SESSIONS..just dont get it..

deezzer

Hi. I'm just tryin to get this session to start...

in page1.php there's this:

<?php
session_start();

$_SESSION['test']='working';

and in page2.php i will do this:
<?php
session_start();

echo $_SESSION['test'];
?>

but nothing prints...

thanks..

etully

Your code works for me. Are you sure that the <?php is at the very top of the text file? There are no print or echo statements, or spaces, or line feeds, or HTML or anything above that command?

Do you have cookies turned on in your browser? (I think that sessions might still work even if you don't have cookies turned on but I'm not certain).

These are the first things I'd check.

Staggy11

I'd also recommend making sure that 'register_globals' is OFF in php.ini . You can check its status by making a new .php document, with the code:

<? phpinfo() ?>

(If that doesnt show anything, try removing the '<?' and '?>'.)

Houdini

Use this script(s) to see if register_globals are ON
sessiontest.php

<?php
session_start();
session_register('session_variable');
?>
<html>
<body>
<?php
	$session_variable = 'testing';
	echo"This is a test of the sessions of PHP
	<form action ='session2.php' method ='post'>
	<input type='text' name='test' value='FormTesting'>
	<input type='submit' value = 'Next Page'>
	</form>";
?>
</body>
</html>

session2.php

<?php
session_start();
?>
<html>
<body>
<?php
	echo"session_variable = $session_variable<br />\n";
	echo"Form variable = $test";
?>
</body>
</html>

deezzer

it's cause i'm using php version 4.2.x and using windows on my own latop, and the permssions need to be set to read and write, but i'm having a hard time changing them since there's no 'security tab' for me to select, and so i'm just going to upgrade to the latest version of php..

pixal

Hi,

I am rather new to php and is encountering the same problem as deezzer. I've tried all the suggestions given above thus far but to no avail. Could it have something to do with my settings in php.ini file? Is there something that I need to verify in it?

Thanks in advance.

deezzer

check your php version. only those with windows version 4.3.6 and lower are going to have this problem.

i was gonna upgrade to the latest version of php, but man does it require lots of steps, and seems more complicated than it should.

i tried changing c:\tmp to c:\temp in the php.ini file under session.data_path, and for folder permissions, tried checking on and off 'read only', since i dont seem to have a 'security tab' under preferences to change the permissions on my folder.

the problem seems to be that php is having a hard time reading the session file from my temp folder, because i see the files being made.

it's weird how 1 file will be made when i declare a sesison (i'll open it to see if there's data inside, and there is) , and when i try to read just that one session var, it'll make 2 files that are completely empty...

ii think the problem is my permissions on my temp folder. If anyone knows how to change permissions in windows xp if i dont have the security tab in preferences to add users to share the folder. there's gotta be a way to do it in ms dos prompt. anyone know how?

ps: how do i change my signature? it's impossible to run a web hosting company without first burning millions on ad words..

Houdini

The code I posted will work on older versions of PHP which I think had register_globals turned on but to upgrade just download XAMPP and within 10 minutes after you have downloaded and installed it you will be using it. The install takes about 5 minutes and it completely sets up MySQL PHP 4 and PHP 5.1.1 Perl and Apache 2.*. It is about 23 meg but well worth the download. The dowmload is here and is all I have ever used since I found it after using IIS PWS and installing Apache MySQL and PHP on my own the hard way a very long time ago.

deezzer

I tried installing the above program you suggested, but think i have to uninstall my current php version or else there's a conflict. In anycase,this problem is still gettin to me and i have to figure this out or else it's gonna bug me forever.

I know my problem: Before making a new session file, PHP checks whether a valid session ID exists. But in my case, the session IDs are in my folder, it still keeps on making new session IDs, thus, never calling the exisiting session IDs..

I notice that everytime a session_start() is called from my test page, a session_id file is made inside my tmp folder. but everytime i reload the same test page, instead of calling the same session id file, it makes another session id file.

I've tried turning off firewall, my permissions are set to read/write/modify..

any insight would be great...

i'm hating windows at the moment : T

deezzer

Ok. it's now working - after i UPGRADED to php 5.0. Got over my stubbornness. Thanks Houdini, you made my pepple in my shoe go away. now to program!

pixal

I am using XAMPP and the PHP is version 4.3.10. I can't find the "session.data_path" in my php.ini file but instead saw the following:

[FONT=Courier New]session.save_path= ".;c:\apachefriends\xampp\tmp"[/FONT]

Not too sure exactly what that statement mean but I saw a new file created in the tmp folder when I run the program. However, its filesize is 0kb.

Is there something else I could/need to check?

Thanks.

P.S. I switched over PHP5 but the problem still surfaced. 😕

Houdini

What problem are you having is it with using session variables?

pixal

Houdini wrote:
What problem are you having is it with using session variables?

Yes, I am having problem with the use of session variable as illustrated below:

deezzer wrote:
n page1.php there's this:

<?php
session_start();
$_SESSION['test']='working';
?>

and in page2.php i will do this:
<?php
session_start();
echo $_SESSION['test'];
?>

but nothing prints...

Please help. Thanks

Houdini

Use the code here and see what happens Post #4

pixal

Houdini wrote:
Use the code here and see what happens Post #4

The result displayed upon clicking the <Next Page> button was:

session_variable =
Form variable =

Thanks.

Houdini

change page1.php to

<?php
session_start();
$_SESSION['test']='working';
header('Location: page2.php');
?>

page2.php

<?php
session_start();
echo $_SESSION['test'];
?>

pixal

Houdini wrote:

change page1.php to

<?php
session_start();
$_SESSION['test']='working';
header('Location: page2.php');
?>

page2.php

<?php
session_start();
echo $_SESSION['test'];
?>

Upon loading page1.php, page2.php was loaded automatically with the word "working". Apparently, the session variable 'test' was passed somehow. I am lost as to how it was achieved. Mind if you enlighten me on what's happening? Thanks.

Houdini

Well in page1.php you started a session and then assigned a variable using

$_SESSION['test']='working';

then just below it the script told PHP to go to page2.php and ther you started a session and told PHP to echo the $_SESSION['test'] which should have merely printed working and that is it, simple but it proves that global_registers are turned off and you have a fairly recent version of PHP running either on your local machine or on the web server you are using.

pixal

Thanks for the info. Since page1.php and page2.php are working, would you be able to enlighten me on the probable cause of failure for sessiontest.php and session2.php?

Pardon me for being such a nag.

Houdini

Mostly because that is old old code and when code like like that was used register_globals came turned on by default, but it is not secure and subject to sql injection and other very bad stuff so in later versions of PHP this was set to off by default and still is, that code will only work if register_globals is turned ON.