Weirdness passing variable to PHP page

[Platypus]

Let's say I enter a URL into a browser like this:

www.fred.com/mypage.php?thingy=cukker

Then on mypage.php I want to display the value of "thingy" I do this

<?
echo $thingy;
?>

This was working fine on Webserver A (test) but when I transferred the site to Webserver B (live) $thingy was displayed as a blank value, so I had to change the code to do this:

<?
echo $_GET["thingy"];
?>

Any ideas why this might be so? Which is the "correct" method?

TIA

[Spacecadet]

not a PHP expert but...

it looks like a config difference between the 2 web servers
Thingy isn't defined as a variable, it's being passed in through the URL, webserver A can ignore that fact, webserver B demands a more explicit variable definition.

I'm sure Nick will be online later to answer properly (and recommend a Mac )

[AtW]

Probably some stupid PHP setting, always use explicit _GET or something - first method was bad because variable was essentially not set.

[NickFitz]

Let's say I enter a URL into a browser like this:

www.fred.com/mypage.php?thingy=cukker

Then on mypage.php I want to display the value of "thingy" I do this

<?
echo $thingy;
?>

This was working fine on Webserver A (test) but when I transferred the site to Webserver B (live) $thingy was displayed as a blank value, so I had to change the code to do this:

<?
echo $_GET["thingy"];
?>

Any ideas why this might be so? Which is the "correct" method?

TIA

The first server has the register_globals setting enabled, the second doesn't.

The second is the correct way; register_globals is a serious potential security hole, and its use has been deprecated since version 4.2.0.

[BrilloPad]

The first server has the register_globals setting enabled, the second doesn't.

The second is the correct way; register_globals is a serious potential security hole, and its use has been deprecated since version 4.2.0.

the legend lives on......

[Platypus]

The first server has the register_globals setting enabled, the second doesn't.

The second is the correct way; register_globals is a serious potential security hole, and its use has been deprecated since version 4.2.0.

Thanks, Nick. I was hoping you'd be along to give the definitive answer

Much appreciated

[NickFitz]

Thanks, Nick. I was hoping you'd be along to give the definitive answer

Much appreciated

HTH

[AtW]

Thanks, Nick. I was hoping you'd be along to give the definitive answer

Much appreciated

[Ardesco]

You could probably get round it by running the following command at the top of the page:

extract($_GET);

However you really do not want to do this as from a security point of view it is absolute madness......