Sessions - some tips on resolving

Bill_Hoefer

😕 Howdy!

I am trying to code a simple cart. Yes, there are free and pay-to-use carts available but I want to learn php.

I have been studying sessions and have a few questions to get me to the next level.

How does one make a button (like a press-here-to-order button) create a variable in a session?

I created a catalog page and on one side is a stack of buttons that can be pressed to order the items. A user, in theory, can press none to all the buttons and then proceed to a new catalog page with the same set-up. I have located code that sends the data to a php script, but not one that keeps the data within the session in progress on that very same page to be passed to the next pages. Any simple code snippets for me to study?

I do not have a clue how MySQL works and the server may not support it (Earthlink is not the best host to have but that is where my client is lodged). In fact, Earthlink requires all php scripts to use the file extension .php4 – which makes it an unhappy way to code if you are trying out a downloaded script.

Eventually, the visitor will press the check-out button and see the total list of items selected (inventory numbers, brief descriptions and prices). This page would allow them to delete an item, return to shop or fill out a form with their details. Therefore, a flat file may be in order (since MySQL may not be an option). How does one assign a number to match the client before they fill out a form – perhaps a session id? Or should one assign a number at the start of the first visitor encounter? My client does not want visitors signing in or filling out forms until after they made selections and try to check-out. Again, can I get some code for me to study?

The results of their selections and the form information would then be sent by email. I can get a form sent to an email without any problem. Obviously, if I create a flat file, then I need to be able to add that to the email somehow. Any code snippets for this? I hate arrays – just a personal thing – so I would prefer to have line breaks for data – is that possible with the flat file creation and read?

Anyway, thanks in advance,

Bill

Bill_Hoefer

Well, I have been studying my problem all morning as I want to learn (the reason for asking for sample coding to study is to have something to disect and analyze as I do not like merely pasting someone else's code and not learning to code).

So far, I have discovered that a session number can be had and used. In fact, I used it for creating unique flat file names - although I will most likely shorten them to something readable - like 10 digits or less.

Now I am about to try to append a flat file with selections from buttons that can be pressed from pages in a catalog.

However, I still want to see how others - you gurus - would have tackled this task. Please share some verbage on why it works, etc.

Give me a fish and I will eat a meal - teach me to fish and I will eat forever.

Bill

Bill_Hoefer

Hi!

I am still wondering if anyone will give me some hints....

Anyway, I have managed to shorten the session number for use as the name of the flat file. This makes it easier to see when I am working.

Now, what I am still lost with is how to have a button pressed on a page and have it update the flat file without changing pages, etc. but allow the visitor to remain on the same page so they can select other items. Then they can change pages after making all or no selections.

Everything I can find is really a hyperlink that sends data and changes pages.

Any help?

jazz_snob

How does one make a button (like a press-here-to-order button) create a variable in a session?

Well, you do whatever you need to then store the value like this:

$_SESSION['someindex'] = $whatever;

Now you can recover that value on some other page (or same page, wherever) using

print $_SESSION['someindex'];

Is that what you wanted? If you use php sessions via session_start() there is really no need to worry about the session name, just access everything thru the $_SESSION array.

I code carts quite a bit. I ditched PHP sessions (ala session_start()) and manage sessions using cookies and a database table (1 or more) to store the session data. In the end it was less of a headache.

Bill_Hoefer

Howdy and Thanks!

Actually, I am now lost.

I have a page with some thumbnails to the right-hand side.

            <img src="D01.jpg" alt="D01">
<br />
<img src="D02.jpg" alt="D02">
<br />

Now I want the visitor to press on one of the jpg's and that be held somewhere - like a flat file called wish.txt or elsewhere until I can add it to wish.txt.

I seem to have trouble understanding how exactly to add the proper html code to the button in addition to the php scripting.

Therefore, there are two things I am hung-up on:

I do not know how to make the graphic a button that adds to a wish list, and
I do not know how to gather the various button-generated selections to a flat file.

I have just about figured out all the other steps. I want to learn this as I have other applications to work on (I want to practice using php until I master it, not just copy and paste code from someone else) and will study your gift until I have the logic and code down pat.

Thanks in advance,

Bill

Bill_Hoefer

Howdy!

I have been reading and learned the 'server side" v. "browser side" of PHP and JavaScript. Therefore, it may better - or should I say "only possible" to refresh the page with the variable set and remembered through sessions. How does one do that?

Regards,

Bill

slaattnes

I am working with a similar project or problem if you like🙂

An order form with multible buttons, one for each product, which then send the information in those buttons to a mail form.

I use session_start() and <form action="<?php $SESSION['order'] = $REQUEST['item']; ?>" method="post"><button type="submit" name="item" and so on...

From there on I have a link to the mail form which get the information from the session:

<?php
if(isset($SESSION['order']))
$products = $SESSION['order'];
else
$products = "\nYou do not have any orders.";
?>

<form action="index.php?s=mail" method="post">
<fieldset>
<legend>Order form</legend>
</br>
</br>
<textarea name="bestilling" rows="9" cols="35"><?php echo "Your orders:\n" . $products ;?></textarea>

The problem is that I only get one value in the session. I know it is because it is an variable and not an array, but I do not know how to do it it with arrays:p Well... it does not work at all then.

Does anyone have a solution?

slaattnes

Like this?

<?php $SESSION['order'][$REQUEST['item']]; ?>

and

<?php
foreach($_SESSION['order']) {
$products = $item . " items. " . key($item) . "\n";
}
?>

It produces a blank page.