about sessions

[webmasts]

Does session actually stores the $variable or does it just stores some value you assign it to?

For example, can the session store the $password and $username submitted by a form or do I have to register some value as 'password' and 'username'?

Thankx

[PHP John]

<?php
session_start();
$_SESSION['test'] = 'This is a test of session variables';
echo '$test = '.$test;
echo '<br />$_SESSION["test"] = '.$_SESSION['test'];
$test = $_SESSION['test'];
$anotherTest = $_SESSION['test'];
echo '<br />$test = '.$test;
echo '<br />$anotherTest = '.$anotherTest;
?>

Output:

Notice: Undefined variable: test in E:\tests\sessionVars.php on line 7
$test = 
$_SESSION["test"] = This is a test of session variables
$test = This is a test of session variables
$anotherTest = This is a test of session variables

[datune]

It stores a value that you assign to it.

For example

$myName = 'datune';

$_SESSION['name'] = $myName;

// will print datune
echo $_SESSION['name']; 

But, you can also serialize objects. For example

class User
{
    function User()
    {
        $this->name = 'datune';
    }
  
    function getName()
    {
        return $this->name;
    }
}
    
$user = new User();
$_SESSION['userObject'] = serialize($user);

//on another page you can do this
$user =& unserialize($_SESSION['userObject']);

//will return datune
echo $user->getName(); 

Hope this answers your questions

[PHP John]

Datune,

The "&" in this line:

$user =& unserialize($_SESSION['user']);

is a reference to the object?

[Jeff Lange]

I believe when you store data in the $_SESSION array it is automatically serialized, and passed across pages.

(I could be wrong, but I think that's how it works)

[datune]

Datune,

The "&" in this line:

$user =& unserialize($_SESSION['user']);

is a reference to the object?

No, it is a reference to the object which is stored in the session.

I believe when you store data in the $_SESSION array it is automatically serialized, and passed across pages.

(I could be wrong, but I think that's how it works)

That is correct, but not if it comes to objects

[Jeff Lange]

ok [img]images/smilies/wink.gif[/img]

but here is an important note [img]images/smilies/wink.gif[/img]

the class must be defined already in the script (via an include or whatever) before unserializing an object.



Oh, and about passing object across pages using $_SESSION, It's probably because I am using PHP5, but I don't need to serialize it first.