[RESOLVED] session lifetime

Daryl21

Hi to all from a newbie,

session_start() by default allows the user to remain logged-in only till the user closes their browser or moves to another site. On return the user must log-in again which is rather boring and cumbersome.

How should I enhance the code, session start() so the user remains logged-in for a week or so by default as soon as they log-in?

I also have the log-out function, so that user can decide whether or not to remain logged-in.

Thanks

Daryl

bradgrafelman

Welcome to PHPBuilder!

Take a look at the function [man]session_set_cookie_params/man, assuming you're already using a cookie to propagate the session ID. Also note that you may want to change the value of the PHP directive session.gc_maxlifetime so that PHP doesn't think that the session is considered stale/old in case the user doesn't visit the site in a while.

Daryl21

Hello bradgrafelman,

Thank you very much for your kind response.

I had already been referencing php.net in connection with the code. The trouble for a beginner, going to that site is that you are referred to one function after the other like a never ending rat's tail. There is no simple answer to a simple question so that you find you are led up literally dozens of different interconnected functions, paths and examples that you surely loose what you were actually looking for. You come home none the wiser. Sorry for that comment, but that's frustrating part of php.net for a beginner.

Would this be alright to log-in the user for i.e. 7 days ?

<?php

$expireTime = 60*60*24*7; // 7 days
session_set_cookie_params($expireTime);
session_start();

?>

As for the garbage cleaning, php.ini has a default value of 1440 set aside for it.

Would that suffice? What would you advise and how would it be appended to the code above or could I simply change the default value in the php.ini?

Thank you.

Daryl

bradgrafelman

Daryl21;10982679 wrote:
There is no simple answer to a simple question

Ah, well perhaps your question isn't so simple after all then... or else the world of computer programming simply doesn't always lend itself to simple answers. Take your pick. :p

Daryl21;10982679 wrote:
Would this be alright to log-in the user for i.e. 7 days ?

As long as you do that every time you start a session, yes I think that would suffice.

Daryl21;10982679 wrote:
As for the garbage cleaning, php.ini has a default value of 1440 set aside for it.

Would that suffice?

You tell me; if you want users to be logged in for 7 days at a time, and PHP happened to perform GC 1440 seconds after I last visited your site (and thus considered my session inactive and deleted it), would that be okay?

Daryl21;10982679 wrote:
What would you advise and how would it be appended to the code above or could I simply change the default value in the php.ini?

Well you can't just modify that PHP directive using a PHP script; by the time that script is executed, the GC will already have been performed (so you'd only be modifying the PHP directive after the fact).

Thus, you'll either have to modify php.ini or use a .htaccess file (if applicable) to change the PHP directive in question.

Daryl21

Thank you, that was the simple answer I was looking for! 🙂

Now, I had another question, but am unable to post it. Can you please help? Here's the question and you may post it in the correct forum.

Now that you have encouraged me, here is another question:

I have my links to the sidebar and remain visible when clicked on show different elements in the main content.

However, these do not show as inactive or inert when their corresponding element is showing in the main content. For example I hover over the link it changes its color and I click on it, it shows the login form, but the link does not become inactive.

I tried fixing the link properties in the css file, but it does not make any difference.

Any ideas how to achieve this?

Thank you,

Daryl

bradgrafelman

I'd suggest posting this separate issue in a separate thread (e.g. one in the ClientSide Technologies forum). You might want to include the HTML code for the sidebar and any relevant CSS code.