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[van__]

/*******************************************************************************

FUNCTION SEND_HTCOOKIE

Author: Van Carney ([e-mail])
©2000-2002 Webfreshener.com

last rev: 4/21/02 3:56:47 AM

HTTP Cookie generation routine 
takes variable number of args and writes cookie to header
per the Netscape Cookies spec here:
http://developer.netscape.com/docs/manuals/js/client/jsref/cookies.htm

This user function is written to mimic the built-in setcookie() function in
PHP, as problems were noticed with that function when writing cached cookies
from within Object Scopes. PHP would not write a cached cookie when 

setcookie() was called inside an object. This function has been tested
and workes quite nicely in multiple scopes.

usage:
send_htCookie(string varname (required),string varval,string expire,
string path, string domain, bool secure);

*******************************************************************************/
function send_htCookie() {
$vars=array('varname','varval','expire','path','domain','secure');

for ($i=0;$i<func_num_args();$i++) { ${$vars[$i]}=func_get_arg($i); }

if (!$varname) { return false; }

$COOKIE = "Set-Cookie: $varname=$varval";
if (isset($expire)) 	 { $COOKIE .= "; EXPIRES=$expire";}
if (isset($domain))   { $COOKIE .= "; DOMAIN=$domain"; }
if (isset($path))   	 { $COOKIE .= "; PATH=$path"; 	 }
if (isset($secure) && $secure>0) { $COOKIE .= "; SECURE"; }

header($COOKIE);
return true;
}

[[deleted]]

nice, but a few Q's;
1. What do we enter for the 'EXPIRE'?
2. Why are there not default values? (or; why did you give this function a variable number of arguments)
3. Does this work on all netscape/IE/opera variants?

[van__]

Some good questions.

1. What do we enter for the 'EXPIRE'?
   EXPIRE is the expiration date which is required to have set if you wish your cookie to be cached.

I generally use this:
date("l, d-M-y H:i:s \G\M\T",strtotime("+3 years"))
...will generate a properly formatted expiration date for 3 years from today.

2. Why are there not default values? (or; why did you give this function a variable number of arguments)

It uses variable args, that way you don't have to worry about typing in ('mycookie','','','','','','') just to unset a cookie. As I said, it's meant to mimic the PHP setcookie function, so I made it follow the same order of args to allow you to cut and paste the vars from your normal usage of the setcookie function.

3. Does this work on all netscape/IE/opera variants?

This will work on any browser that properly implements the Netscape Cookies specification provided at the link in my doc text.

[van__]

Added a PHP error_trigger as I thought it would be nice to know if it had a problem.

Also added a default null value to $varval so if the user wanted to unset a cookie by just entering a name, a notice would not be generated by calling an uninitialized value.

function send_htCookie() {
$vars=array('varname','varval','expire','path','domain','secure');
//default cookie value (for us lazy @sses)
$varval = false;

for ($i=0;$i<func_num_args();$i++) { ${$vars[$i]}=func_get_arg($i); }

if (!$varname) { 
trigger_error("send_htCookie() must be assigned a name", E_USER_WARNING);
return false; 
}

$COOKIE = "Set-Cookie: $varname=$varval";
if (isset($expire)) 	 { $COOKIE .= "; EXPIRES=$expire";}
if (isset($domain))   { $COOKIE .= "; DOMAIN=$domain"; }
if (isset($path))   	 { $COOKIE .= "; PATH=$path"; 	 }
if (isset($secure) && $secure>0) { $COOKIE .= "; SECURE"; }

header($COOKIE);
return true;
}