Getting phpBB session data using function

[rtadams89]

I have phpBB 3.0.3 installed and working great.

 

I am trying to use the phpBB user data on other pages of my site (not phpBB related). For example, I have one page which I only want displayed to currently logged in forum members, who belong to the phpBB group #7 or #8. Here is the current code of that page:

 

<?require($_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT'].'/includes/functions.php');?>
<?

define('IN_PHPBB', true);
$phpbb_root_path = (defined('PHPBB_ROOT_PATH')) ? PHPBB_ROOT_PATH : $_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT'].'/forum/';
$phpEx = substr(strrchr(__FILE__, '.'), 1);
include($phpbb_root_path . 'common.' . $phpEx);

// Start session management
$user->session_begin();
$auth->acl($user->data);
$user->setup();

$username = $user->data["username"];
$uid = $user->data["user_id"];

if (($user->data["is_registered"]) && (($user->data['group_id'] ==  || ($user->data['group_id'] == 7))){
$auth = 2; //Logged in as Coach/Officer
}

elseif (($user->data["is_registered"]) && ($user->data['group_id'] !=  && ($user->data['group_id'] != 7)){
$auth = 1; //Logged in as player
}

else{
$auth = 0; //Not logged in
}

if ($auth == 2)
{
//Display "secret" content here
}
?>

 

This works fine. However, I will be using the $auth variable on multiple pages. I would therefor like to place all of the above code in a function inside "functions.php" (included at the top of each page). I though I could just create a function like that:

 

function phpbb_auth()
{
define('IN_PHPBB', true);
$phpbb_root_path = (defined('PHPBB_ROOT_PATH')) ? PHPBB_ROOT_PATH : $_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT'].'/forum/';
$phpEx = substr(strrchr(__FILE__, '.'), 1);
include($phpbb_root_path . 'common.' . $phpEx);

// Start session management
$user->session_begin();
$auth->acl($user->data);
$user->setup();

$username = $user->data["username"];
$uid = $user->data["user_id"];

if (($user->data["is_registered"]) && (($user->data['group_id'] ==  || ($user->data['group_id'] == 7))){
$auth = 2; //Logged in as Coach/Officer
}

elseif (($user->data["is_registered"]) && ($user->data['group_id'] !=  && ($user->data['group_id'] != 7)){
$auth = 1; //Logged in as player
}

else{
$auth = 0; //Not logged in
}
return $auth;
}

 

and then place "phpbb_auth();" at the top of my content page. This always results in a 500 error when viewing the page. I don't know if the problem is in the way  I Construct and call the function, or if it is a limitation of phpBB. Any help?