detecting users browser?

Adamthenewbie

Can you do this using PHP? Or can you only do it with javascript?

Adamthenewbie

Also can someone give me code for detecting if the user has an older version than Netscape 6 or Internet Explorer 4 or Opera 4?

Currently I am using

navigator.appName FOR THE NAME OF BROWSER
navigator.appVersion FOR WHICH VERSION THEY HAVE

The navigator.appVersion returns not just the version but this long value: (I have Internet Explorer 6)

4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.0; .NET CLR 1.0.3705)

This is the page I have been using http://www.w3schools.com/js/tryit.asp?filename=tryjs_browserdetails

Anyway any help would be greatly appreciated!!
Adam

superwormy

www.php.net/get_browser
http://us4.php.net/manual/en/language.variables.predefined.php

$_SERVER['HTTP_USER_AGENT']

Note that user agents can be spoofed.

Adamthenewbie

I am confused?

What does "Note that user agents can be spoofed." mean?
Would it be better for me just to use javascript?

Can you write an if statement for checking if the users browser under Netscape 6?? It seems like it returns to much stuff?? Any help??

Thanks
Adam

superwormy

Did you even look at the links I provided? get_browser() will tell you everything you can possibly find out about the users user-agent, and you can write your if statements off the values in the object it returns.

User agents are sent by the client, and can be changed at will to anything at all by anyone who knows what they're doing. Some browsers ( Opera and Lynx for instance ) even come with the option to make it seem like you're using Intrnet Explorer / Netscape / another browser when you're really using Opera / another browser.

$_SERVER['HTTP_USER_AGENT'] contains all the information the browser sends about itself.

Weedpacket

Originally posted by superwormy
$_SERVER['HTTP_USER_AGENT'] contains all the information the browser sends about itself.

And because it's information sent by the browser, there's no guarantee for you that it is accurate. Using a fake user-agent string is spoofing, and you can't prevent them from doing it if they feel like it.