[Resolved] Pesky Session Gremlin

phplearner

There is a pesky session gremlin at work I just can't nuke.

Page 1

<?php
error_reporting(2039); // Temporary fix 
ob_start(); 
session_start(); 

// $domain = $_SERVER['SERVER_NAME']; 
$self = $_SERVER['PHP_SELF']; 

if (isset($_POST['submit'])) { 

$taxrate = $_POST['taxrate']; 
$notaxrate = $_POST['notaxrate']; 

if (($taxrate == "info" ) && (!isset($notaxrate))) { 
    echo "Please select a tax area."; 
} elseif (($taxrate != "info" ) && (isset($notaxrate))) { 
    echo 'Please choose from only one set of options'; 
} elseif (($taxrate != "info" ) && (!isset($notaxrate))) { 
    $_SESSION['salestax'] = $taxrate; 
    header('Location: test2.php'); // go to nextfile IF no error 
} elseif (($taxrate == "info" ) && (isset($notaxrate))) { 
    $_SESSION['salestax'] = $notaxrate; 
    header('Location: test2.php'); // go to nextfile IF no error 
} 
} // END isset($submit) 

?> 
<FORM METHOD="POST" ACTION="<?=$self?>"> 

MY STATE (USA) CUSTOMERS ONLY:<br> 
Please Choose SHIP-TO DESTINATION Area<br> 
And Then Click The PROCEED Button Below<br> 
<SELECT NAME="taxrate" size="1"> 
    <OPTION VALUE="info" SELECTED>--Select SHIP-TO Destination--</OPTION> 
    <OPTION VALUE=".0825">My Own County</OPTION> 
    <OPTION VALUE=".0725">All OTHER State Counties</OPTION> 
    <input type="hidden" name="taxcalc" value="taxrate"> 
</SELECT> 
<br><br> 

NON-STATE CUSTOMERS:<br> 
Please Check This Box And Then PROCEED<br> 
<input name="notaxrate" type="checkbox" value=".00">NON STATE CUSTOMER<br> 
<br> 
<INPUT name="submit" type="submit" value="PROCEED"> 
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
<INPUT name="reset" type="reset" value="Reset Form"> 
</FORM> 
<?php 
ob_end_flush(); 
?>

I should be able to see $salestax on:

Page 2
<?php
// nextfile.php
session_start();
error_reporting(2039); // Temporary fix
$salestax = $_SESSION['salestax'];
echo "Sales Tax: "."$salestax";
?>

I've tried $_POST, $HTTP_POST_VARS, etc., etc., but just can NOT get the darn $salestax to show from Page 1.

Help anyone? Thanks.

planetsim

why do you have ob_start(); in page 1.. you do not need it..

You should also have an else statement. If nothing matches an error is returned.

tuf-web_co_uk

$salestax = $_SESSION['salestax'];

will not set a session var with a value
it will simply set the variable $salestax with whatevers in the salestax session

on the other hand

$SESSION['salestax'] = $POST['salestax'];

would set the session var with the contents of the posted variable

hth

planetsim

he did do it right

$_SESSION['salestax'] = $taxrate;

i also suggest having error_reporting(E_ALL);

phplearner

Originally posted by planetsim
why do you have ob_start(); in page 1.. you do not need it..

You should also have an else statement. If nothing matches an error is returned.

Someone on another forum put in ob_start() and the error_reporting(2039) to get rid of undefined index errors. I really would like to know HOW to eliminate the 'undefined index' errors straight away. I dont' see these approaches in other scripts!

Ohhh...good idea on the else statement. Thanks.

OK...I tried both suggestions:

<?php
// nextfile.php
session_start();
error_reporting(E_ALL);
$salestax = $_SESSION['salestax'] = $_POST['salestax']; 
echo "Sales Tax: "."$salestax";
?>

But it still not working:

'undefined index error' remains
$salestax will NOT display

This is driving me B-O-N-K-E-R-S!!!

phplearner

(More)...

I have even tried using a 'hidden' field but this doesn't work either:

echo "<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"salestax\" value=\"$taxrate\">";

As well as:

echo "<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"salestax\" value=\"'$_POST['taxrate']'\">";

And in Page 2:

$salestax = $_SESSION['salestax']

As well as:

$salestax = $_POST['salestax']

This is bizarre!!!

phplearner

It appears I finally have a solution here.

At the top of EACH page:

error_reporting(2039); // Temporary fix?  Without it, numerous Notices/warnings 
ob_start(); 
session_start();
$sessid = session_id();

In the code loops of EACH successive page until final processing page:

$_SESSION['someformvar'] = $_POST['someformvar']; 
$url = "eachnextpage.php?" . session_name() . "=$sessid"; 
header("Location: $url");

FYI, I also tried sticking this in above but it didn't seem to work:

// echo "<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"session_name\" value=\"session_id\">";

I don't know if the error_reportin(2039) might cause a problem on someone else's system, but for now I can use here myself which is a first step!

Thanks again to ALL who so kindly offered assistance, code examples & testing help.

Best Regards...

phplearner

FINALLY...a resolution to the ultimate "Nightmare".

Thanks to all who attempted to help me in this matter with suggestions assist me in this matter.

I am posting the following that it might help some other frustrated soul who has the same problem as it turned out I had.

My ISP has 'session.use_trans_sid' set to 'Off" ... or "0". There was a supposed workaround on the php.net pages to put code at the top of each script, but that does NOT work. I added a comment about this but the php.net moderator nuked it :mad:

I tried putting a php_flag in an .htaccess file which also did not work, but this was due to my ISP restricting such files from being set up by individual users. The only option appeared to be that of my ISP re-compiling/re-installing PHP on the Unix with: --enable-trans-sid which they were not willing to do.

Fortunately, they DID setup an .htaccess file for me to work globally with all my 'www' directories/sites, with this one line in it:

php_flag session.use_trans_sid 1

So now, "Session" stuff WORKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Umh, it would have been nice to know this about 50+ hours ago of trying everything under the sun.

A B-I-G thanks again to all who helped me understand more of the 'basics' and code examples. I'm just sorry I could not get them to work here for what is now known to be the reason.

Kind Regards,