Check browser and platform with PHP?

**invision2** · Nov 5, 2009, 08:11

Hi,

I'm hoping to check if the browser is Safari and the platform is Windows using a PHP if statement.

How do I achieve this?

Thanks for any helpers.

**Shrapnel_N5** · Nov 5, 2009, 08:18

Thats rare combination

For such a single task you can directly parse User-Agent header, which comes into
$_SERVER['HTTP_USER_AGENT'] variable.

For more complicated parsing take a look on get_browser() function.

**AnthonySterling** · Nov 5, 2009, 09:07

Good advice.

A quick Google for user-agent string provided this Michael.

PHP Code:


<?php
if(false !== strpos($_SERVER['HTTP_USER_AGENT'], 'Windows') && false !== strpos($_SERVER['HTTP_USER_AGENT'], 'Safari'))
{
    #a pretty good chance (but not 100%) this is Safari on Windows.
}
?>

Out of curiosity, why do you need to do this?

**invision2** · Nov 5, 2009, 09:11

Brilliant, thanks for the links guys.

I've tried running a get_browser function but to no avail.

I think I just need to store the user agent in a variable and then (somehow) search for both safari and windows in that string. It's that somehow bit that's going to win me the car

**invision2** · Nov 5, 2009, 09:15

Long story. I used litmus and browsercam to check a whole stack of sites I've built and one form on one site has a Safari/Win issue that wasn't there before.

Literally using it just to add a <br /> tag. Is nice!

strpos - that's what I was thinking. Thanks again Anthony.

**felgall** · Nov 5, 2009, 12:32

Just remember that the USERagent is user configurable and can contain anything your visitor wants. What are you going to do if their useragent says they are running IESafariFirefoxOperaChrome on windowslinuxos/x?