Undefined index: name

Question

I keep getting the following message when loading the form:

Notice: Undefined index: name in C:\xampp\htdocs\main.php on line 267

Notice: Undefined index: email in C:\xampp\htdocs\main.php on line 275

Notice: Undefined index: message in C:\xampp\htdocs\main.php on line 281

I've looked and followed a number of examples to fix this issue but for some reason I can't seem to find the solution. Any ideas?

<?php
if (isset($_POST["submit"])) {
    $name = $_POST['name'];
    $email = $_POST['email'];
    $message = $_POST['message'];
    $human = intval($_POST['human']);
    $from = 'enquiry'; 
    $to = 'dgdrd@live.com'; 
    $subject = 'Message from Visitor';

    $body = "From: $name\n E-Mail: $email\n Message:\n $message";

    // Check if name has been entered
    if (!$_POST['name']) {
        $errName = 'Please enter your name';
    }

    // Check if email has been entered and is valid
    if (!$_POST['email'] || !filter_var($_POST['email'], FILTER_VALIDATE_EMAIL)) {
        $errEmail = 'Please enter a valid email address';
    }

    //Check if message has been entered
    if (!$_POST['message']) {
        $errMessage = 'Please enter your message';
    }

    // If there are no errors, send the email
    if (!$errName && !$errEmail && !$errMessage && !$errHuman) {
        if (mail ($to, $subject, $body, $from)) {
            $result='<div class="alert alert-success">We will get in tocuh soon.</div>';
        } else {
            $result='<div class="alert alert-danger">Error! Try again later.</div>';
        }
    }
}
?>

<form class="form-horizontal" role="form" method="post" action="main.php">
    <div class="form-group">
        <label for="name">name</label>
        <input type="text" id="name" name ="name" class="form-control" placeholder="" value="<?php echo htmlspecialchars($_POST['name']); ?>">
                <?php $errName=''; echo "<p class='text-danger'>$errName</p>";?>

    </div>

    <div class="form-group">
        <label for="email1">email</label>
        <input type="email" id="email" name ="email" class="form-control" aria-describedby="emailHelp" placeholder="" value="<?php echo htmlspecialchars($_POST['email']); ?>">
                <?php $errEmail=''; echo "<p class='text-danger'>$errEmail</p>";?>
    </div>

    <div class="form-group">
        <label for="message">comment</label>
        <textarea class="form-control" rows="6" name="message"><?php echo htmlspecialchars($_POST['message']);?></textarea>
                <?php $errMessage=''; echo "<p class='text-danger'>$errMessage</p>";?>
    </div>

    <button type="submit" name="submit" id="submit" class="btn btn-primary btn-wrapper">Send</button>

    <hr>

    <div class="form-group">
        <div class="col-sm-12">
            <?php $result=''; echo $result; ?>  
        </div>
    </div>
</form>

Possible duplicate of [PHP: "Notice: Undefined variable" and "Notice: Undefined index"](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/4261133/php-notice-undefined-variable-and-notice-undefined-index) — jmattheis, Jan 14 '17 at 09:57

score 2 · Answer 1 · answered Jan 14 '17 at 09:59

2

It basically tell you your $_POST doesn't contain whatever key you getting error. You can give some check before getting value from $_POST

$name = (isset($_POST['name']) && !empty($_POST['name'])) ? $_POST['name'] : "" ;

It basically check wether the $_POST['name'] is empty or not. For extra information use PHPMailer to send mail, if not you will get some trouble such as your mail always send to spam etc.

answered Jan 14 '17 at 09:59

teck wei

1,375
11
22

// Check if name has been entered after this line you already create a $name variable why you still using $_POST['name']? Try to replace it with $name. – teck wei Jan 14 '17 at 10:05
Like this: // Check if name has been entered if (!$name) { $errName = 'Please enter your name'; } – ffxdean Jan 14 '17 at 10:10
Could you update your html code? I think error is on your html side – teck wei Jan 14 '17 at 10:13
No problems. Added. – ffxdean Jan 14 '17 at 10:17
Replace your html code with $name as well you did saw the error is in line 267 right? Find out which is the line, I bet is the line in your html code. When you first open up your web page $_POST is surely not being set that is the problem you getting that error. I assume after you submit once your app the error gone. If you really wan to get rid of the error you need create all the variable outside your if(isset($_POST["submit"])) statement as empty varaible $name = ""; Otherwise even you replace your html code with $name it told u undifined variable $name. – teck wei Jan 14 '17 at 10:22
@ffxdean after solve your problem you dissapear. Well done bro – teck wei Jan 14 '17 at 11:21
No the problem still isn't solved. I tried your solution but I am still getting the same error message. Line 267 is in the HTML code. – ffxdean Jan 14 '17 at 15:00

Undefined index: name

1 Answers1