PHP, Galeon, sessions and Content-Disposition wierdness

[Peter Chant]

I'm having a bit of fun with a database I am currently creating using
MySQL and PHP. I seem to have found an odd interaction between Galeon
(1.3.15) and PHP. With plain HTML no problem but when I try to generate a
file/page that is not HTML and get the browser to bring up a window to get
it saved using Content-Disposition PHP seems to create a new session
meaning I can no longer get hold of my session variables.

This only seems to happen with Galeon, not any other browsers that I have
tried.

Any thoughts?

I have created a test page, excuse the redundent comments, it was quick
and dirty:
<?php
//Used for editing - convert all to sessions eventually, it is simpler.
//session_start();

//Re - do, only call session start if the session has not already been started.
/* $session_id = session_id();
if ( $session_id == null ) {
session_start();
}*/

session_start();
$session_id = session_id();
$filename = "test.txt";
//The output data is generated dynamically, we do not want an old copy stuck in a cache.

//HTTP 1.1
header("Cache-control: no-store, no-cache, must-revalidate");

//HTTP 1.0
header("Pragma: no-cache");

//Output a csv file, text/plain for a simple plain text file.
header("Content-Type: text/plain");

//Force browser to save it

//Hmm, this causes problems with Galeon 1.3.15 when not commented out. It causes Galeon
//to create a new session.
header('Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="'.$filename.'"');


echo("Session id:".$session_id);

?>

[neur0maniak]

To me, that sounds like something wrong with galeon, especially if other
browsers can do it fine.

I suggest using cookies. I doubt session cookies would work either, but
if you made a cookie that expires in 10 minutes, and kept setting the
cookie on each page load. This would mean it wouldn't expire while
you're still on the site.

Though, cookies are a lot less secure than sessions. I personally
wouldn't put information into a session that I woudln't put into a cookie...
Peter Chant wrote:

I'm having a bit of fun with a database I am currently creating using
MySQL and PHP. I seem to have found an odd interaction between Galeon
(1.3.15) and PHP. With plain HTML no problem but when I try to generate a
file/page that is not HTML and get the browser to bring up a window to get
it saved using Content-Disposition PHP seems to create a new session
meaning I can no longer get hold of my session variables.

This only seems to happen with Galeon, not any other browsers that I have
tried.

Any thoughts?

I have created a test page, excuse the redundent comments, it was quick
and dirty:
<?php
//Used for editing - convert all to sessions eventually, it is simpler.
//session_start();

//Re - do, only call session start if the session has not already been started.
/* $session_id = session_id();
if ( $session_id == null ) {
session_start();
}*/

session_start();
$session_id = session_id();
$filename = "test.txt";
//The output data is generated dynamically, we do not want an old copy stuck in a cache.

//HTTP 1.1
header("Cache-control: no-store, no-cache, must-revalidate");

//HTTP 1.0
header("Pragma: no-cache");

//Output a csv file, text/plain for a simple plain text file.
header("Content-Type: text/plain");

//Force browser to save it

//Hmm, this causes problems with Galeon 1.3.15 when not commented out. It causes Galeon
//to create a new session.
header('Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="'.$filename.'"');


echo("Session id:".$session_id);

?>

[Peter Chant]

On Thu, 04 Nov 2004 01:49:54 +0000, neur0maniak wrote:

To me, that sounds like something wrong with galeon, especially if other
browsers can do it fine.
Yes, sounds like it to me. Unfortunately Galeon has been my browser of
choice.

I suggest using cookies. I doubt session cookies would work either, but
if you made a cookie that expires in 10 minutes, and kept setting the
cookie on each page load. This would mean it wouldn't expire while
you're still on the site.

I suspect the problem is something to do with the session cookie. If that
is the case I can't see how cookies would fix things. It might not be a
big change as although I am using sessions I don't seem to use them much.
I am mainly passing id's via post data as that works well with links (i.e.
a dozen links on one page to the same php script, but each having a
differing user id).
Though, cookies are a lot less secure than sessions. I personally
wouldn't put information into a session that I woudln't put into a cookie...

Hmm, why not? If you can't put it in a session where can you put it?

[Peter Chant]

On Thu, 04 Nov 2004 18:46:34 +0000, Peter Chant wrote:

On Thu, 04 Nov 2004 01:49:54 +0000, neur0maniak wrote:

To me, that sounds like something wrong with galeon, especially if other
browsers can do it fine.

Yes, sounds like it to me. Unfortunately Galeon has been my browser of
choice.

OK, untidy work around in place. Check to see if Galeon is being used as
browse and if it is do not use the Content-Disposition header.
Unfortunately I now have to go to the File -> Save and also change the
file name from the script name. Not neat when Galeon is used but at least
it works.
Pete