Audio File To Play Once Per Session

[Enso]

Hi Everyone,

 

I'm trying to get an audio file to play on a home page once per visit, but the problem I'm running into is that it plays *every* time a visitor goes to the home page. So, if a user goes to the home page, the file plays; then, if they go to another page on the website and return to the home page, the file plays again. Is there any way to get it to only play once per web browser session?

[Jessica]

Let the user decide when to play it. No one likes video or audio that starts without them choosing to start it.

[Enso]

I'm with you there. However, this is for a client, and they're pretty adamant about having it up. It's not *too* intrusive...it's just a 3-second welcome message. If it were me, there'd be no sound, but I have to go with the client's wishes.

[Jessica]

Then store a variable in the session when they load the page.

[krakjoe]

I know it's pretty difficult to get used too ... but look at it like this, if I hired a builder to make me a house, and I then requested them to do something that would threaten the integrity of it's structure I would not expect them to do it ... uncomfortable or not, it's a well known fact that people hate music playing or videos when they didn't request them, we have youtube for that. You should try a bit harder to impress the truth on your client in order to steer them from making the wrong decisions ...

 

Why not show them a link to this page, experts in their field say it's the wrong thing to do, ergo, intrusive or not, it's the wrong thing to do.

 

Just 2 cents, have fun

[Jessica]

Yeah you never *have* to go with what the client wants. They hire you for your skills and knowledge. Not as a slave.

[premiso]

Not as a slave.

 

I think most clients would rather have you as their slave

[micah1701]

Then store a variable in the session when they load the page.

 

 

so something like:

<?php
if( !isset($_SESSION['audio_played'] || !$_SESSION['audio_played']))
{

$_SESSION['audio_played'] = true; //set flag

// code to play the dumb audio file goes here

}
?>

Edited September 24, 2012 by micah1701

[Jessica]

You don't even have to check, just set it.

 

Edit: For the code to play it, yes, you have to check. So looks fine to me. don't forget the session_start();

Edited September 24, 2012 by Jessica

[Enso]

Thanks for all the help! Micah, thank you for your suggestion -- I tried the format that you provided, and it worked!

[The Little Guy]

I know the thread is is closed, but wouldn't a cookie be a better choice? You can set it to expire when the browser closes, and you wouldn't have to store the session information on your end.