Disappearing $_SESSION

[DartmanX]

I have created a wizard which walks a user through a process of
selecting data to be generated into an XML file.

Each page adds its own data to $_SESSION, until the final page. On this
page, an input button launches a PHP script (genHTML.php) that creates
an HTML file. The genHTML file starts by setting two headers:

header('Content-type: text/html');
header('Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="countymap.html"');

The first time I create the HTML file (which is actually a Smarty
template), the variable $_SESSION['key'] is added to the countymap.html
template and the user is prompted to save the countymap.html file.

However, if I click the button to generate the file more than once,
$_SESSION['key'] is somehow unset.

Each page of the wizard calls session_write_close() at the end of the
script, which I thought would solve the problem, but did not.

Can anyone assist me?

Jason

[Mike Willbanks]

Jason,

I have created a wizard which walks a user through a process of
selecting data to be generated into an XML file.

Each page adds its own data to $_SESSION, until the final page. On this
page, an input button launches a PHP script (genHTML.php) that creates
an HTML file. The genHTML file starts by setting two headers:

header('Content-type: text/html');
header('Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="countymap.html"');

The first time I create the HTML file (which is actually a Smarty
template), the variable $_SESSION['key'] is added to the countymap.html
template and the user is prompted to save the countymap.html file.

However, if I click the button to generate the file more than once,
$_SESSION['key'] is somehow unset.

Each page of the wizard calls session_write_close() at the end of the
script, which I thought would solve the problem, but did not.

Do all pages have session_start at the top of them, including the page
where you are generating the file?

Are you closing the session or setting the session to an array on the
page which generates the file?

What makes me as this is you said the genHTML file starts by setting two
headers, you MUST have the session_start at the beginning!

--
Mike Willbanks
Zend Certified Engineer
http://www.digitalstruct.com

[DartmanX]

Mike,

All pages have session_start() immediately following the includes. The
headers are set AFTER the session_start().

Following the session_start() is a mess of print() functions that
output a formatted XML file. I just realized that this file doesn't end
with session_write_close(). Is this causing the problem?

Jason

[Jerry Stuckle]

DartmanX wrote:

Mike,

All pages have session_start() immediately following the includes. The
headers are set AFTER the session_start().

Following the session_start() is a mess of print() functions that
output a formatted XML file. I just realized that this file doesn't end
with session_write_close(). Is this causing the problem?

Jason

Jason,

Is there *anything* in the include files which could cause output to be
sent? i.e a blank line?

Try putting

<?php session_start(); ?>

as the very first line in your pages (before ANYTHING else - even a
blank line!). See if that works.

--
==================
Remove the "x" from my email address
Jerry Stuckle
JDS Computer Training Corp.
js*******@attglobal.net
==================

[DartmanX]

There doesn't seem to be anything causing any output (the two includes
are PEAR::DB and Smarty). Moving the session_start() to the very top
had no effect, the Session variable in question still disappeared.

I'm still stumped.

[Mike Willbanks]

DartmanX wrote:

There doesn't seem to be anything causing any output (the two includes
are PEAR::DB and Smarty). Moving the session_start() to the very top
had no effect, the Session variable in question still disappeared.

I'm still stumped.

With that being said the session is getting reset somewhere in the
script. If you follow your click path you will be sure to find most
likely an incorrect variable assignment or something rather odd with how
the session is being set.

Sessions don't just disappear :)

--
Mike Willbanks
Zend Certified Engineer
http://www.digitalstruct.com

[R. Rajesh Jeba Anbiah]

DartmanX wrote:
<snip>

I just realized that this file doesn't end
with session_write_close(). Is this causing the problem?

FWIW, there is no need to add session_write_close() at the end of
the file, as it is implicitly done. session_write_close() has to be
used when you just want to close the session handle in the middle.

--
<?php echo 'Just another PHP saint'; ?>
Email: rrjanbiah-at-Y!com Blog: http://rajeshanbiah.blogspot.com/

[DartmanX]

I was calling that explicitly to try to solve the problem.

I think I fixed the bug by moving the logic that set the disappearing
$_SESSION to a page that did not use header().

Jason