (with a capital S). Those two cases do not match, which is why you were seeing "Not a valid operation" output.

Answer 4

In PHP, variables are interpreted only in double quotes.
header("Location: search.php?load=$search");
To use single quote you'll need to concatenate the values
header('Location: search.php?load='.$search);