Storing Global Variables versus textfile

[imaginephp]

I might be calling these the the wrong name, but what I currently have is a text file that stores a count. I need this text file to store a count for every web user currently using the web page. The counter increments and then after x amount of views redirects. This is working fine but how would I account for every potential user on the page.

Could i store this count in a global variable as opposed to a text file? I really want to keep the count till the user reaches 10 then wipe it clean and start again.

Thanks

[shawon22]

use a session varialbe instead of a text file

example:

session_register('counter');

if($newuser)
$_SESSION['counter'] ++;

if($_SESSION['counter'] == 10)
  $_SESSION['counter'] = 0;

[imaginephp]

Here is the code I think I have setup incorrectly though. As soon as I load the page it does the refresh.

	session_register('counter'); 

	if($newuser) 
	$_SESSION['counter'] ++; 

	if($_SESSION['counter'] == 10) 
	  $_SESSION['counter'] = 0;

		header("Refresh: 3; URL=break.php");
		echo " "; // NN4 requires that we output something...
		exit();

[dalecosp]

Don't you want some { brackets?

The way you've coded it, it's gonna run the header() call every time --- as you seem to have discovered...

session_register('counter'); 

if($newuser) 
$_SESSION['counter'] ++; 

if($_SESSION['counter'] == 10) {
   $_SESSION['counter'] = 0; 
   header("Refresh: 3; URL=break.php"); 
   echo " "; // NN4 requires that we output something... 
   exit();
}

[imaginephp]

Yep, i need the brackets. Sorry still learning syntax.. took me forever to get ASP...now moving to PHP.

ONly thing is when I run it does not redirect the user when it hits 10 refreshes of the page. I'm assuming the counter is not incrementing? or the variable is not storing.. any idea what could account for this..

How do i print out the variable to see what the count is at

Thanks agian.

[shawon22]

if(!isset($_SESSION['counter'])
session_register('counter');  


$_SESSION['counter'] ++;  

//print counter
echo $_SESSION['counter'];

if($_SESSION['counter'] == 10)
{ 
   $_SESSION['counter'] = 0;  

   header("Refresh: 3; URL=break.php");  

   echo " "; // NN4 requires that we output something... 
   exit(); 
}

[dalecosp]

Originally posted by imaginephp
Yep, i need the brackets. Sorry still learning syntax.. took me forever to get ASP...now moving to PHP.

ONly thing is when I run it does not redirect the user when it hits 10 refreshes of the page. I'm assuming the counter is not incrementing? or the variable is not storing.. any idea what could account for this..

How do i print out the variable to see what the count is at

Thanks agian.

shawon provided some code, but little explanation. You've placed the incrementation in an 'if' clause that would only work if the $newuser variable is set; I'm guessing that it's only set the first time they load the page? (There's not enough context for me to be certain.....) If you notice, shawon removed the 'if'; therefore he's thinking what I'm thinking....

shawon also showed you how to print the variable for checking. Either print() or echo() should do it, a la "echo $var;". While we're at it, there are two others that are good to know: print_r() and var_dump() --- I use 'em for arrays; in your case, a var_dump($_SESSION) might be revealing ....

HTH,

[imaginephp]

Thanks for all the help man this is tricky getting the following error

Parse error: parse error, unexpected T_STRING in. Ahh I see use the variable needs to be set the first time the user sees the page.
Thereafter if it hits 10 reset the variable to 0 and redirect the user so the process can continue all over again..

I did a var dump like you suggested above and looks like something is coming up null

array(1) { ["counter"]=> &NULL }

I'm off to barnes and nobles in a bit to grab a new php book.

[shawon22]

thanx for explaining dalecosp

imaginephp
sorry i forgot to put a bracket anyway try the following code this should work out fine.

 if(!isset($_SESSION['counter']) )
session_register('counter');   


$_SESSION['counter'] ++;   

//print counter 
echo $_SESSION['counter']; 

if($_SESSION['counter'] == 10) 
{  

   $_SESSION['counter'] = 0;   

   header("Refresh: 3; URL=break.php");   

   echo " "; // NN4 requires that we output something... 
   exit();  

}

 

[imaginephp]

Awesome SHAWoN! thanks and thanks to all who helped out. I have a long road ahead of me. I want to convert all of my apps to PHP in the long run