web app question

[mikeflash]

Hi, I'm developing a web app, but I think that maybe I'm not doing it the right way. See, for each page I take the GET variables from url, for instance:

www.webapp.com/?mode=register

That way, the index gets the variable and displays the right page, in this case, the registration page. But I do it this way:

<?php 
include "page/header.php";
if($_GET['mode']==='register'){
  //code for registration
  //this next file contains the HTML for the registration page.
  include "mod/register.php";
}elseif($_GET['mode']==='login'){
  //code for login
  include "mod/login.php";
}else{
 include "mod/404.php";
}
?>
include "page/footer.php";

Is that a good way of handling different pages from a single index.php? or is there a better way? because, to be honest, it's kinda difficult to develop this way. Especially when you create a header.php and a footer.php, where the header file contains the css link.

[ddymacek]

I see nothing wrong with having the index page handled this way, but I would not have every page in the site try to decide what page to display off of get variables.

[mikeflash]

OK, and yes, some pages are not accessible through GET variables. The one that processes new registrations, logins, new posts for instance are accessible only through a form with POST variables (or with a direct link that the user might not be even aware of) and with session validators to avoid forgery.

But there's another question.

Is it OK to do something like this?

<table>
<tr><th>Name</th><th>Email</th></tr>
<?php
$result=mysql_query($sql);
while($row=mysql_fetch_assoc($result)){?>
<tr><td><?php echo $row['name'];?></td><td><?php echo $row['email'];?></td></tr>
<?php }?>
</table>

I realize it gets difficult to maintain in the future, but for know that's how I'm handling my code. What do you think?

[ddymacek]

certainly, it is ok to do that, and yes, it is more difficult to maintain later.

[pritaeas]

For such purposes there are templates. See this thread for some more information.