My login system bugs

[Silvershaft]

I followed a tutorial on http://www.phpeasystep.com/workshopview.php?id=6 and I think it's not working properly for me. When I try to start the session in my sidebar thing it won't actually start somehow :S

<div id="sidebar">
<h2>[<a href="?page=home">Samppa's page</a>]</h2>
<h3>&nbsp;Main menu</h3>
<ul class="menu">
<li><a href="?page=about"> >> About</a></li>
<li><a href="?page=projects"> >> Projects</a></li>
<li><a href="?page=photos"> >> Photos</a></li>
<li><a href="?page=lab"> >> THE testing lab</a></li>
</ul>

<h3>&nbsp;Anything else</h3>
<ul class="menu">
<li>Email me!<a href="mailto:[e-mail]"><br /><img src="mail.png" width="210" height="210" /></a></li>
<li><br />Have a question?<a href=""><br /><br /><img src="question.png" width="210" height="210" /></a></li>
</ul>

<h3>&nbsp;Login</h3>
<ul class="menu">
<br />
<?
session_start();
echo $_SESSION['myusername'];
?>
<form name="form1" method="post" action="checklogin.php">
<li>Username: <input name="myusername" type="text" id="myusername" /></li>
<br />
<li>Password: <input name="mypassword" type="text" id="mypassword" />
<br />
<br />
<li><input type="submit" name="Submit" value="Login" /></li>
</ul>

</div>

It won't echo the username I don't understand why, and if I try with <?php and ?> instead of <? ?> I get an error, I am really noob in this please help, and also look the link I gave then you get idea.

[carlogl]

I see 2 things:

1. in the 2nd line try to remove the '
2. You never close the form </form>

[Silvershaft]

Still won't work even simple echo doesn't work in that <? ?> but if I do <?php it works.. but if I put session start there I get error

[pravinkumarr]

better use echo statement in check login.php
Welcome <?php echo $_POST; ?>!<br />i hope it will work

[BrianDickson]

One thing I can see is that your session_start() should be the first thing on the page, as nothing can be echoed or written to the browser before the session actually starts.

plus, close your form tag

[mrcniceguy]

As BrianDickson said session_start() should be the first line.