Delete Function Error

I am trying to make a function that will delete a news entry and each entry will have a delete function attached to it. Here is the code I have for it:

PHP Code:

---

if($_GET['cmd'] == "delete") {

    $sql = "DELETE FROM `news` WHERE id = '$id'";
    $result = mysql_query($sql) or die ('Could not delete the post! <br />' .mysql_error());
    
    echo 'The article has been deleted! <a href="edit_news.php">Return to Edit Page</a>';
} 


---

Here is the link that is added to each post:

HTML Code:

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<a href="edit_news.php?cmd=delete&id='.$id.'">Delete</a>

---

The code looks like it should work to me, but when I click on the link, I get a blank page with no code on it and it does not delete the news post. I appreciate any help :)

1. The html link doesn't seem to be within PHP. To have that work, you'd need php to be echoing he $id, not just typing that randomly in your html code. If it is being echoed, then that's fine.

2. I don't see you setting $id from $_GET['id']. That might be the issue as well.

If that's not it, then please link if possible or tell us what error(s) you are getting.

Ok, I added $id = $_GET['id']; to the code, but it still doesn't do anything. The code where the link is is in an echo statement:

PHP Code:

---

if(!isset($cmd)) {
    
    $sql = "SELECT * FROM `news` ORDER BY id DESC"; // SQL for query
    $result = mysql_query($sql) or die ('Could not get news from the database! <br />' .mysql_error()); // Execute Query

while($r = mysql_fetch_array($result)) {
    extract($r);
    
echo '
<b>'.$title.' Added on '.$date.'</b>
    <br />
'.$message.'
    <br />
<a href="edit_news.php?cmd=edit&id='.$id.'">Edit</a> | <a href="edit_news.php?cmd=delete&id='.$id.'">Delete</a>
    <br /><br />
';
} 


---

Here is a link to the script: http://www.echo-designes.com/testing..._news.php.When I click on the link for the first article, it takes me to the page, "http://www.echo-designes.com/testing/news_cms/edit_news.php?cmd=delete&id=3" but it is completely blank. I really don't know what it could be, hope this helps you figure it out. Thanks again

Here's the issue:
if(!isset($cmd)) {

if NOT isset($cmd), then.... so it just skips that whole thing.

Take out the ! and see if that helps.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by djr33

Here's the issue:
if(!isset($cmd)) {

if NOT isset($cmd), then.... so it just skips that whole thing.

Take out the ! and see if that helps.

---

Well, now it just displays a blank page on edit_news.php. Have a look: http://www.echo-designes.com/testing.../edit_news.php . Any idea whats going on with that?

Hmm... that's no good.

The thing is... you have an if, so what's the else?

to really understand this, seeing more (even all) of the code would be great.

Sorry, I just don't see anything yet.

Ok, here is my entire code for edit.php:

PHP Code:

---

<?php
    require('config.php');
    
if(isset($cmd)) {
    
    $sql = "SELECT * FROM `news` ORDER BY id DESC"; // SQL for query
    $result = mysql_query($sql) or die ('Could not get news from the database! <br />' .mysql_error()); // Execute Query

while($r = mysql_fetch_array($result)) {
    extract($r);
    
echo '
<b>'.$title.' Added on '.$date.'</b>
    <br />
'.$message.'
    <br />
<a href="edit_news.php?cmd=edit&id='.$id.'">Edit</a> | <a href="edit_news.php?cmd=delete&id='.$id.'">Delete</a>
    <br /><br />
';
}
?>
<?php

if($_GET['cmd'] == "edit") { // If edit link is selected

if(!isset($_POST['submit'])) { // If submit not pressed

    $id = $_GET['id'];
    $sql = "SELECT * FROM `news` WHERE id = '$id'";
    $result = mysql_query($sql) or die (mysql_error());
    $myrow = mysql_fetch_array($result);

?>
    
<form action="edit_news.php" method="post">
<input type=hidden name="id" value="<?php echo $myrow["id"] ?>">

<b>Title</b>:
    <br />
<input type="text" name="title" value="<?php echo $myrow["title"] ?>" size=30>
    <br /><br />
<b>Message</b>:
    <br />
<textarea name="message" rows="10" cols="43"><? echo $myrow["message"] ?></textarea>
    <br /><br />
<input type="hidden" name="cmd" value="edit">

<input type="submit" name="submit" value="Update">

</form>

<?
}
?>

<?php

if($_POST['submit']) {
    // Define variables
    $title = $_POST['title'];
    $message = $_POST['message'];
    
    $sql = "UPDATE `news` SET title = '$title', message = '$message' WHERE id = $id";
    $result = mysql_query($result) or die ('Failded to update the news entry! <br />' .mysql_error());
    
    echo 'Information has been updated. <a href="edit_news.php">Return</a>';
}
}

?>

<?php

if($_GET['cmd'] == "delete") {

    $id = $_GET['id'];
    $sql = "DELETE FROM `news` WHERE id = '$id'";
    $result = mysql_query($sql) or die ('Could not delete the post! <br />' .mysql_error());
    
    echo 'The article has been deleted! <a href="edit_news.php">Return to Edit Page</a>';
}
}
?>

---

Hope you see something in there :)

I think djr33 missed the point. The first section with ! is designed to show the news when cmd is not set to edit or delete. So you can put the ! back in or you won't get to see selected news items!

When I checked your test page it was working. Don't forget that until you refresh the page, the item you have deleted will still show up.

[I also recommend taking the page down or password protecting it ASAP so that no script kiddies can play with your database!]

Oh, hmm... yeah, I must have just confused both code bit, since I thought the first was a variation of the second. Sorry for skimming.
Glad it's working...

Hey, mike, how did you delete my posts on the script? When I tired to go to the page, it still would not have anything on it. Then I put the ! back in and it displays, but then it will not delete. I am confused...

I realised that without the ! it would not show any entries. So I sent the parameter cmd=xxx. That allowed me to see things but wasn't going to attempt an edit or delete.

I then simply clicked on delete and that worked fine. Having deleted a couple of items, I found a way to create my own item and added it. (Just so the page wouldn't be blank for anyone else!)

Hmm, I took the ! back out and did what you did and it worked fine, but the news articles do not show up on the edit_news.php. It seems that there is something preventing it from showing the news there when there is no !, but allowing the delete function to work. Then when the ! is added back in, it displays the articles on edit_news.php, but the delete function does not work. Anyone see something in the code that may be causing this?

Well, then there's an error in the logic. You should find another way to check to see what it should do.

I think you problem is the oreder in which you do things.

You should first of all handle commands like edit or delete.

Then you should should show existing entries - and don't test isset($cmd) because you want to show existing entries whether or not you're sending a command.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mike_p

I think you problem is the oreder in which you do things.

You should first of all handle commands like edit or delete.

Then you should should show existing entries - and don't test isset($cmd) because you want to show existing entries whether or not you're sending a command.

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Thanks for the idea, I'll try it and let you know how it works out :)

Yeah. if ($cmd == THIS) do THAT; ...etc

Thanks a ton guys, I rewrote the code and got it working perfectly, even got an edit feature up and running :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Titan85

Thanks a ton guys, I rewrote the code and got it working perfectly, even got an edit feature up and running :)

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Man, I am strugling with the exact same thing, driving me nuts.
Could you please post your working version of the delete and edit so i can learn from it.

Thanks!