Frustration abounds with users... and me...

KellEy

Yes, Yes, I'm a n00b... waits for the requisite "HI, n00b!!" from the audience... anyways, here's my problem...

I'm VERY new to PHP. I just opened up a bboard and chat room. My problem is that my friends who are on AOL can't access the chat room. (i got the bboard issue fixed) ... When i asked the web hosting company what i could do, they said i would need to go into the chat > php.index file and remove this coding.... well.. there is NO file in the entire chat directory that is named php.index .... could someone PLEASE tell me what it is i need to remove or whatever that will allow my AOL buddies into my chatroom without it constantly throwing them out and back to the log-in page????

anything you can tell me to help would be most appreciated.. and PLEASE be gentle.. i'm so new at this that you'll need to use layman terms ... in fact, a very simple "go here ... this file > this file > etc........ remove this and this only.... hit save... you're done" will be easiest!!! LOLOLOL (i know.. it's sad)

TheDefender

Tell your AOL buddies to get a real ISP that isn't a viral-by-nature software...

Your AOL buddies probably have some setting that is causing their browser to reject the session or cookie or something like that.

UGH to AOL!

KellEy

Originally posted by TheDefender
Tell your AOL buddies to get a real ISP that isn't a viral-by-nature software...

Your AOL buddies probably have some setting that is causing their browser to reject the session or cookie or something like that.

UGH to AOL!

i agree that AOHell isn't worth the toilet paper i wipe my ass with, but there has to be a way that will allow them to chat in my PHP chat room... your response wasn't very helpful, except to show your obvious aversion to AOL... what i need is for someone to help me with the coding aspect of this problem.. as i stated in my original question..

TheDefender

I get what you are looking for...

My point is that I don't think it is a problem with the code. I think it is a problem specific to the use of AOL.

You are looking for help disecting code that only fails when an AOL user accesses it, without posting the code itself, or without telling us who initially created the code. Talk about a needle in a haystack...

I am not trying to sound facetious here... Really, I am not, and to show you what I mean, here are some directions...

Try contacting the author of the code.
Ask for clarification from your webhost about what changes they recommend.
Ask your AOL buddies to check any and all settings that could possibly be related.

Most chat scripts are fairly robust, so without bringing the author in on your problem, you could be spinning your wheels here.

And yes, I definitely have an aversion to AOL. ;-)

KellEy

It is definitely specific to AOL.. that much we've figured out..

i did contact my webhosting company, and they are the ones who told me to go to the "index.php" file and remove certain contents within the scripting pertaining to recognizing the IP.. i know that AOL uses proxies and does not have a static ip, per-say.. i also know that with my bboard, i could go in and reduce the amount of digits used to recognize ip from 6 to 4... it worked fine.. is there something in the chat scripting somewhere that will allow me to do the same thing? i know that i have to be VERY careful doing that, too..

i've spoken to my buddies that use AOHell, and they've checked all their settings.. turned off pop up eliminators, reduced firewall settings, allowed my site in their protection.. it does not give them an error message when it boots them.. they can log in.. they can go to the chat room.. the moment they try to type anything in, it sends them back to the log-in page.. no errors.. no nothing.. it's as if it resets the entire session..

and i don't know what section of coding to put up as i don't know where to even FIND it, much less put it up for help purposes..

TheDefender

Let's break it down further...

Does it happen as soon as they click in the chat window to begin typing? OR Does it happen when they type in their message and hit enter.

The enter keystroke could be the problem.

Did you contact the author of the script to see if they ever heard of this problem?

KellEy

they get into chat... sit there for a moment.. see the names to the right in the user list and then get booted back to the log-in page.. it's as if their session gets cut off... they never even get the opportunity to type anything.. it's usually within a matter of seconds...

eta.. i feel so stupid.. 😕

TheDefender

Don't feel stupid. You are a proclaimed noob, and this is one of those issues that can definitely get a hair pulling thing going...

It sounds like the session is prematurely expiring. The area of the code to look into sounds like it occurs either during or immediately after the session is registered.

Look through all of the code for redirects back to the home page, or to a logout page. That may give you some clues as to what's going on, or at least where in the code it's happening.

Pig

Many authentication systems use a computers IP as a form of verification. AOL is completely retarded about how they organize and keep them assigned. You will find many applications are useless to AOL. phpbb and other popular ones have this problem. There isn't much you can do about it without ripping out the guts of authentication.