Win ME can not save my sessions!

Bijan

Hi
I installed a new windows ( ME ) and I noticed that it can not save the cookies. I mean when I log in here for example, even though I said that it keeps me logged on forever ( till I delete the cookie from the cookies directory manually ), but as soon as I close the window, it deletes the cookie. I checked the IE specifications but I couldn't find anything helpful.
Any help would be greately appreciated

sublimatica

This isn't really a PHP problem, then?

It depends on the version of IE that you're using. 5.x and 6 handle cookie settings differently, but it's all done through the 'Internet Options' dialogue under the Tools menu of IE (or through the Control Panel).

It's just a case of fiddling until it works, my friend. Remember that for IE to log you in here automatically every time you come, you need to allow persistant cookies, not just session cookies.

Hope this helps.

piersk

Actually, it could be a PHP problem. If my memory serves me correctly, one of the parameters that you set when you use the setcookie() function is one of how long you want the cookie to be valid for. If you don't set this, then IE deletes the cookie when you close the browser window. Try setting this time parameter and see where it gets you.

sublimatica

It could be a PHP problem if Bijan is talking about a website he's developed. However, I took his question to mean that his browser isn't saving persistant (non-session) cookies for any websites he visits (such as this one) while he surfs the Internet.

Bijan, could you clarify?

Bijan

Hi, thank you all. Well, actually Sublimatica is right, I'm talking about my browser and I'm not talking about any PHP program. Even though I'm new in PHP but I know what you're talking about dear Piersk. I do the same thing in JS.
It's not a PHP question, but I think I read in the main page that I can post anything regarding windows in here! right?! So, it's a general question.
I checked Internet Options and I saw all the submenus : General, Security, Content, Connections, Programs, Advanced. But I couldn't find anything! It's a kinda hassle entering the username and passworkd each time that I wana post!
Any help is greately appericiated.

sublimatica

I'm using IE5.5, and the cookie settings are under 'security' in the Internet Options dialogue. Choose the Internet Zone and then 'Custom Level'. Scroll down to the cookies section and choose 'Enable' or 'Prompt' to let cookies through.

You'd probably find it quicker looking at the Internet Explorer help file to get your answer instead of posting here and waiting for someone to reply.

Just a thought. 🙂

Bijan

I got you sublimatica! And thank you for your help, it's enabled and I chose promped to see the difference ( I know I shouldn't selected Disabled! ). I'm not really that dumb, but after a long time, I'm back again and I just wana have a warm up in the forums!!!
Anyways, thanks for your help and c ya later.

sublimatica

I'll be honest: I also disable all cookies except session (temporary) cookies. If I visit a site that will only work if cookies are enabled, I switch to 'prompted' and then check the contents of each cookie before I agree to accept it. I hate the idea of my surfing patterns being tracked by advertising companies.

For a site like this, though, which I want to enable for cookies, I add the domain to the list of 'trusted sites', and configure those to always accept cookies. That way I'm always logged in on this site, but I get no cookies from anywhere else. This works perfectly.

Anyway, glad you're OK now.

Bijan

Thank you Ben, you were really helpful. I didn't know about this technique, even though I knew about sites spying ppl with their cookies and even though I saw the Restricted and Trusted items in my Internet Options. You see, it's the data, but the processor ( my mind! ) couldn't process and put the pieces together!

Anyways, thank you for your help, and let's ask a more scientific question: How do they track the cookies? I know javascript and I'm very good with cookies, but I can not read other sites cookies, I just can read the cookie that's specific to my domain. So, do those advertising companies read others cookies too or they just have a counter for their page that if you visit it more than a special number, they send you the ads?

sublimatica

I'm not claiming to be a cookie expert, but lots of sites will use banner ads served by a single ad server such as Doubleclick, and every time you visit a site with a banner ad (or in fact any image or content whatsoever) served by Doubleclick, the Doubleclick server will send your browser a permanent cookie from the Doubleclick domain along with the image/content, plus any cookies that the website itself (that you're viewing) may set.

In this way, Doubleclick will see you and identify you as you surf the Net, tracking you and gradually building a profile of the sites you visit. For some bizarre reason I hate the idea of people gathering information like this without my consent. I've discovered several porn-site cookies on my machine in recent months, despite getting bored of online porn years ago and never visiting porn sites these days. 😃

If you switch to be prompted every time your browser receives a cookie, you'll see just how many cookies some sites try to set. You can click on the 'More info' button to see the domain that's trying to set the cookie. Often on heavily-advertised sites (like www.cars.com) you'll get cookie requests from many different domains. (3 in the case of cars.com, including some from Doubleclick.)

Bijan

Thanks for the info. I don't like to be monitored either. I believe that some of the programs that we install send our info to their servers as the back channel work! Anyways, thanks for your help.