[RESOLVED] Session tracking - newbie question

NoBullMan

Hi,
for using sessions, I have a question:
If the user can select items to purchase from multiple pages and have his selections appear in the "show cart" page, do I need to have "session_start()" on all of these pages?
If so, does each session_start() use the same session ID created by the first call to the function?

Is there a tutorial/example on using cookies to pass session IDs?

Thanks

Weedpacket

Yes. session_start() is needed on every page that uses session data*

Yes; the session id used is whichever one the browser sends back to the server in each request. If the browser doesn't have one, the server generates a new one and sends it out to the browser as part of its response.

*Yes, I know about session.auto_start, but let's not confuse the issue, okay?

dalecosp

Originally posted by NoBullMan
Is there a tutorial/example on using cookies to pass session IDs?

Thanks

Give it a try; in most versions and most configurations, it's automatic, and transparent. PHP will generally either set its own cookie (you don't have to) or will utilize the SID in a GET string, all by itself.

NoBullMan

Originally posted by dalecosp
Give it a try; in most versions and most configurations, it's automatic, and transparent. PHP will generally either set its own cookie (you don't have to) or will utilize the SID in a GET string, all by itself.

Sorry, but was there to be a link or something I was supposed to give it a try?
Being new, I thought an example of the session id passing takes place among a couple of pages would help me a lot.

Thanks.

dalecosp

Page Zero is some login form using the POST method.

page1.php:

session_start();
if ($_POST['username']="NoBullMan" && $_POST['pw']="BS") {
   $_SESSION['auth_user']="NoBullMan";
   }

page2.php:

session_start();
if (!$_SESSION['auth_user']) {
   header("Location: page0.html");
   }
else { 
   $user=$_SESSION['auth_user'];
   }

echo "Welcome to the site, $user!!";

You're welcome? 😉

HalfaBee

I think you meant
$_SESSION['auth_user']="NoBullMan";

HalfaBee

phpdeano

Looking through the threads trying to get to grips with sessions.

At what stage do I query the SQL table and where do I put this in the code?

Before the if statement but after the session_start()?

I know this is a simple thing but I just cannot get to grips with it.

dalecosp

Put in a session_start() before referring to or assigning any $_SESSION variables.

As for order, you probably want to:

Get the variables from the POST array and clean them up.
Check the DB to see if the variables match.
Then the conditional; if a match, start the session and assign the variables you want PHP to remember. If no match, do a header call back to the login page. Remember, no output to the browser before calling header().

HTH,