Session Lost on Server

doyledp

Hi,

having problems with sessions. To simplify I have reduced my script to a short sample

<?php
session_start();
if (!array_key_exists('count',$_SESSION)) {
    $count = 1;
	$_SESSION['count'] = $count;
} else {
	$count = $_SESSION['count'];
    $count++;
	$_SESSION['count'] = $count;
}
?>

Hello, Visitor!  You have seen this page <?php echo $count; ?> times....<p>

This link works <A HREF="test2.php?<?php echo strip_tags (SID)?>">click here</A>
<br><br>
This link does not <A HREF="test2.php">click here</A>

What should happen is that a refresh, or when either of the links are clicked, the counter should increase. This works fine on other servers. However on a server running Apache 2, PHP 5 and Windows XP (can't be changed) the session is lost when the second link is clicked or a refresh is done. In fact if I print out the session id, it changes after a refresh or when the second link is clicked.

I have registered global variables off, but even when I turn it on to test, it still does not work. Anyway the other servers I can test the script on works fine with global variables off. A screen shot of my session settings in php.ini is attached.

I have also checked the session.save_path ("c:\php\PHPSESSION") to see if the data session are being saved here and the session files are being created, e.g. "sess_0m0rak74vthbqrucvcs0qk88t1" is created for a session id of 0m0rak74vthbqrucvcs0qk88t1. And count and its value are being saved to this file when I open it in textpad

I know a solution to the problem would be to set

session.use_trans_sid = On

However I would like to avoid that if at all possible.

This has been annoying me for 2 days now. I have tried some suggestions form other posts such as turning of windows firewall to no avail. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Donal

samudasu

Do you have session.use_cookies set to 1 or On?

doyledp

Had it set to 1 but tried changing it to On. Makes no difference.

Thanks

Sayian

Sometimes you have to step back and take a look at what your dealing with.

It sounds like your problem is at an operating systems level, and not a php level.

if that is the case, your wonderfull windows XP box, must be replaced, or your going to have to turn thats trans ID on.

Its as simple as that.

doyledp

Thanks for the feedback. As I had said replacing the XP box is not an available option. Whats really frustrating me is that it works fine with another XP box running IIS. Would prefer to stick with Apache if at all possible, but might have to change if the problem is definitely related to the webserver. Want to rule out the code or php settings before taking this action.

doyledp

Got it working eventually. Solution was one of two things.

Tried installing using the windows installer for php 5.1.2. Got to the stage where you can't configure for Apache so I uninstalled. I then tried 5.0.5 again with the binaries, deleting my old php.ini and using the php.ini-dist and it worked fine.

My guess is that I had some problem in the ini file, but it seems exactly the same.

After doing an exam difference on the original file and the new one shows that the only difference with was

New File
session.cookie_path = /
variables_order = "EGPCS"

Original
session.cookie_path = \
variables_order = "GPCS"

However, did a test by changing these back in the new php.ini file and it still works.