[SOLVED] Session problems

timbrown · February 21, 2007

Hello,

I've got a problem with sessions. Sessions work fine on one page, but when I navigate to another page they don't appear to be set. I'm sure there's somethign simple i'm doing wrong but I've been trawling around for some time now and got nowhere.

Any help would be great!

Here's the code simplified -

page 1...

works fine

<?php

session_start();

$_SESSION["name"] = "tim";

echo $_SESSION["name"];

?>

<a href="page2">go there</a>

page 2...

says the session variable is not set

<?php

echo $_SESSION["name"];

?>

hvle · February 21, 2007

check the session_save_path variable in your php.ini. Sometime it pointed to an invalid directory path and caused session not working. Set it to a valid directory with write permission.

if it still doesn't work, please say so

tcollie · February 21, 2007

Shouldn't session_start(); be on each page that the session variables will be called on? Do you have it included on page_2?

timbrown · February 21, 2007

check the session_save_path variable in your php.ini. Sometime it pointed to an invalid directory path and caused session not working. Set it to a valid directory with write permission.

if it still doesn't work, please say so

Hi,

thanks for the reply. my session.save_path points to c:\php\sessiondata and there are session files in there.

I did a test and I can see when I refresh page1, a new file is made.

timbrown · February 21, 2007

Shouldn't session_start(); be on each page that the session variables will be called on? Do you have it included on page_2?

I have tried that too, but it then says that the 'name' variable is not set. Does session_start() begin a new session each time?

hvle · February 21, 2007

I have tried that too, but it then says that the 'name' variable is not set. Does session_start() begin a new session each time?

Obviously I have missed out the very basic of session. You must called session_start() at the very beginning of all the scripts that use $_SESSION.

Another important point you need to know is placing the php script tag '<?php' at the first character of the first line of the .php file. Meaning no any character, space ..etc before it.

timbrown · February 21, 2007

I have tried that too, but it then says that the 'name' variable is not set. Does session_start() begin a new session each time?

Obviously I have missed out the very basic of session. You must called session_start() at the very beginning of all the scripts that use $_SESSION.

Another important point you need to know is placing the php script tag '<?php' at the first character of the first line of the .php file. Meaning no any character, space ..etc before it.

Hi, still no joy.

my 2 files now look like this -

page 1

<?php

session_start();

$_SESSION["name"] = "tim";

?>

<html>

</html>

page 2

<?php

session_start();

echo $_SESSION["name"];

?>

and I still get the message: Undefined index: name.

any new ideas?

kenrbnsn · February 21, 2007

What OS & webserver are you using? I have seen mention of problems with sessions and IIS in the past.

Ken

tom100 · February 21, 2007

Try using single quotes as well as using print_r to see if session data is there.

page 1

<?php

session_start();

$_SESSION['name'] = "tim";

print_r($_SESSION);

?>

<html>

<a href="page2.php">go[/url]

</html>

page 2

<?php

session_start();

echo $_SESSION['name'];

print_r($_SESSION);

?>

timbrown · February 21, 2007

What OS & webserver are you using? I have seen mention of problems with sessions and IIS in the past.

Ken

Yes I am using windows and IIS. Is that an inherant problem?

scottybwoy · February 21, 2007

Hi I am having similar problems in this Post http://www.phpfreaks.com/forums/index.php/topic,128033.0.html here. I am using Win 2K SP4 IIS 5 I believe, although it seems to access data stored in a session from another page but clears data just omitted.

tom100 · February 21, 2007

By the way, the windows servers often have a default setting in PHP that needs to be changed:

Try commenting this out in the php.ini

session.use_only_cookies = 1

So that line should be:

; session.use_only_cookies = 1

Restart your server then try it.

timbrown · February 21, 2007

Try using single quotes as well as using print_r to see if session data is there.

page 1

<?php

session_start();

$_SESSION['name'] = "tim";

print_r($_SESSION);

?>

<html>

<a href="page2.php">go[/url]

</html>

page 2

<?php

session_start();

echo $_SESSION['name'];

print_r($_SESSION);

?>

Hi,

page 1 outputs

Array ( [name] => tim )

page 2 outputs

Array ()

timbrown · February 21, 2007

By the way, the windows servers often have a default setting in PHP that needs to be changed:

Try commenting this out in the php.ini

session.use_only_cookies = 1

So that line should be:

; session.use_only_cookies = 1

Restart your server then try it.

I checked and this line was already commented out.

tom100 · February 21, 2007

I'm going to reuse a post I posted before

-----

Create a page with this code:

Code:

<?php
session_start();
if (isset($_SESSION['count']))
	{
	$_SESSION['count']++;
	}
else
	{
	$_SESSION['count']=0;
	}
echo $_SESSION['count'];
?>

Then, go to that page. Refresh it a few times. See if the number it outputs increases. If it does increase, there is a problem with your script, if it doesn't, there is most likely a problem with your PHP session temp dir or a setting in php.ini

timbrown · February 21, 2007

I'm going to reuse a post I posted before

-----

Create a page with this code:

Code:
<?php
session_start();
if (isset($_SESSION['count']))
	{
	$_SESSION['count']++;
	}
else
	{
	$_SESSION['count']=0;
	}
echo $_SESSION['count'];
?>
Then, go to that page. Refresh it a few times. See if the number it outputs increases. If it does increase, there is a problem with your script, if it doesn't, there is most likely a problem with your PHP session temp dir or a setting in php.ini

Thanks for that post.

the number just stays at 0 when I refresh.

my php.ini file refers to session.save_path as c:\php\sessiondata, and that has all persmissions set on it.

any other php.ini danger spots?

scottybwoy · February 21, 2007

Hi Tom, I tried your script and it did not increment.

These are my session settings :

session.save_handler = files

session.save_path = "C:/php/tmp"

session.use_cookies = false

session.name = PHPSESSID

session.auto_start = 0

session.cookie_lifetime = 20

session.cookie_path = /

session.cookie_domain =

session.serialize_handler = php

session.gc_probability = 10

session.gc_divisor = 1000

session.gc_maxlifetime = 9000

session.bug_compat_42 = 0

session.bug_compat_warn = 1

session.referer_check =

session.entropy_file =

session.cache_limiter = nocache

session.cache_expire = 180

session.use_trans_sid = 0

session.hash_function = 0

session.hash_bits_per_character = 5

url_rewriter.tags = "a=href,area=href,frame=src,input=src,form=fakeentry"

Any ideas, where I have gone wrong?

ted_chou12 · February 21, 2007

I am using IE, and the post one above looks very ugly to me, who agrees?

Ted

tom100 · February 21, 2007

Ok, here's some things I see:

PHP is saving your temp sessions to the directory below, not where you previously posted:

C:/php/tmp

Make sure that folder exists.

Also, you can try setting use_cookies to 1 in your PHP.ini

scottybwoy · February 21, 2007

scottybwoy is different from timbrown, sorry to hijack the thread, but I am suffering the same problem. And why is it ugly, I just selected the settings I have set, cos I'm sure everyone has the same comments in their php.ini file. And isn't it down to the provider how they want their sessions handled. But I can see that mine isn't working how I want it too, any pointers would be helpful.

timbrown · February 21, 2007

this is my (timbrown's) session settings...

session.auto_start Off

session.bug_compat_42 On

session.bug_compat_warn On

session.cache_expire 180

session.cache_limiter nocache

session.cookie_domain no value

session.cookie_lifetime 0

session.cookie_path /windows/temp

session.cookie_secure Off

session.entropy_file no value

session.entropy_length 0

session.gc_divisor 100

session.gc_maxlifetime 1440

session.gc_probability 1

session.hash_bits_per_character 4

session.hash_function 0

session.name PHPSESSID

session.referer_check no value

session.save_handler files

session.save_path C:\PHP\sessiondata

session.serialize_handler php

session.use_cookies On

session.use_only_cookies Off

session.use_trans_sid 0

Jessica · February 21, 2007

Should your cookie_path be in the same format as your save_path?

tom100 · February 21, 2007

I have to get back to work cause i keep spending to much time on these boards... So I am going to post my session variables. This is working on my system, you can try to mix and match and see what might be causing it.

session.auto_start Off Off

session.bug_compat_42 Off Off

session.bug_compat_warn On On

session.cache_expire 180 180

session.cache_limiter nocache nocache

session.cookie_domain no value no value

session.cookie_httponly Off Off

session.cookie_lifetime 0 0

session.cookie_path / /

session.cookie_secure Off Off

session.entropy_file no value no value

session.entropy_length 0 0

session.gc_divisor 1000 1000

session.gc_maxlifetime 1440 1440

session.gc_probability 1 1

session.hash_bits_per_character 5 5

session.hash_function 0 0

session.name PHPSESSID PHPSESSID

session.referer_check no value no value

session.save_handler files files

session.save_path C:\DOCUME~1\ADMINI~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\php\upload C:\DOCUME~1\ADMINI~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\php\upload

session.serialize_handler php php

session.use_cookies On On

session.use_only_cookies Off Off

session.use_trans_sid 0 0

timbrown · February 21, 2007

I have to get back to work cause i keep spending to much time on these boards... So I am going to post my session variables. This is working on my system, you can try to mix and match and see what might be causing it.

session.auto_start Off Off

session.bug_compat_42 Off Off

session.bug_compat_warn On On

session.cache_expire 180 180

session.cache_limiter nocache nocache

session.cookie_domain no value no value

session.cookie_httponly Off Off

session.cookie_lifetime 0 0

session.cookie_path / /

session.cookie_secure Off Off

session.entropy_file no value no value

session.entropy_length 0 0

session.gc_divisor 1000 1000

session.gc_maxlifetime 1440 1440

session.gc_probability 1 1

session.hash_bits_per_character 5 5

session.hash_function 0 0

session.name PHPSESSID PHPSESSID

session.referer_check no value no value

session.save_handler files files

session.save_path C:\DOCUME~1\ADMINI~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\php\upload C:\DOCUME~1\ADMINI~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\php\upload

session.serialize_handler php php

session.use_cookies On On

session.use_only_cookies Off Off

session.use_trans_sid 0 0

hey tom thanks so much. It works now!!!!!!!

I just changed my cookie_path to / which is the default anyway.

Hope you haven't jeopardised you paid emplyment helping me!

scottybwoy · February 21, 2007

Thanks to all, got mine fixed too now thanks.

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[SOLVED] Session problems

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