really stupid newbie question about sessions

[jrmatmillerclan]

I understand that sessions have a timeout period, as specified in php.ini. What I'm not sure about is whether timeout depends on user activity.

Suppose that:

• timeout is 180 minutes.
• user 1 goes to a page that creates a session, and he then goes out for a relaxing 180-minute lunch.
• user 2 goes to the same page, getting his own session, and he madly hacks away at the site for the next 180 minutes.

When we enter Minute 181, whose sessions will be timed out? Both user 1 and user 2, or just user 1?

Thanks,
Jim

[nnichols]

just user 1, but his session may not have been "killed" depending on the amount of site activity and your settings for the gc routines.

The timeout refers to last activity of the session. So as long as the user is on the site and accessing pages that access the session then his session will remain active.

[jrmatmillerclan]

That's the (kind of) answer I was looking for -- thanks much!

Jim