ASP.net cookies not passing data.

[BezerkRogue]

I am trying to use cookies to manage session states in an ASP.NET application. The states need to persist only while the browser session is open.

My web.config setting is:
<system.web>
<sessionState cookieless="UseCookies"/>

I have tried using the following code to create the cookies:

Response.Cookies("FLI").Value = cmpFLI

and I have tried:

Dim UID As New HttpCookie("UID")
UID.Value = txtUserName.Text
Response.Cookies.Add(UID)

I am using the following code to read the cookies:

If (Request.Cookies("UID") IsNot Nothing) Then
strUser1 = Request.Cookies("UID").Value
End If

It is either not passing the data or not reading it. What am I missing here?

[Plater]

This bit:
<sessionState cookieless="UseCookies"/>

Is used for the Session object, not for the actual .Cookies collection.
From your description, you should be using the Session object anyway and not the Cookies

That aside, if you reall want cookies, I've had no trouble using a function like this:

protected void RecordCookie()
    {
        HttpCookie cookie = new HttpCookie("preferences1");
        cookie.Values.Add("PhoneNumber", tbPhoneNumber.Text  );
        cookie.Values.Add("EmailAddress", tbEmailAddress.Text   );
        cookie.Values.Add("Company", tbCompany.Text  );
        //cookie.Values.Add("OrderedBy", tbOrderedBy.Text);
        //Set how long to keep the cookie
        cookie.Expires = DateTime.MaxValue;
        if (Request.Cookies["preferences1"] == null)
        {   
            Response.Cookies.Add(cookie);
        }
        else
        {
            Response.SetCookie(cookie);
        }
    }
 

[BezerkRogue]

I tried the session object but I have to maintain a variable throughout the site. Since I can't predict the path that the user will take, it is difficult to account for the session item throughout the site.

How does this function code look in vb?

[Plater]

I tried the session object but I have to maintain a variable throughout the site. Since I can't predict the path that the user will take, it is difficult to account for the session item throughout the site.

How does this function code look in vb?

The Session object maintains a collection of objects for a particular end user through out their use of the site. Clossing the browser, or going idle for 20mins(default time) will empty the data stored in the session object for the given user.
The session object is available to all aspx pages.

If you want to hold objects for all users use a static class (module in vb?)



As for my cookie code, it was pretty much the same as yours

[BezerkRogue]

I got the code in place but I don't seem to be getting any data passed. Here is what I have for the cookie creation:

 'Create cookies
        Dim UID As HttpCookie = New HttpCookie("UID")
        UID.Value = txtUserName.Text
        UID.Expires = "1 / 10 / 2008"
        Response.Cookies.Add(UID)
 
        Dim PWD As HttpCookie = New HttpCookie("PWD")
        PWD.Value = txtPassword.Text
        Response.Cookies.Add(PWD)
 
        Response.Redirect("Default.aspx")
 

And this is what I have for reading the cookies:

 If (Request.Cookies("UID") IsNot Nothing) Then
            ckUID = Request.Cookies("UID").Value
        Else
            Response.Redirect("Invalid.aspx")
        End If
 
        If (Request.Cookies("PWD") IsNot Nothing) Then
            ckPWD = Request.Cookies("PWD").Value
        Else
            Response.Redirect("Invalid.aspx")
        End If
 

Is there anything else that I might be missing?

[Plater]

I don't think you can add cookies with a response.redirect()
Since redirect clears out the response and sends a special http header.

[BezerkRogue]

ok. Would I use Server.Transfer in this case?

[Plater]

I guess?
Why are you making a cookie for each value though?
You can store multiple name=value pairs in a single cookie.

[BezerkRogue]

Depending on the function the user is trying to access, I may only need to pull one value. I'm not real saavy on how cookies work code wise so I gravitated to the path of least resistance.

[Frinavale]

Depending on the function the user is trying to access, I may only need to pull one value. I'm not real saavy on how cookies work code wise so I gravitated to the path of least resistance.

Why don't you just create a User Class:

Public Class MySiteUser
     Private _userID
     Private _pwd
     Public Property UserID As String
          Get
               Return _userID
          End Get
          Set(ByVal value As String)
               _userID=value
          End Set
     End Property
     Public Property PWD As String
          Get
               Return _pwd
          End Get
          Set(ByVal value As String)
               _pwd=value
          End Set
     End Property
    Public Function ValidateUser As Boolean
        'If the user is valid pass back true otherwise false
    End Function
    Public Sub New(ByVal name As String, ByVal pwd As String)
        'lalala initialize 
    End Sub
End Class
 

When the user visits your site, create an instance of your user class and store it in session. A Session Identifier Cookie is automatically set for the user to identify their browser with their session. Then you can check the user on any page in your website by checking the user class...

Private _theUser As MySiteUser
 
 Protected Sub Page_Load(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Me.Load
    _theUser = Session("_theUser")
    If _theUser is Nothing OrElse _theUser.ValidateUser = False
        Response.Redirect("Invalid.aspx")
    End IF
End Sub
 

Of course you're going to have to create this variable and store it in session in your Login Page:

Private _theUser As MySiteUser
 
 Protected Sub Page_Load(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Me.Load
    _theUser = Session("_theUser")
    If _theUser is Nothing OrElse _theUser.ValidateUser = False
       _theUser = New MySiteUser(TXT_LoginName.Text, TXT_PWD.Text)
       Session("_theUser") = _theUser
    End IF
    If _theUser.ValidateUser = True Then
        Response.Redirect("WelcomeDefault.aspx")
    Else
        LBL_Error.Text="You have provided invalid crednetials"
    End If
End Sub
 

Of course the examples I've provided by no means provide any security on passwords. You shouldn't be storing passwords anyways...especially not in cookies. You should research how password hashes work and how you can use them...

Also, by using sessions instead of cookies stores important user information on your server instead of the client's browser...where they are vulnerable to being stolen, modified... etc.

The User Class can be used to track anything you want....where they've been in the site...what they have already provided on another page....anything you want really.

Check out this quick overview of Sessions...I think it'll help you get a better understanding of how to use them.


-Frinny

[BezerkRogue]

wow. I never thought about that at all. The main item that I need to look at from any page is the user id. The user is assigned permissions and once they login successfully, the security test is only looking for their proscribed permission levels.

I will look at password hashes as well.

Thanks.