Re: Questions Regarding Sessions

Ludwig Lim wrote:
>    I've tried testing simple session scripts and it
> works, but initializing and using sessions in a
> function seems to be a problem for me.

do session_start and session_register in global scope, then it seems to
work.
http://www.php.net/manual/en/function.session-start.php


>    How can I make the script above to work?

I dont know if this is proper 'recommended' php way, but I have an
include called myPageStart.inc.php that I load on every page that needs
sessions:



-------/ START: t1.php /--------------
<?
     function func1()
     {
         global $HTTP_SESSION_VARS;
         $HTTP_SESSION_VARS["test"]="hello";
     }
?>
-------/ END: t1.php /--------------




-------/ START: t2.php /--------------
<?
   include ("myPageStart.inc.php");
   include ("t1.php");
   func1();
   if (session_is_registered($HTTP_SESSION_VARS["test"])){
    .....
?>
-------/ END: t1.php /--------------



-------/ START: myPageStart.inc.php /--------------
<?
   session_start();
   session_register("test");
   session_register($HTTP_SESSION_VARS["test"]);
?>
-------/ END: : mySessionStart.inc.php /--------------



another few notes (by quicly reading:
http://www.php.net/manual/en/ref.session.php )

using $HTTP_SESSION_VARS is deprecated, try using just $_SESSION
    it was ok until PHP 4.0.6, since then use $_SESSION

when using $_SESSION, its always global, no need to ask for it to be
    from global scope in a function. It already is.

using session_register is now not needed

dont use session_is_registered, there is no need, just use as if any
    other var with isset, so your if should be just:
      if (isset($_SESSION[$_SESSION["test"]])) {

which brings me to another point. you seem to confuse the idea of
    session key with session value.
         $_SESSION["test"]="hello";
    here key = "test",  value = "hello"
    as if:
         $key   = "test";
         $value = "hello";
         $_SESSION[$key] = $value;
    but then, when you register/check if registered, the key is different
         $_SESSION["test"]="hello";
         session_register($_SESSION["test"]);
    is same as if:
         $_SESSION["test"]="hello";
         session_register("hello");
    or if you prefer to see it through $key , $value then:
         $key   = "test";
         $value = "hello";
         $_SESSION[$key] = $value;
         session_register($value);
    Now, when you do this session_register you tell it that there is
    another key within session, now we have two keys:
         $_SESSION["test"]
         $_SESSION["hello"]
    I dont think this is what you want, I am including here what I think
    you really wanted, with what should be up to newest php specs:



-------/ START: t1.php /--------------
<?
     function func1()
     {
         $_SESSION["test"]="hello";
     }
?>
-------/ END: t1.php /--------------




-------/ START: t2.php /--------------
<?
   include ("myPageStart.inc.php");
   include ("t1.php");
   func1();
   if (isset($_SESSION["test"])){
      echo ("Session is registerd <br>");
      $x = $_SESSION["test"];
      echo ("value of session = $x");
      session_destroy();
   }
?>
-------/ END: t1.php /--------------



-------/ START: myPageStart.inc.php /--------------
<?
   session_start();
?>
-------/ END: : myPageStart.inc.php /--------------


You mgith want to question myPageStart.inc.php, I also use it, besides
starting session, start various counters which later I use to in
myPageEnd.inc.php to log what parts of my page took how long to
generate, so that I know what to look next to optimize.


hope this helps


/apz,  The moving cursor writes, and having written, blinks on.