How to show only specific parameters in url using php/javascript?

Question

I have several parameters which I pass to pages, such as unique id's from my database, error messages and form data. I would like to hide all of these parameters, to keep the url clean, except for the id. I tried looking this up for both PHP and JavaScript, but didn't find a solution, so I started fiddling around.

If I refresh the page when I have hidden the id, the route cannot find the id anymore, which generates a bunch of errors on the page. I want to hide all parameters except for the id so I don't get these errors. I managed to remove all parameters using this bit of Javascript:

let clean_url = window.location['href'].split('?')[0];
window.history.pushState(null, null, clean_url);

I tried to only show the id (which is always a positive integer) if it is set, but when changing my JS to the next block of code, it shows all parameters again.

let url_string = window.location['href'];
let url = new URL(url_string);
let id = url.searchParams.get("id");
if (typeof id !== 'undefined') {
    let clean_url = url_string.split('?')[0].concat("?id={0}".format(id));
} else {
    let clean_url = window.location['href'].split('?')[0];
}
window.history.pushState(null, null, clean_url);

Can anyone tell me what's the problem with my code, or if it is solvable in php? Thanks in advance.

EDIT: due to my lack of time, I won't be able to set my feedback messages to the $_SESSION. I have found a way to fix my javascript so all parameters except for the id parameter are hidden:

let url_string = window.location['href'];
let short_url = window.location['href'].split('?')[0];
let url = new URL(url_string);
let id = url.searchParams.get("id");
if (id == null) {
    window.history.pushState(null, null, short_url);
} else {
    let clean_url = short_url.concat(`?id=${id}`);
    window.history.pushState(null, null, clean_url);
}

If i understood your question You can put your id into tag form action=myurl?<php echo $id;?> and as method=post. So you send only id and the others parameters are hide. — Ferdinando
– Ferdinando, Commented Jan 7, 2019 at 14:35
@Ferdinando does that still send the other parameters to the new route? — Hylke
– Hylke, Commented Jan 7, 2019 at 14:41

Nomis · Accepted Answer · 2019-01-07 15:03:04Z

1

Use the good medium for your data.

That's not always true but a good rule of thumb is that error messages goes in $_SESSION and forms data goes in $_POST.

For example, your form could look like this :

<form method="post" action="myurl1.php?id=123">
  <!--you could also use a hidden field to send the id with post : <input type="hidden" name="id" />-->
  <input name="test" />
</form>

And the processing of your form could give this :

if(empty($_POST[test])){
  $_SESSION['error']='Empty test field';
}
header('Location: myurl2.php?id='.$_GET['id']); //or $_POST['id'] if you used a hidden field

Point is you decide how you send the data, and you should use the url only when it have value for your users.

(More on php sessions here)

answered Jan 7, 2019 at 15:03

Nomis

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1 Comment

Hylke Over a year ago

Thanks for your answer, but due to the time limit I have on this project, I won't be able to change that anymore. I will remember this for my next project though.

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