How To Check If A Session Is Started Or Not?

[murtz]

Hi Guys..

 

Basically.. I want users to be unable to access pages in my website that require logging in. For example.. A user starts off at the INDEX page.. and when they log in.. they are transferred to the HOME page. But.. at the moment.. even if I dont log in.. I can type /home.php in my URL and still get there!

 

Im trying to use the ISSET function.. but doesnt seem to be working.. the page just stays on load!

 

I put this piece of code in my home page...

 

<?php
ini_set('session.gc_maxlifetime', 10);	
session_start();

if (!(isset($_SESSION['session_name']) && $_SESSION['session_name'] != '')) {
header ("Location: index.php");
}
else{
header ("Location: home.php");
}
exit;

?>

 

And this is where I make my session in the login code

 

$student_id=$_POST['pid'];
$password=$_POST['pass'];

$login=" SELECT * FROM student WHERE student_id= '$student_id' AND password='$password'";
$result=mysql_query($login);

//check for rows in the database
$count=mysql_num_rows($result);

if($count==1){
$_SESSION['session_name'] = $student_id;

 

Please help!

[Stephen]

For the home page you could try putting:

ini_set('session.gc_maxlifetime', 10);	
session_start();

if (!isset($_SESSION['session_name'])) {
  header ("Location: index.php");
}
else {
  header ("Location: home.php");
}
exit;

[hitman6003]

Change your AND condition to an OR condition...

 

This:

 

if (!(isset($_SESSION['session_name']) && $_SESSION['session_name'] != '')) {

 

should be:

 

if (!(isset($_SESSION['session_name']) || $_SESSION['session_name'] != '')) {

[murtz]

I tried the above suggestions.. but when Im on the index page.. and try and log in.. it just keeps loading.. doesnt move from the index page?

 

Basically.. the first page a user goes to is INDEX... and when they are logged in they are redirected to the HOME page.

 

 

[mark110384]

The following will display your session id.

 

session_start();

 

$session = session_id();

 

echo $session;

[murtz]

But I dont need it to be displayed.. I just want any random to be unable to type in 'www.etcetc/HOME.PHP' on the browser and be taken to the page.

 

I want them to be redirected to the INDEX page where they have to log in first. Just helps make my site more secure.

[peranha]

Put this at the top of the page to be blocked unless logged in and see if this works.

 

<?php

session_start();

if (!isset($_SESSION['session_name'])) {

    header ("Location: index.php");

    exit;

}

echo "this works fine is sessions is working.";

 

?>

 

This is just a basic check.

 

the code that mark gave you will tell you if the session is working or not by echoing the session_id.  if you get a blank page, then your sessions arent working.

 

[murtz]

Nice one mate! It works now with that code!

 

by the way.. I echoed the session.. and get something like 593cdf0f5adc2b9eae7b60eb3044107e .. does that seem right?

[peranha]

yes that would be right with the echo.

[murtz]

Thanks alot mate really appreciate it