Starting A Session In A Class

[Pain]

Hi there.

 

I am trying to retrieve stuff from the database and then assign it to a session variable like this:

 

function selectDB() {
global $mysqli;
if ($stmt = $mysqli->prepare("SELECT username, password FROM ww3_users WHERE username = ? AND password = ?")) {
$stmt->bind_param('ss', $new_username, $new_password);
$new_username = $_POST['username'];
$new_password = $_POST['password'];
$stmt->execute();
$stmt->bind_result($username, $password);
while($stmt->fetch()) {
return $username;
}
$_SESSION['username'] = $username;
return $_SESSION['username'];
}
else
{
return false;
}
}

 

Is it the correct way to assign like this?

$_SESSION['username'] = $username;
return $_SESSION['username'];

 

The code successfully retrieves username and pwd from the db, but the session variable is empty..

 

thanks!

Edited November 16, 2012 by Pain

[requinix]

There's other problems with that function, but to answer the question yes, that's what you would do.

 

1. The function is called "selectDB" but does much more than that

2. $mysqli should be either a class-level variable (if you're using a class) or a function parameter, not pulled from global scope

3a. Your if block branches on whether the statement could be prepared. That should never, ever fail

3b. The decision between returning the username or false should depend on what the query found. You're branching too early

4. The username and password should be function parameters, not pulled from $_POST

5. Assuming that there's only one combination of username/password, a while loop doesn't belong - there's only ever one row

6. You're using plaintext passwords. Stop that

7. Your while loop returns the username immediately. The session stuff will never get executed

8. The function sets something (tries to) in the session. I doubt that's the right place to do it

9. Since the purpose of the function is to validate a username/password login, make it return true (if valid) or false (if invalid) and let the calling code do what it wants with that result

Edited November 16, 2012 by requinix

[Pain]

So should i create another function for session handling?

[AyKay47]

So should i create another function for session handling?

No, apply the advice in requinix post to your code. If you are still having issues with it post the updated code along with the issue(s) here.