Having Problems With Chapter 18 Email Activation

[Frostbite]

Hello, 

 

I have been having trouble with this for quite some time I have tired to narrow it down the best I can.

 

I able to complete the registration process, I went and check the sql database all fields have been filled. I think that the activation page cannot access the database to remove the active code. 

 

I tried to print or echo out the query value with echo "<p>Q: $q</p>" or print "<p>Q: $q</p>" all I see on the screen is "Q:" 

 

When I click the link from my email it doesn't seem to fail as it does not redirect me to index.php. I also do not get any error on my screen either. 

 

Any would help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Regards

Alex

<div id="activate"> 
<?php

/**
 * @author Alex Power
 * @copyright 2013
 */

# Script 18.7 - activate.php

require ('includes/config.inc.php');
$page_title='Activate Your Account';


if (isset($_GET['x'], $_GET['y']) && filter_var($trimmed['email'],FILTER_VALIDATE_EMAIL) && (STRlen($_GET['y']) == 32 ))
 {
    require (MYSQL);

     $q = "UPDATE users SET active=NULL WHERE (email='" . mysqli_real_escape_string($dbc, $_GET['x']) . "' AND active='" 
      .mysqli_real_escape_sting($dbc, $_GET['y']) . "') LIMIT 1";
print "<p> Q: $q</p>";
       $r = mysqli_query($dbc, $q) or trigger_error("Query:$q\n<br />)MySQL Error:" . mysqli_error($dbc));
       
        if (mysqli_affected_rows($dbc)== 1 )
         {
            echo "<h3>Your account is now active. You may now login.</h3>";
         }
          else 
           {
            echo '<p class="error">Your account could not be activated. Please re-check the link or contact the system administrator.</p>';
           }
            mysqli_close($dbc);
 }
             else 
              {
                //Redirect
                 $url = BASE_URL . 'index.php';
                  ob_end_clean();
                   header("location:$url");
                    exit();
              } // END of main IF-ELSE

?>
</div> 

[Larry]

Is your database set to allow NULL values for the active column?

[Frostbite]

I believe so yes. Below is a copy of my database.

CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS users(
 user_id INT UNSIGNED NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT,
 user_name VARCHAR(20) NOT NULL, 
 email VARCHAR(60) NOT NULL,
 pass CHAR(40) NOT NULL,
 reg_date DATETIME NOT NULL,
 user_level TINYINT(1) UNSIGNED NOT NULL default 0,
 active CHAR(32),
 PRIMARY KEY (user_id),
 UNIQUE (user_name),
 UNIQUE (email),
 INDEX login (user_name, pass)
)ENGINE = INNODB;

Regards 

Alex 

[Larry]

Okay, good. Could you provide an example URL that's being used to activate?

[Frostbite]

I hope this is what you meant:

 

http://powerplaymc.co.uk/activate.php?x=eaxmple%40hotmail.com&y=83ffeabbc8e6701e16637e57075b2913

 

Regards 

Alex

[Larry]

Yes, that's what I meant. I wonder if the filter_var() is failing because of the %40 for @ in the email value. Try swapping that in the URL and see what happens.

[Frostbite]

I tired to change the %40 in the URL to @ but this did not work. it still just brings up a blank page with my main divs but no message saying it failed or succeed and does not redirect me to the index.php 

 

Regards 

Alex 

[Larry]

Okay, I see what the problem is:

 

$trimmed['email'] needs to be $_GET['x']

[Frostbite]

Ok so I changed $trimmed['email'] to $_GET['x'] but that didn't work either, I still get a black screen with all my divs but no message

if (isset($_GET['x'], $_GET['y']) && filter_var($_GET['x'],FILTER_VALIDATE_EMAIL) && (STRlen($_GET['y']) == 32 ))

Maybe I laid it out wrong? 

 

Regards 

Alex 

[Larry]

How about now changing the URL from %40 to @?

[Frostbite]

I tried to change that as well and still nothing. 

 

Regards 

Alex 

[Larry]

Okay, do this at the top of the script and let us know what the results are:

print_r($_GET);

[Frostbite]

Okay so I just put print_r($_GET); at the top of my code and this is what I got back. 

Array ( [x] => alexp2510@hotmail.com [y] => 254e24e81bdec9b1d4b7baaac3dc00d6 )

Regards 

Alex 

[Frostbite]

Hi,

 

Today I typed out the activation php code again. and what ever I did this time it seemed to work. 

 

Thank you for all your help.