HELP,session-my code missing something

[Anon]

This is being run on php 4.0.6
The session file is being written but it is empty (well, the value is not being set).

The session file only has this text in it:
!ses_visitorid|

Below I left out some code, but all relavent session code is there:
((insertstats and trackvisitors are called on top of each page))

function insertstats() {
session_start();

// only insert one record per session per visitor
if (!isset($HTTP_SESSION_VARS['ses_visitorid'])) {

$newvisitorid = mysql_insert_id();

// set a session id, this id will be used to update the same record
//that was just inserted
session_register('ses_visitorid');
if (!isset($HTTP_SESSION_VARS['ses_visitorid'])) {
	$HTTP_SESSION_VARS['ses_visitorid'] = $newvisitorid;;
}

}

function trackvisitor($addpage) {

// get session id, which is the primary key to the record for this visitor
$id = $HTTP_SESSION_VARS['ses_visitorid'];

}

---

The problem is the session file does not
set the newvisitorid and I know it has one...
I echoed it.

[Anon]

session_start();
$ses_visitorid = $newvisitorid;
session_register('ses_visitorid');
global $ses_visitorid;

in the track visitor function...
$ses_visitorid does not have a value...
that is because it is not saving it to the session file...

WHY NOT... what is the deal?

Thanks in Advance!!!!

[khaine]

Try moving the session_start() to be the first line of the php script. It need to be called before anything is sent to the browser.

Mark.

[Anon]

Okay...
THANKS Mark for helping.

This is very, very weird. It worked and then it did not work. It worked one time and the stopped. I guess I don't have a clue and am VERY frustrated because i read examples how to this and I do it and it does not work.
Obviously I am missing something very small and simple.

I guess I should start at beginning:

I have an include file, which has the 2 functions and then all the php pages.

The first thing in each php page is this:

<?
include('getstats.php');
insertstats();
trackvisitor(getenv("PATH_INFO"));
?>

Here a more complete version of getstats:

<?php

function insertstats() {
session_start();

// only insert one record per session per visitor
if (!isset($HTTP_SESSION_VARS['ses_visitorid'])) {
$res = mysql_query($sql);
$newvisitorid = mysql_insert_id();

$ses_visitorid = $newvisitorid;
session_register('ses_visitorid');
	global $ses_visitorid;

//this does  not work
	echo $ses_visitorid;

}
}

function trackvisitor($addpage) {
session_start();

//this does not work
echo $ses_visitorid;	

}
?>

---

Couple things, Is this concept/idea really going to work on the web? Will I run into issues like sessions getting mixed up or something?

I have it working on my local (windows) using php version 4.1.1 using _SESSION.

But my provider uses unix with 4.0.6.
I can't get it work on the provier server.

THANKS AGAIN
larry

[khaine]

One thing that looks like it could cause problems is the two session starts. what you really need to do is change getstats to look like

<?php
session_start();
if ( !isset($ses_visitorid) )
{
session_register('ses_visitorid');
}

function insertstats() {
global $ses_visitorid;

// only insert one record per session per visitor
if (!isset($HTTP_SESSION_VARS['ses_visitorid'])) {
$res = mysql_query($sql);
$newvisitorid = mysql_insert_id();

$ses_visitorid = $newvisitorid;

//this does not work
echo $ses_visitorid;
}
}

function trackvisitor($addpage) {

//this does not work
echo $ses_visitorid;
}
?>

I think the problem might be is that you only call the session start if the function is called. It needs to be called as part of the main page. Including the file is fine I use the same thing myself.

Mark.

[Anon]

Just to be sure...

I am including the webstats php file in all my pages. In all my pages I have this code:

about_us.php--------

<?
include('getstats.php');
insertstats();
trackvisitor(getenv("PATH_INFO"));
?>

getstats.php---------
<?php
function insertstats() {
session_start();
if (!isset($ses_visitorid)) {
session_register('ses_visitorid');
...
$ses_visitorid = $newvisitorid;
global $ses_visitorid;
echo $newvisitorid; //this shows a value
echo $ses_visitorid; // this does not
}
}
trackvisitor($addpage) {

echo $ses_visitorid; // no value

}

you mentioned putting
<?php
session_start();
if ( !isset($ses_visitorid) )
{
session_register('ses_visitorid');
}

in the get stats file...
Unless I am wrong or misunderstood you:
Can you put code in an include file that is not in a function?
You can't right? It has to be in a function call???

thanks

[khaine]

yes you can put code into an include as long as you open the php tag before you do it. One of my include files is

<HEAD>
<?
if ( strstr($PHP_SELF, "buttons.html") )
{
include("buttons.inc");
}
?>
</HEAD>

<? if ( strstr($PHP_SELF, "forum") ) { ?>
<LINK rel=stylesheet type="text/css" href="../css/basic.css">
<STYLE type="text/css">
@import url(../css/basic.css)
<? } else { ?>
<LINK rel=stylesheet type="text/css" href="css/basic.css">
<STYLE type="text/css">
@import url(css/basic.css)
<? } ?>
</STYLE>

<BODY>

Just some simple html and a couple of php statements.

[Anon]

argghhhh!!!

the session file is being written, the variable is written in the file BUT no value.

Well, the value is 'N'... I guess for NULL.

ses_visitorid|N;

When running the code:
$ses_visitorid = $newvisitorid;
global $ses_visitorid;
echo $newvisitorid; //displays a value
echo $ses_visitorid; // does not display value

The question is WHY?
$ses_visitorid does not hold or take or keep its value.

Thanks Mark, I appreciate your help.

[khaine]

try putting the global before the value assign.

global $ses_visitorid;
ses_visitorid = $newvisitorid;
echo $newvisitorid; //displays a value
echo $ses_visitorid; // does not display value

[Anon]

yep, setting global infront of setting value helped.

HOWEVER:
somethign not right for 2 reasons:

1.)
if (!isset($ses_visitorid)) {
-- the code ALWAYS goes here
}

2.)
in the second function, I can't access
the gobal session variable...
it has no value

I think These are the same problem.

Finally, the session file contains the session variable WITH a value, now the code just can't seem to get it or know it is there.

Thanks

[Anon]

eom

[khaine]

You could try using the global in that function too.

[Anon]

Do I need to do something that makes the PHP code persistent?

or

Does PHP do that automatically?

I don't know whats going on, besides that it is not able to retrieve the value of the session variable after it writes it.

I'm out of ideas
🙁

[Anon]

in case anyone cares...

the answer to my problem was:

declare all session variables as
global and declare them every where you use
them

IE. declare it in many places