setting timers

NoBullMan

Hi,
how can I set up a timer in a page?
I want to give the user $X minutes to complete a task and then stop accepting inputs (in a form). If stopping to accept form inputs is difficult, I guess I can redirect the user to a different page.

Thanks.

rehfeld


$allowed_secs = 300;

session_start();

if (!isset($_SESSION['time_start'])) {
    $_SESSION['time_start'] = time();
}

if ((time() - $_SESSION['time_start']) > $allowed_secs) {
    echo 'out of time';
    // redirect, or die(), or whatever you wanna do
} else {
    // accept form
}

NoBullMan

Thank you rehfeld. Some question:
Where in your code the form should be?
How would the line that checks if $allowed_secs is expired executes while the user is pondering about the answers?
Can you stick a short form in your code and tell me where the time expiry is checked?

My confusion is:
I display the form, the user cliks "Start" and I set the $_SESSION['time_start'].
Then the form is displayed and the user starts filling the form fields. At this point the file, say sample.php, has executed and the form is displayed. How does the time expiry checking fit in?

Thanks a lot.

rehfeld

they could sit at the form for hours, and this will not do anything until they submit the form.

to implement this, you must set the time_start at the same time you deliver the form to them.

once they submit the form back to you, then you check if they took too long.

// display_form.php

session_start();

if (!isset($_SESSION['time_start'])) {
    $_SESSION['time_start'] = time();
}

echo "<form>blah.......";

// receive_form.php


$allowed_secs = 300;

session_start();

if ((time() - $_SESSION['time_start']) > $allowed_secs) {
    echo 'you took too long.';
    // redirect, or die(), or whatever you wanna do
} else {
    // accept form
}

if you want something to notify them thier time is up as soon as that happens, you need to use javascript for that. you could google for "javascript timer" and prob find something usefull. but remember if javascript is disabled, it wont work, so it might be better to use php.

NoBullMan

Thanks a lot for your help. I guess I'll have to search for js code because what you mentioned is what I want to do: as soon as the time expires, I want ot notify them.

Once again, thanks for your assistance.