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PHP

Posted by Samuel Chun
Samuel Chun
8,890 Points

Checking the request method

What is the purpose of checking if the $_SERVER[" REQUEST_METHOD"] is POST?

What else could it be?

<?php

if ($_SERVER["REQUEST_METHOD"] == "POST") {
    $name = $_POST["name"];
    $email = $_POST["email"];
    $message = $_POST["message"];
    $email_body = "";
    $email_body = $email_body . "Name: " . $name . "\n";
    $email_body = $email_body . "Email: " . $email . "\n";
    $email_body = $email_body . "Message: " . $message;

    // TODO: Send Email

    header("Location: contact.php?status=thanks");
    exit;
}

?>

1 Answer

Andreas cormack
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.a{fill-rule:evenodd;}techdegree seal-36
Andreas cormack
Python Web Development Techdegree Graduate 33,011 Points
Andreas cormack
.a{fill-rule:evenodd;}techdegree seal-36
Andreas cormack
Python Web Development Techdegree Graduate 33,011 Points

Hi Samuel

In the above example if the if the form with the fields name,email,and message was posting to itself then yes you would have to check the request method so that your code only executes when the form is posted and not when the page loads. if your form was posting to another page which processed the above code then you could omit the requested method check. but would still check to see if the $_POST["name"] and so on was set.

Long story short you the check the requested method so your code only executes when the page is posted.

Samuel Chun
Samuel Chun
8,890 Points

I read this and re-watched the video. It looks like the method to open the contact page is GET but the method to send the form is POST.

So basically the purpose of it is to check whether or not you clicked the link "contact" (GET) or if you clicked "submit" (POST).

Please correct me if any of my thinking is wrong.

Thank you Andreas