Session Variables Lost - Help

[Eddie]

I am having difficulty in setting variables in a session, and then
accessing those variables throughout the web pages that they click
on. After having them set a user name and password, successfully
authenticating against Active Directory, I send them from the
login.php page to the index.php page. But when I get to the index.php
page, the session ID is visible, but the session variables and values
are not. Can you help me out? Also, I'm curious how to distinguish
between various sessions if multiple ones are available. My files are
below. Thanks.

Eddie

-- excerpt of login.php page

start_session();

$user= $_POST[u];
$pass= $_POST[p];

if (isset($_SESSION[user]) and ($_SESSION[user]==$user)){

$_SESSION[auth] = admin_all;
$_SESSION[user] = $user;
$_SESSION[timelast] = time();
$_SESSION[email] = 't********@testdomain.com';

header('Location: http://mydomain.com/index.php');
}

but when I go to the on to the index.php page, I cannot see the
results. What am I missing?
-- excerpt of index.php page

$sessname = session_name();
$sessid = session_id();
session_start();

print "<pre>\nContents of \$_COOKIE:\n";
foreach ($_COOKIE as $k =$v) {
print " $k = $v\n";
}

print "\nContents of \$_SESSION:\n";
foreach ($_SESSION as $k =$v) {
print " $k = $v\n";
}
print "</pre><br>";

print "sessionuser = " . $_SESSION[user] . " <br>";
print "sessiontimelast = " . $_SESSION[timelast] . " <br>";

-- output of index.php page

Contents of $_COOKIE:
PHPSESSID = e12d796fc6e373569202c58d8f096815

Contents of $_SESSION:
user =
timelast =

Session name = PHPSESSID
Session id = e12d796fc6e373569202c58d8f096815

-- excerpt of php.ini file

session.use_cookies = 1
session.name = PHPSESSID
session.auto_start = 0
session.cookie_lifetime = 0
session.serialize_handler = php

[Erwin Moller]

Eddie wrote:

I am having difficulty in setting variables in a session, and then
accessing those variables throughout the web pages that they click
on. After having them set a user name and password, successfully
authenticating against Active Directory, I send them from the
login.php page to the index.php page. But when I get to the index.php
page, the session ID is visible, but the session variables and values
are not. Can you help me out? Also, I'm curious how to distinguish
between various sessions if multiple ones are available. My files are
below. Thanks.

Eddie

Hi Eddie,

First: A client (browser) does NOT have multiple sessions.
It can have multiple sessions to DIFFERENT DOMAINS, but not within one.

The session is defined by the value of PHPSESSID, which can be stored in
a cookie, or via URL-rewritting, or even hidden var in POST.
As long as PHP received a PHPSESSID, you have a session.

IF PHP has a corresponding file with that id, you have a session.

>
-- excerpt of login.php page

start_session();

$user= $_POST[u];

Why don't you use formal notation for associative arrays?
$_POST["u"];

$pass= $_POST[p];

if (isset($_SESSION[user]) and ($_SESSION[user]==$user)){

$_SESSION[auth] = admin_all;

What is admin_all?
Didn't you mean:
$_SESSION["auth"] = "admin_all";
or maybe
$_SESSION["auth"] = $admin_all;

$_SESSION[user] = $user;
$_SESSION[timelast] = time();
$_SESSION[email] = 't********@testdomain.com';

header('Location: http://mydomain.com/index.php');

You forgot the exit command here.
Setting a header will NOT stop the script.
It runs on, and I have no clue what follows. Maybe a reset on the session?

}

but when I go to the on to the index.php page, I cannot see the
results. What am I missing?
-- excerpt of index.php page

$sessname = session_name();
$sessid = session_id();
session_start();

print "<pre>\nContents of \$_COOKIE:\n";
foreach ($_COOKIE as $k =$v) {
print " $k = $v\n";
}

This can be done much easier with print_r, like this:
echo "<pre>";
print_r($_COOKIE);
echo "<pre>";

same for $_POST and $_GET and $_SESSION.
Use print_r() (with pre) to dump ANY (complex) array.

>
print "\nContents of \$_SESSION:\n";
foreach ($_SESSION as $k =$v) {
print " $k = $v\n";
}
print "</pre><br>";

print "sessionuser = " . $_SESSION[user] . " <br>";
print "sessiontimelast = " . $_SESSION[timelast] . " <br>";

-- output of index.php page

Contents of $_COOKIE:
PHPSESSID = e12d796fc6e373569202c58d8f096815

Contents of $_SESSION:
user =
timelast =

Session name = PHPSESSID
Session id = e12d796fc6e373569202c58d8f096815

-- excerpt of php.ini file

session.use_cookies = 1
session.name = PHPSESSID
session.auto_start = 0
session.cookie_lifetime = 0
session.serialize_handler = php

Also: are you sure you stay in the same domain after the
header("Location.....");
??
Sessions cannot (easily) span domains, luckily. ;-)

Regards,
Erwin Moller

[Erwin Moller]

Erwin Moller wrote:
<snip>

PS: Make sure you have ALL error/notices reporting on.

add above your script:
error_reporting(E_ALL);

Regards,
Erwin Moller

[4sak3n 0ne]

On Aug 31, 6:58 am, Eddie <[e-mail]:

I am having difficulty in setting variables in a session, and then
accessing those variables throughout the web pages that they click
on. After having them set a user name and password, successfully
authenticating against Active Directory, I send them from the
login.php page to the index.php page. But when I get to the index.php
page, the session ID is visible, but the session variables and values
are not. Can you help me out? Also, I'm curious how to distinguish
between various sessions if multiple ones are available. My files are
below. Thanks.

Eddie

-- excerpt of login.php page

start_session();

$user= $_POST[u];
$pass= $_POST[p];

if (isset($_SESSION[user]) and ($_SESSION[user]==$user)){

$_SESSION[auth] = admin_all;
$_SESSION[user] = $user;
$_SESSION[timelast] = time();
$_SESSION[email] = '[e-mail]';

header('Location:http://mydomain.com/index.php');

}

but when I go to the on to the index.php page, I cannot see the
results. What am I missing?

-- excerpt of index.php page

$sessname = session_name();
$sessid = session_id();
session_start();

print "<pre>\nContents of \$_COOKIE:\n";
foreach ($_COOKIE as $k =$v) {
print " $k = $v\n";

}

print "\nContents of \$_SESSION:\n";
foreach ($_SESSION as $k =$v) {
print " $k = $v\n";}

print "</pre><br>";

print "sessionuser = " . $_SESSION[user] . " <br>";
print "sessiontimelast = " . $_SESSION[timelast] . " <br>";

-- output of index.php page

Contents of $_COOKIE:
PHPSESSID = e12d796fc6e373569202c58d8f096815

Contents of $_SESSION:
user =
timelast =

Session name = PHPSESSID
Session id = e12d796fc6e373569202c58d8f096815

-- excerpt of php.ini file

session.use_cookies = 1
session.name = PHPSESSID
session.auto_start = 0
session.cookie_lifetime = 0
session.serialize_handler = php

start_session() isn't a php function (unless you declared a function
by that name I didn't notice), replace it with session_start().

[Eddie]

On Aug 31, 12:37 pm, 4sak3n 0ne <[e-mail]:

On Aug 31, 6:58 am, Eddie <[e-mail]:

I am having difficulty in setting variables in a session, and then
accessing those variables throughout the web pages that they click
on. After having them set a user name and password, successfully
authenticating against Active Directory, I send them from the
login.php page to the index.php page. But when I get to the index.php
page, the session ID is visible, but the session variables and values
are not. Can you help me out? Also, I'm curious how to distinguish
between various sessions if multiple ones are available. My files are
below. Thanks.

Eddie

-- excerpt of login.php page

start_session();

$user= $_POST[u];
$pass= $_POST[p];

if (isset($_SESSION[user]) and ($_SESSION[user]==$user)){

$_SESSION[auth] = admin_all;
$_SESSION[user] = $user;
$_SESSION[timelast] = time();
$_SESSION[email] = '[e-mail]';

header('Location:http://mydomain.com/index.php');

}

but when I go to the on to the index.php page, I cannot see the
results. What am I missing?

-- excerpt of index.php page

$sessname = session_name();
$sessid = session_id();
session_start();

print "<pre>\nContents of \$_COOKIE:\n";
foreach ($_COOKIE as $k =$v) {
print " $k = $v\n";

}

print "\nContents of \$_SESSION:\n";
foreach ($_SESSION as $k =$v) {
print " $k = $v\n";}

print "</pre><br>";

print "sessionuser = " . $_SESSION[user] . " <br>";
print "sessiontimelast = " . $_SESSION[timelast] . " <br>";

-- output of index.php page

Contents of $_COOKIE:
PHPSESSID = e12d796fc6e373569202c58d8f096815

Contents of $_SESSION:
user =
timelast =

Session name = PHPSESSID
Session id = e12d796fc6e373569202c58d8f096815

-- excerpt of php.ini file

session.use_cookies = 1
session.name = PHPSESSID
session.auto_start = 0
session.cookie_lifetime = 0
session.serialize_handler = php

start_session() isn't a php function (unless you declared a function
by that name I didn't notice), replace it with session_start().

You're right. My code says session_start(). :-)

[stacey]

On Aug 31, 3:02 pm, Eddie <[e-mail]:

On Aug 31, 12:37 pm, 4sak3n 0ne <[e-mail]:

On Aug 31, 6:58 am, Eddie <[e-mail]:

I am having difficulty in setting variables in a session, and then
accessing those variables throughout the web pages that they click
on. After having them set a user name and password, successfully
authenticating against Active Directory, I send them from the
login.php page to the index.php page. But when I get to the index.php
page, the session ID is visible, but the session variables and values
are not. Can you help me out? Also, I'm curious how to distinguish
between various sessions if multiple ones are available. My files are
below. Thanks.

Eddie

-- excerpt of login.php page

start_session();

$user= $_POST[u];
$pass= $_POST[p];

if (isset($_SESSION[user]) and ($_SESSION[user]==$user)){

$_SESSION[auth] = admin_all;
$_SESSION[user] = $user;
$_SESSION[timelast] = time();
$_SESSION[email] = '[e-mail]';

header('Location:http://mydomain.com/index.php');

}

but when I go to the on to the index.php page, I cannot see the
results. What am I missing?

-- excerpt of index.php page

$sessname = session_name();
$sessid = session_id();
session_start();

print "<pre>\nContents of \$_COOKIE:\n";
foreach ($_COOKIE as $k =$v) {
print " $k = $v\n";

}

print "\nContents of \$_SESSION:\n";
foreach ($_SESSION as $k =$v) {
print " $k = $v\n";}

print "</pre><br>";

print "sessionuser = " . $_SESSION[user] . " <br>";
print "sessiontimelast = " . $_SESSION[timelast] . " <br>";

-- output of index.php page

Contents of $_COOKIE:
PHPSESSID = e12d796fc6e373569202c58d8f096815

Contents of $_SESSION:
user =
timelast =

Session name = PHPSESSID
Session id = e12d796fc6e373569202c58d8f096815

-- excerpt of php.ini file

session.use_cookies = 1
session.name = PHPSESSID
session.auto_start = 0
session.cookie_lifetime = 0
session.serialize_handler = php

start_session() isn't a php function (unless you declared a function
by that name I didn't notice), replace it with session_start().

You're right. My code says session_start(). :-)

This is most likely not your problem, but I thought I'd mention it
because I just had the same thing happen to me today.

If you have anything like Zone Alarm installed, make sure it isn't
messing with your sessions. Mine was, and as soon as I disabled it,
everything worked fine.

[Rik Wasmus]

On Fri, 31 Aug 2007 15:58:43 +0200, Eddie <ed**********@gmail.comwrote:

I am having difficulty in setting variables in a session, and then
accessing those variables throughout the web pages that they click
on. After having them set a user name and password, successfully
authenticating against Active Directory, I send them from the
login.php page to the index.php page. But when I get to the index.php
page, the session ID is visible, but the session variables and values
are not. Can you help me out? Also, I'm curious how to distinguish
between various sessions if multiple ones are available.

Multiple sessions in a single request are not really supported using
'normal' PHP. It is theoretically possible, but it would require a lot of
tinkering, and normally wouldn't be something you want.

-- excerpt of login.php page

start_session();

$user= $_POST[u];
$pass= $_POST[p];

if (isset($_SESSION[user]) and ($_SESSION[user]==$user)){

How does $_SESSION['user'] (mind the quotes as indicated earlier) get set
_before_ this if statement? In these excerpts it will not be set anywhere,
so all the code in the if statement will not run?

>
$_SESSION[auth] = admin_all;
$_SESSION[user] = $user;
$_SESSION[timelast] = time();
$_SESSION[email] = 't********@testdomain.com';

header('Location: http://mydomain.com/index.php');
}

but when I go to the on to the index.php page, I cannot see the
results. What am I missing?

Heed Erwin's advice about error_reporting(E_ALL); (and possibly an
ini_set('display_errors',true); If these are true excerpts there are more
problems then just the carrying on of a session.
--
Rik Wasmus

My new ISP's newsserver sucks. Anyone recommend a good one? Paying for
quality is certainly an option.

[Aaron Saray]

On Aug 31, 10:35 pm, "Rik Wasmus" <[e-mail]:

On Fri, 31 Aug 2007 15:58:43 +0200, Eddie <[e-mail]:

I am having difficulty in setting variables in a session, and then
accessing those variables throughout the web pages that they click
on. After having them set a user name and password, successfully
authenticating against Active Directory, I send them from the
login.php page to the index.php page. But when I get to the index.php
page, the session ID is visible, but the session variables and values
are not. Can you help me out? Also, I'm curious how to distinguish
between various sessions if multiple ones are available.

Multiple sessions in a single request are not really supported using
'normal' PHP. It is theoretically possible, but it would require a lot of
tinkering, and normally wouldn't be something you want.

-- excerpt of login.php page

start_session();

$user= $_POST[u];
$pass= $_POST[p];

if (isset($_SESSION[user]) and ($_SESSION[user]==$user)){

How does $_SESSION['user'] (mind the quotes as indicated earlier) get set
_before_ this if statement? In these excerpts it will not be set anywhere,
so all the code in the if statement will not run?

$_SESSION[auth] = admin_all;
$_SESSION[user] = $user;
$_SESSION[timelast] = time();
$_SESSION[email] = '[e-mail]';

header('Location:http://mydomain.com/index.php');
}

but when I go to the on to the index.php page, I cannot see the
results. What am I missing?

Heed Erwin's advice about error_reporting(E_ALL); (and possibly an
ini_set('display_errors',true); If these are true excerpts there are more
problems then just the carrying on of a session.
--
Rik Wasmus

My new ISP's newsserver sucks. Anyone recommend a good one? Paying for
quality is certainly an option.

I would try using session_write_close() right before your header()
statement - and see if that helps. From time to time, setting new
variables in sessions won't stick for whatever reason, unless you
close a session on that page first.

[Eddie]

Thanks for all the tips and suggestions. It works now!

Eddie