Setting a variable and using header()

Question

I'm developing a custom content management script, and I'm working on page redirection.

The code below compares the URL code to the URL for the a certain page ID in the database, and if the two URLs are not the same, the user is redirected.

However, I want to add a variable, so that we can check if the page has been redirected or not. It isn't working.

if (isset ( $_GET ['id'] ) && $rawdata) {
        if ($_SERVER ["REQUEST_URI"] != $rawdata ['htmltitle']) {
            header ( "HTTP/1.1 301 Moved Permanently" );
            header ( "Location: http://${_SERVER['SERVER_NAME']}:${_SERVER["SERVER_PORT"]}${rawdata['htmltitle']}" );
            $redirected = true;
            ;
        }
    }

if ($redirected == true) {
            print_redirect_nonexpected ();
        }

function print_redirect_nonexpected (){
echo "<!-- REDIRECTED _ NOT _ EXPECTED ? -->";
}

The function isn't being run, so no echoing. Any ideas what I'm doing wrong here?

aiternal · Accepted Answer · 2011-03-13 23:39:44Z

1

Use this:

header ( "Location: http://".$_SERVER['SERVER_NAME'].$_SERVER['SERVER_PORT'].$rawdata['htmltitle']);

If $rawdata['htmltitle'] is full URL of your page, use this:

header ( "Location: http://".$rawdata['htmltitle']);

And also adding die() after header() is good.

edited Mar 13, 2011 at 23:39

answered Mar 13, 2011 at 22:58

aiternal

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Comments

Andrew Moore · Accepted Answer · 2011-03-14 00:47:10Z

1

When you send a Location: header, the user-agent stops loading the current page and loads whatever page you tell it to load, so you'll never see the output.

However, your code may^* continue to execute in the background, so usually you want to follow your header() with an exit; to prevent unwanted behavior.

_{^* Depends on server configuration and on ignore_user_abort.}

Also, header("Location: /{$rawdata['htmltitle']}"); will suffice. Since you are redirecting to the same server, an absolute path suffices. Don't overcomplicate your redirects for nothing with $_SERVER variables.

edited Mar 14, 2011 at 0:47

answered Mar 13, 2011 at 22:56

Andrew Moore

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4 Comments

bear Over a year ago

So how would I deal with this situation?

Andrew Moore Over a year ago

@Shamil: Either pass state information with a GET variable within your redirect URL or use a $_SESSION variable.

Andrew Moore Over a year ago

@Shamil: How is it failing? Instead of redirecting, output the URL you would normally pass to the browser... Also, header("Location: /${rawdata['htmltitle']}"); will suffice. Since you are redirecting to the same server, and absolute path suffices.

bear Over a year ago

The url (htmltitle) could be: page.24, however it's correct url is page.1. The system uses the number to correctly identify the page url.

GordonM · Accepted Answer · 2011-03-13 22:56:52Z

-1

As soon as the Location header is sent the browser will abort the current operation and fetch the page at the redirected location. This means that for all intents and purposes a location ('header: example.com') will have essentially the same effect as a die (). You can override this behaviour by using output buffering, or you can move the header() calls to lower down in your script. However you can't move them to after the print_redirect_unexpected call, as sending any output to the browser will cause all headers to be sent as well and you won't be able to send any more.

So basically, you need to turn on output buffering.

answered Mar 13, 2011 at 22:56

GordonM

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3 Comments

Andrew Moore Over a year ago

-1: header('Location: ') does not kill the active script. It does however prevent you from seeing the output of the script. An important nuance when trying to prevent an unauthorized user from making an unwanted DELETE.

GordonM Over a year ago

I did say "essentially". While it's true the script keeps running you'll never see the output from it so the effects are pretty much the same as a die() unless your script is causing filesystem/database changes.

Andrew Moore Over a year ago

That's a pretty important unless.

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