How to resolve an 'Undefined Index' error?

Question

Following is my code. I get an undefined index error when the validation is completed and about to populate the 'Success' message.

I have digged and identified where the problem is (<td><?= $errors['fname'] ?></td>) but what I don't understand is what is the correct method of defining the index which resulted the error. Can someone highlight where I've gone wrong? Thanks.

            <?php
        function VerifyForm(&$values, &$errors)
        {
        if($values['fname'] == "")
        {$errors['fname'] = 'empty';} 
        }
        function DisplayForm($values, $errors)
        {
        ?>
        <html>
        <head>
        <title>Register</title>
        </head>
        <body>
        <form action="<?= $_SERVER['PHP_SELF'] ?>" method="POST">
        <table border="1">
        <tr>
        <td>First Name :</td>
        <td><input type="text" name="fname" value="<?= htmlentities($values['fname']) ?>"/>
        <td><?= $errors['fname'] ?></td>
        </tr>
        <tr><td colspan="2" align="center"><input type="submit" value="Submit"></td></tr>
        </table>
        </form>
        </body>
        </html>
        <?php
        }
        function ProcessForm($values)
        {
        echo ("<p>Your record has been successfully added!</p>");
        }
        if ($_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD'] == 'POST')
        {
        $formValues = $_POST;
        $formErrors = array();

        if (!VerifyForm($formValues, $formErrors))
        DisplayForm($formValues, $formErrors);
        else
        ProcessForm($formValues);
        }
        else
        DisplayForm(null, null);
        ?>

the error means $error['fname'] is not defined. You should initialize it to get rid of the error message. — wroniasty
– wroniasty, Commented Sep 28, 2012 at 7:57
Thanks wroniasty. can you elaborate a bit more on the initialization part. — Mohan Wijesena
– Mohan Wijesena, Commented Sep 28, 2012 at 8:09

Fluffeh · Accepted Answer · 2012-09-28 08:05:38Z

3

You are setting form errors to an empty array:

$formValues = $_POST;
$formErrors = array();
// Did you mean to assign it some values before using it?

if (!VerifyForm($formValues, $formErrors))

So it has no element called ['fname'].

Reading through your code further, the following is happening:

You are sending the function an empty array (which is fine) but you are only filling it with info if there is an error - so far so good. However in your HTML code, you don't check to see if it contains anything (and if it all the info was posted there will be nothing) but you still try to access any errors in it.

You might want to change this line of code:

<td><?= $errors['fname'] ?></td>

To something like this:

if(!empty($errors))
{
    foreach($errors as $key => $val)
    {
        echo "<td>".$key." - ".$val."</td>";
    }
}

This will loop through your errors array and print out a <td> for every error you have - you could modify it to show a row for each error if needed.

edited Sep 28, 2012 at 8:05

answered Sep 28, 2012 at 7:57

Fluffeh

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1 Comment

Fluffeh Over a year ago

@MohanWijesena See edit, I gave you some extra code/information.

Yogesh Suthar · Accepted Answer · 2012-09-28 07:58:10Z

0

use isset for this

<?php if(isset($errors['fname'])) { echo $errors['fname']; } ?>

this will solve your problem

answered Sep 28, 2012 at 7:58

Yogesh Suthar

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Comments

neythz · Accepted Answer · 2012-09-28 09:10:22Z

0

change this :

<td><?= $errors['fname'] ?></td>

to :

<td>
    <?php 
        if(isset($errors['fname'])){ 
            echo $errors['fname']; 
        } 
    ?>
</td>

answered Sep 28, 2012 at 9:10

neythz

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