Re: Re: chicken and egg problem with SID

On Tue, 21 Aug 2001 19:41:29 -0500, "Richard Lynch" <ceo@l-i-e.com> wrote: >> I can generate some random value to be used for the session_id, but I >> can't think of a good way to store it for use on the first page. > >Why does it matter if they hit refresh and get a new session ID before >you've collected any information about that ID?... Good user interface design can be difficult to achieve in a browser environment, and many of the browser form interfaces I have seen are poorly designed in terms of user experience. I've created a multipart form without any "page expired" messages, no matter what the user does. It's pretty slick, as far as browser form interfaces go. The user can use the browser back button, the browser forward button, the browser refresh button, or the form "next" button anywhere in the series of pages, all without disturbing any responses already entered. Say they fill out 5 pages, then decide to go back and review the first page before completing page 6. In that case, I don't want to create a new session, and thereby discard all the responses already entered, in case they happen to hit refresh while on page 1. Why? That's just good "user interface design 101." >About all you *COULD* do is have a "fake" first page that does: > ><?php > $session_id = md5(rand()); > header("Location: page2.php?session_id=$session_id"); >?> > Art Wells gave me an idea how to do it all on a single page, and here is what I worked out from his idea: <? $PHP_SELF = $HTTP_SERVER_VARS['PHP_SELF']; session_start(); if (!session_is_registered('vsid')) { session_register('vsid'); $HTTP_SESSION_VARS['vsid'] = session_id(); $sidurl = "Location: $PHP_SELF" . '?' . SID; header("$sidurl"); exit(); } .... .... other code on first page .... ?> Thanks to all for the ideas! Egan