Getting crazy with CaptivePortal and PHP execution

deajan

Hello,

I have created a bit complex captive portal php page which I cannot get to work on pfSense.
The page loads, but the PHP code just doesn't get executed.
If I happen to auth via the form that is in the page, the page reloads itself (before loading another form to $PORTAL_ACTION$) and then the PHP code gets executed then.

I have struggled a lot to find answers, tried the following log files which are all empty


clog /var/log/lighttpd.log
cat /tmp/php_errors.txt

The page executes smoothly on my local dev server.

Any clues where I could look into to find why the PHP code is not executed ?

Regards,
Ozy.

doktornotor

@deajan:

Any clues where I could look into to find why the PHP code is not executed ?

Without the code? Sure:

deajan

LMAO when I saw the image :)
I was actually way to tired when I posted this.

I found that php in pfSense just doesn't like global variables:


$somevar = "Hello world !";
echo $somevar; // Gets shown

startPage();

function startPage()
{
	global $somevar;
	?>

							echo $somevar; // Doesn't get shown
			?>

	}
?>

So I rewrote it to this that works:


$somevar = "Hello world !";
echo $somevar; // Gets shown

startPage($somevar);

function startPage($somevar)
{
	?>

							echo $somevar; // Gets shown
			?>

	}
?>

Is there any security reason why the global keyword doesn't work in pfSense ?

Regards,
Ozy.

doktornotor

It shows just fine. Please, post real code that doesn't work if you want to debug anything.

deajan

This is the content of my test.php I just re-uploaded to pfSense CP.
The variable inside the function does not show.


$somevar = "Hello world !";
echo "Say ". $somevar."
";

startPage();

function startPage()
{
	global $somevar;
	?>

							echo "I will never show the variable ". $somevar."
";
			?>

	}

echo "I too say ". $somevar;
?>

The real code of my project works now since I replaced all global keywords with function($varX, $varY).
I'll upload my real code to github once I have removed the company branding stuff, and will post a new HowTo once everything is ready for me.

doktornotor

As noted above - the variable inside the function shows perfectly fine on any box I tried… Your real code is broken.


Say Hello world !

			I will never show the variable Hello world !

	I too say Hello world !

Global variables are used extensively across the entire pfSense code. ::)

deajan

Well I'm sorry to insist, but this code gives me the following when executed on pfSense 2.1.4 CP:


Say Hello world !

			I will never show the variable 

	I too say Hello world !

Maybe something is corrupt in my installation (I've played a bit with it to install MySQL, but this shouldn't be an issue after all).
I'll investigate from a new install, redo all steps, and see where it hangs.

doktornotor

I don't have any pfSense 2.1.4 anywhere. Noone cares about dead code. If you have a PHP bug there, it will never get fixed. (As noted, global variables are extensively used in the entire pfSense code. And frankly, tired of "debugging" some wannabe reduced test case that doesn't reproduce anything anyway.) If you want to debug something, post the real thing, not broken "testcases".

deajan

Typo, using pfSense 2.2.4 of course.
I frankly don't get it. I narrowed down the problem to this test case so I it would be easier to find the problem.

I usually wait until I my code gets a bit polished before bringing it online, but here it is:
https://github.com/deajan/pfSense-cp-auth-onestep

The file used on the captive portal is ozy-captive.php

Here's what I get once uploaded. The red marks show where variables are missing.

I wrote the documention to setup this captive portal along with FreeRADIUS & MySQL. Once I could get all my problems resolved, I'll make a HowTo thread here.

deajan

@doktornotor Code has been posted, anything missing ?

doktornotor

Did not have time to look at all yet, sorry. Need some break on weekends. :P

deajan

Okay, no hurry. I'll take patience until you may find what's the problem here. :P

doktornotor

Before I forget this again: perhaps you'd have better luck if you stick something like this into captiveportal-config.php


global $brand, $hotelName, $hotelSite, $identificator;

before declaring those variables.

deajan

Hi,

Seems you're right, the php version on FreeBSD needs declaration of global variables before the functions, mine didn't.
Thanks, works like a charm :)

doktornotor

Thanks for reporting back; have completely forgotten about this one meanwhile.

deajan

Hello,

I've finally posted the how to that goes with my single step captive portal wrapper here https://forum.pfsense.org/index.php?topic=108493.msg604190#msg604190
If you find this useful, could you consider putting it as sticky post ?

Regards,
Ozy.