note 60483 added to function.ob-start

When you rely on URL rewriting to pass the PHP session ID you should be careful with ob_get_contents(), as this might disable URL rewriting completely. Example: ob_start(); session_start(); echo '<a href=".">self link</a>'; $data = ob_get_contents(); ob_end_clean(); echo $data; In the example above, URL rewriting will never occur. In fact, rewriting would occur if you ended the buffering envelope using ob_end_flush(). It seems to me that rewriting occurs in the very same buffering envelope where the session gets started, not at the final output stage. If you need a scenario like the one above, using an "inner envelope" will help: ob_start(); ob_start(); // add the inner buffering envelope session_start(); echo '<a href=".">self link</a>'; ob_end_flush(); // closing the inner envelope will activate URL rewriting $data = ob_get_contents(); ob_end_clean(); echo $data; In case you're interested or believe like me that this is rather a design flaw instead of a feature, please visit bug #35933 (http://bugs.php.net/bug.php?id=35933) and comment on it. ---- Manual Page -- http://www.php.net/manual/en/function.ob-start.php Edit -- http://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php?action=edit+60483 Delete: added to the manual -- http://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php?action=delete+60483&report=yes&reason=added+to+the+manual Delete: bad code -- http://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php?action=delete+60483&report=yes&reason=bad+code Delete: spam -- http://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php?action=delete+60483&report=yes&reason=spam Delete: useless -- http://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php?action=delete+60483&report=yes&reason=useless Delete: non-english -- http://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php?action=delete+60483&report=yes&reason=non-english Delete: already in docs -- http://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php?action=delete+60483&report=yes&reason=already+in+docs Delete: other reasons -- http://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php?action=delete+60483&report=yes Reject -- http://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php?action=reject+60483&report=yes Search -- http://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php