Sessions not working with includes?

Arc

Hello. I have a page that is made up of 4 seperate pages. index.php, topnav.php, sidenav.php,footer.php.

The main page is index.php and the other 3 are called with include, they all add up to form one big page.

At the top of topnav.php I have

<?php 
session_register("SESSION_UNAME");
session_register("SESSION_USERID");
?>

Now, I can call these variables and display them anywhere on the index.php page no problem, but when I attemp to show them on any of the included pages I get nothing. It's as if the variable is empty.

If I call these pages indivdualy (i.e. not use the include function) the session variables show up.

Any idea what is going on here?

Thanks!😃

ppowell

I don't use session_register and the PHP manual recommends you not use it. Use $_SESSION instead.

At the top of the parent page put this:

session_start();

All pages, including included pages, will inherit this action and will be able to set and get $_SESSION variables.

Phil

Arc

Thanks but I already had session_start(); at the top of the page, sorry for not mentioning it. I tried $_SESSION["SESSION_UNAME"] and I still get the same deal. The variable will show up on the index page, but not any of the included pages...🙁

Even if I put all the session stuff on each individual include they still won't work UNLESS I just view the pages alone by not "including" them but just typing the path directly to it.

ppowell

Ok a few things:

1) What version of PHP are you using?
2) Is register_globals off or on?

Also bear in mind that sessions are not viewable until you perform an action, such as clicking a link or pressing a button. Like cookies, you can get and set, but you can't set and get in the same session.

Phil

Arc

Php version is 4.x I beleive, not sure exactly, but it's a newer version.

What do you mean I have to perfrom an action? I am mearly displaying the value of a session variable on the page. For instance <? PHP Print $SESSION_UNAME; ?>. This displays the value of the session variable when the page is loaded. And it works fine on all the pages as long as they are loaded individualy. It is only when I use <?php include("pagename.php"): ?> that the variable will not show up on the included page, but it still shows on the main page that is not being called with the include statement.

So it hs something to do with the fact that the pages are being "included", but I can't figure out what.

Thanks.

ppowell

I think you are misunderstanding me. How did you initially set $_SESSION["SESSION_UNAME"]? I am assuming somewhere in some PHP script you set it:

$_SESSION["SESSION_UNAME"] = 'blahblahblah';

Upon returning to your page then, whatever that page is, then $_SESSION["SESSION_UNAME"] will be retrieved including within the included files.

What I'm getting at is that if you initially successfully set the session variable in the first place. the include() function has nothing to do with it as it simply includes script into the hosting page as if all the code were physically in the same page.

Phil

Arc

The session is originaly set when the user logs in. A name is retreived from the database and the session variable is set to that. For instance,

$_SESSION["SESSION_UNAME"];
$Query = "SELECT UserID,BusinessName FROM tblUsers WHERE Username = '$txtUsername' AND Password = '$txtPassword' AND Active='TRUE'";
  $Result = mysql_query($Query);
$ResultArray=mysql_fetch_array($Result);
 $SESSION_UNAME = $ResultArray['BusinessName'];

Then at the top of my topnav.php page I have

session_start();
$_SESSION["SESSION_UNAME"];

Then in my other pages I atempt to display this variable

<?php Print $SESSION_UNAME; ?>

Now, this works fine on the main page, but on any pages that were "included" the variable does not display. If I take one of the "included" pages and type it's URL manualy into the browser then the varaible displays as it should.

I am aware how "includes" work, but what other explination is there? The variables display fine on every page untill they are called with "include" then they no longer display the variable.

This could very well be something else, but I can't think of what it could be. I am doing everything right.

ppowell

Originally posted by Arc
The session is originaly set when the user logs in. A name is retreived from the database and the session variable is set to that. For instance,
$_SESSION["SESSION_UNAME"];

[snip]

Why are you just implementing a session variable in such a way? You aren't really setting the variable, you're just referencing it. To set it you'd have to add this line below:

$Query = "SELECT UserID,BusinessName FROM tblUsers WHERE Username = '$txtUsername' AND Password = '$txtPassword' AND Active='TRUE'";
  $Result = mysql_query($Query);
$ResultArray=mysql_fetch_array($Result);
 $SESSION_UNAME = $ResultArray['BusinessName'];
// ADD THIS LINE
$_SESSION['SESSION_UNAME'] = $SESSION_UNAME;

Then at the top of my topnav.php page I have
session_start();
$_SESSION["SESSION_UNAME"];

I also don't understand this line either, it's very strange. What are you doing with the session variable here in topnav.php? If you wish to display you would do

echo $_SESSION['SESSION_UNAME'];

Then in my other pages I atempt to display this variable
<?php Print $SESSION_UNAME; ?>

That is not your session variable, that is a set variable that no longer exists upon going to other pages. You need to use $_SESSION['SESSION_UNAME'] instead within print_r, printf, sprintf or echo statements to view

Now, this works fine on the main page, but on any pages that were "included" the variable does not display. If I take one of the "included" pages and type it's URL manualy into the browser then the varaible displays as it should.

I am aware how "includes" work, but what other explination is there? The variables display fine on every page untill they are called with "include" then they no longer display the variable.

This could very well be something else, but I can't think of what it could be. I am doing everything right. [/B]

Not to sound like one of "those elitist programmers", but I'm going to in this case. I think you're not fully grasping the concept of session variables in PHP and I suggest you read up a bit more on it. Go to www.php.net and look up $_SESSION and study it thoroughly by example and see how they're utilizing it.

I just completed a section of my own app the other day using $_SESSION successfully. It sets and retrieves and I'm using multiple include and require_once, even retrieves within a class method inside an included file. Based on what you're telling me you're not doing much differently than me but your code looks disjointed and doesn't reflect that you know thoroughly how to use session variables just yet.

Phil

Arc

Truth is I've never used "$SESSION[]" before I've always used Session_Register(). When you register a session you can set it's value at any time and also call it's value just as you would any other variable, there is no need to say $MyVar=Session_Register("SESSION_VALUE"), you mearly need to say Print $SESSION_VALUE; as Long as you have Session_Register("SESSION_VALUE") at the top of the page. Apparently $SESSION does not work that way?

Also with Session_Register("SESSION_VALUE") you register the session THEN set it's value, apparently $_SESSION does not work that way?

I will do some more reading, but to be honest, if I were doing it wrong it wouldn't work at all. A it stands now it works, but not on pages that are being included.

Anyway, thanks for the help.
😃