How to store current URL in a PHP variable and break the reference to $_SERVER['REQUEST_URI']?

Question

Say I'm on /page_1.php. I run the following code under a certain condition:

global $URL_BEFORE_PAGE2;
$URL_BEFORE_PAGE2 = $_SERVER['REQUEST_URI'];
header('location: /page_2.php');

I am now on /page_2.php. This page contains the following link:

<a href="<?=$URL_BEFORE_PAGE2?>">Return to Previous Page</a>

PROBLEM: The link using $URL_BEFORE_PAGE2 points to /page_2.php instead of the expected /page_1.php.

I assume the problem is that $URL_BEFORE_PAGE2 is storing a reference to $_SERVER['REQUEST_URI'] instead of just storing the value. How can I keep the original value of $URL_BEFORE_PAGE2 without it updating every time $_SERVER['REQUEST_URI'] changes?

Possible duplicate of [PHP Pass Data with Redirect](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/9321071/php-pass-data-with-redirect) — Daniel A. White, Aug 01 '18 at 19:28

No Name · Accepted Answer · 2018-08-01T21:08:24.143

1

On page_1.php, use the following code to create a session that will store the uri

session_start();

$_SESSION['URL_BEFORE_PAGE2'] = $_SERVER['REQUEST_URI'];
header('location: /index2.php');

On page_2.php, simply use the session to get the uri again

<?php
    session_start();
?>
<a href="<?=$_SESSION['URL_BEFORE_PAGE2']?>">Return to Previous Page</a>

More info on sessions

session_start()

edited Aug 01 '18 at 21:08

answered Aug 01 '18 at 19:32

No Name

612
6
15

Please explain why my answer deserved a downvote so I can improve it. – No Name Aug 01 '18 at 19:40
I certainly did not downvote. I got caught up in other things but just tried this now and it worked! Thank you – Christopher Chaples Aug 01 '18 at 21:04

Ezequiel Fernandez · Answer 2 · 2018-08-01T21:24:54.783

0

You could do that with javascript:

function goBack() {
    window.history.back();
}

<button onclick="goBack()">Go Back</button>

You could do that with PHP like this:

<?php
  header('Location: ' . $_SERVER['HTTP_REFERER']);
?>

edited Aug 01 '18 at 21:24

answered Aug 01 '18 at 21:19

Ezequiel Fernandez

954
11
18

How to store current URL in a PHP variable and break the reference to $_SERVER['REQUEST_URI']?

2 Answers2