$SESSION maxlife - how to set? 1

[XgrinderX]

I have written a little admin function for a segment of a web site and when a user logs in with the correct admin credentials, then I set a session variable to say that they are logged in and I check that session variable for every page within the admin section.

However, users are reporting that if it takes them a little while to fill in some forms, then when they click submit they are being kicked out.

Is there a way for me to set the life time of the session vars within my PHP code? Or is there a better way to handle what I am trying to do?

Thanks,

-Greg

 

[sleipnir214]

The lifetime of session variables are set by the interaction of a number of PHP runtime configuration directives.

session.cookie_lifetime sets in seconds the life of the session cookie. This defaults to zero, which means the cookie lasts until the browser shuts down.

session.gc_maxlifetime sets the number of seconds after which the session store on the server is determined to be garbage and eligible for removal by the garbage-collection process.

session.gc_probability and session.gc_divisor determin the probability that the garbage-collection process will begin when session_start() is invoked. (session.gc_probability/session.gd_divisor) * 100 gives the percent chance that the garbage collection mechanism will operate. (session.gc_divisor defaults to 100).


Generally, I set session.cookie_lifetime to zero, session.gc_probability to 100, and session.gc_maxlifetime to the number of seconds I want the session to last.

You can change these settings in php.ini, httpd.conf and .htaccess files (if on Apache), or by using ini_set()



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[fireburner69]

You should check your php.ini file for this var
session.gc_maxlifetime the default value is "1440"

for more info check

http://gr.php.net/manual/el/ref.session.php

 

[sleipnir214]

fireburner69:
Do you read existing threads before posting?

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[XgrinderX]

Thanks for the tips sleipnir, I don't think I have access to edit the php.ini file directly since I am not hosting the site directly....or at least I can't find it anyway

I will use the ini_set() function to change those values and see if that solves the problem.

Here's one other question - do I have to put the session_start() call on every page that I am using a session variable?

 

[sleipnir214]

Yes. Unless you set the PHP runtime configuration directive session.auto_start to "on" in php.ini, httpd.conf, or a .htaccess file. Although you can set session.auto_start in a script using ini_set(), there wouldn't be much point in it.

Also, since the function may cause headers to be sent to the user's browser, session_start() must appear in a point in your script before your script has output any content.

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