SESSIONs to stop repetitive form submission?

[helraizer]

Hi Folks,

 

I have a comment system on my website, but i don't use a database for it, so I don't really want to set one up. At the moment, on the comment submission if the user refreshes they can flood the comments page.. Using sessions, how would I stop the user posting more than 2 times in a minute (or one time in 30 seconds, if it's easier..

 

Hope that made sense,

Sam

[Ken2k7]

So if you're not using a database, what are you using? Files?

[helraizer]

So if you're not using a database, what are you using? Files?

 

I have a file called '.entries', which is written to each time a comment is posted. Each comment is seperated with ### so it explodes it at the ### and loads each comment into a div.

 

If you want the code, just say. Although, there is a lot of it.

 

Sam

[akitchin]

you can set a session variable with the current time.  if the timestamp is less than 30 seconds old, don't show the form (also add a check into the posting process, because they may find a way around it):

 

$_SESSION['antispamification'] = time();

if ((time() - $_SESSION['antispamification']) >= 30)
{
  // show form
}

 

you'll need to follow all the usual session rules.  for those, have a peek at a beginner's sessions tutorial.  note that time() is a timestamp in seconds, so adjust the number appropriately if you wish to lengthen the "cooldown" phase.

[TheFilmGod]

It depends. If you have multiple things people comment on, then you can restrict them from commenting on the same thing twice. I'm sure going to a page and back would be a pain for the user so they wouldn't bother.

 

You can do this with session without a problem.

 

On another note, your method of the commenting system (with the file write each time) is very inefficient. Mysql is the answer - unless you have reason not to. It would be a lot faster and easier to sort.