@app.route('/register/', methods=['GET', 'POST'])  
def register_page():
    try:
        form = RegistrationForm(request.form)
    
        if request.method == "POST" and form.validate():
            print("inside first if statement!")
            username = form.username.data
            email = form.email.data
            password = sha256_crypt.encrypt((str(form.password.data)))

            c, conn = connection()
           
            x = c.execute("SELECT * FROM users WHERE username == (%s)", (thwart(username))) 

            if int(x) > 0: 
                flash("That username is already taken.")
                return render_template('register.html', form=form)

            else:        
                c.execute("INSERT INTO users (username, password, email, tracking) VALUES (%s, %s, %s, %s)", thwart(username), thwart(password), thwart(email),
                          thwart("/introduction-to-python-programing/"))
                conn.commit() 

                flash("Thanks for registering")

                c.close() #close cursor
                conn.close() #close DB connection
                gc.collect() #collect garbage - clear unused cache memory

                session['logged_in'] = True
                session['username'] = username
                return redirect(url_for('dashboard'))
        print("inside last statement!")
        return render_template('register.html', form=form)

    except Exception as e:
        return (str(e))