cookies on server or client?

robsgaming

I've got a variable $refcode that is set along with a session when the browser is open. If the browser is closed and reopened, $refcode will be given a different numerical value.

Funny thing, I thought you could store cookies on the server. However, when I turn cookies off on the browser, refcode changes on every single page. If I turn cookies back on, it stays the same.

Could something be going on with my php.ini file?

Thanks in advance for any help.

robsgaming

could this be because session_register is on every page?

You only need register once, right? Then start session after that.

ahundiak

Cookies are only stored on the client. If the client has cookies off then all cookie based code will not work.

robsgaming

Yes, but cookies should store on the server if the client side is turned off, am I right?

ahundiak

Nope.

Read up a bit on how http works. It's a stateless protocol which means (among other things) that the server treats each request completely independently of any previous request. The server cannot store cookies because it has no idea how to attach the cookie data back to a given request.

Also, make sure you understand the difference between cookies and session data. It is possible to maintain session data without using cookies.

The_Chancer

One other thing -

Start the session
Then register your session variables...

robsgaming

I have this in a file which is included to all php documents:

session_start();

session_register('count','refcode');

I don't understand, for some reason, if I have it prompt cookies, the browser is still trying accept cookies to save locally.

Any ideas? You CAN save cookies on the server can't you regardless of what browser a person is using, right?

ahundiak

There is a post over in the Echo Lounge forum labeled abuse where someone is complaining about the ocassional sarcasm that sometimes creeps into the board. So I can't just say "What part of NO don't you understand?".

What I think you are asking is "Can I store session data even if the user has cookies turned off?". The answer is yes though the details depends partly on what version of php you are using.

Read the session page in the manual:
http://www.php.net/manual/en/ref.session.php
I promise you that it's really not that long. Pay attention to whats available for each version.

And if that still does not help then I would suggest reposting the problem and maybe explaining it a bit differently.

robsgaming

Thanks for the reply.

You hit exactly what I was trying to say.

Can you store session information even if cookies are turned off on the client.

I'll read up some more on this documentation; already have some, thats why I came here.