setting cookie from database?

cstephenson

Is it possible to set a cookie in php from a mysql database and populate with with and "User ID, Profession, and Name".

I have a site that is currently built in Cold Fusion and I'm trying to convert over to php and this is holding me up.

I'm using cookies to determine if the user is allowed to view certain items on the site.

Thanks,

chad

merkinmuffley

check out the function [man]setcookie[/man] to use for setting a cookie. to retrieve it you would look in the global array $_COOKIE.

I'm using cookies to determine if the user is allowed to view certain items on the site.

wow, i don't really know what to say about that... has it occurred to you that users could change their own viewing permissions by finding your cookie on their computer and altering it?

cstephenson

Any other suggestions on accomplishing this then?

thanks

merkinmuffley

my suggestion would be to have them register, put their user info in a database, and have them login with username & password when they visit the site; and then control access to sensitive material by whether they're logged in or not. cookie data just can't be trusted, but if you're bound and determined to use cookies to authenticate your users, that's your prerogative.

abhanja

Well, you can use setcookie() for the stuff.... but what is the utility of that if you can always retrieve from the database and check out all that. Besides, if the user sets browser to 'No Cookies' you wont get anything anyway.

I suggest you use a session var in the url usnig a md5() hash

Arup Bhanja
Kolkata
INDIA.

PyroX

cookies are horrible. DO NOT USE THEM AT ALL.

use sessions if you must,

Weedpacket

Originally posted by PyroX
cookies are horrible. DO NOT USE THEM AT ALL.

use sessions if you must,

...which use cookies if they can, and modify the URL if they must - but only to store a session UID. Of course, some such method is required to identify users from one request to the next (to see if the request came from someone who's logged in).