Here's my code:
<html>
<head>
<?php
function getValue($field){
if(isset($_GET[$field])){
return $_GET[$field];
}
else{
return "";
}
}
?>
</head>
<body>
<form action="class2.php" method="get">
<dl>
<dt>First Name:</dt>
<dd><input type="text" value="<?php echo htmlspecialchars(getValue($_GET['name'])) ?>" name="name" />
</dd>
<dt>Last Name:</dt>
<dd><input type="text" value="<?php echo htmlspecialchars(getValue($_GET['lastname'])) ?>" name="lastname" />
</dd>
<br />
<dt>
<input type="submit" value="enviar" />
</dt>
</dl>
</form>
</body>
If I write a value in Name and nothing in LastName, the value in Name SHOULD stay there, right? What am I doing wrong?
Your problem is that you are using
getValue($_GET['name'])
instead of
getValue( 'name' )
You are calling getValue() with the contents of $_GET['name'] right now
Also: Your getValue function doesn't make much sense right now. Why not build in htmlspecialchars() into it directly instead of applying it to its return value?
getValue('name') not getValue($_GET['name']);
Firstly, do you really need a function just to retrieve an elem of the $_GET array?
Because you're reading a GET request, if you refresh this page and don't submit your form (and clear the query string), you'll lose your data in $_GET.
If you want to keep hold of this information, you can place it in the session ($_SESSION).
Don't forget to filter your input and escape your output.
Within the <dd><input... tags, that PHP should read:
<dd><input type="text" value="<?php echo htmlspecialchars(getValue( 'name' )) ?>" name="name" />
The function you wrote knows to take that value name, and look for it within the GET array, no need to tell it to do that when you call it.