note 118561 added to function.session-start

If you ever need to open multiple distinct sessions in the same script and still let PHP generate session ids for you, here is a simple function I came up with (PHP default session handler is assumed): <?php /** * Switch to or transparently create session with name $name. * It can easily be expanded to manage different sessions lifetime. */ function session_switch($name = "PHPSESSID") { static $created_sessions = array(); if (session_id() != '') { // if a session is currently opened, close it session_write_close(); } session_name($name); if (isset($_COOKIE[$name])) { // if a specific session already exists, merge with $created_sessions $created_sessions[$name] = $_COOKIE[$name]; } if (isset($created_sessions[$name])) { // if existing session, impersonate it session_id($created_sessions[$name]); session_start(); } else { // create new session session_start(); $_SESSION = array(); // empty content before duplicating session file // duplicate last session file with new id and current $_SESSION content // If this is the first created session, there is nothing to duplicate from and passing true as argument will take care of "creating" only one session file session_regenerate_id(empty($created_sessions)); $created_sessions[$name] = session_id(); } } session_switch("SESSION1"); $_SESSION["key"] = "value1"; // specific to session 1 session_switch("SESSION2"); $_SESSION["key"] = "value2"; // specific to session 2 session_switch("SESSION1"); // back to session 1 // ... ?> When using this function, session_start() should not be called on its own anymore (can be replaced with a call to session_switch() without argument). Also remember that session_start() sets a Set-Cookie HTTP header on each call, so if you echo in-between sessions, wrap with ouput buffering. Note: it's probably rarely a good idea to handle multiple sessions so think again if you think you have a good use for it. Personally it played its role for some quick patching of legacy code I had to maintain. ---- Server IP: 72.52.91.14 Probable Submitter: 80.82.227.66 ---- Manual Page -- http://php.net/manual/en/function.session-start.php Edit -- https://master.php.net/note/edit/118561 Del: integrated -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/118561/integrated Del: useless -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/118561/useless Del: bad code -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/118561/bad+code Del: spam -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/118561/spam Del: non-english -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/118561/non-english Del: in docs -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/118561/in+docs Del: other reasons-- https://master.php.net/note/delete/118561 Reject -- https://master.php.net/note/reject/118561 Search -- https://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php