Reputation: 25

Why does PHP not keep session between pages?

I have a Windows server 2008 with apache2. The server has 2 discs and I run an apache instance on both. The first runs as a service the second in the commandline. They both use an exact copy of an identical webroot in their own htdocs folder. Also they both use the same PHP install that is located on the first disc (Program Files (x86)). My application runs over SSL and uses PHP and MySQL.

The webserver that runs as a service runs my application fine and lets me login and has my session data ready at all times. The second server however lets me run my login script, has session data while running the script but loses that session data after a redirect to another page inside the same webroot.

The problem on the second webserver is similar to this question with the exception that I have session_start() on every page.

My login script works like this:

User requests a page
If the user is not authenticated, he is thrown back to the login page
If the user is authenticated, he gets an $_SESSION["auth"] with his profile data
Then when the user is browsing the main page or other pages that need auth, they just check if the $_SESSION["auth"] is set.

Any tips on how to solve this?

EDIT: A small clarification. I do have a session ID on each page. That id does not change when I get redirected. I do NOT have any data in the $_SESSION variable on the page I redirect to.

Upvotes: 1

Answers (3)

ubes

Reputation: 25

I found the solution. The user that runs the webserver did have permission to all paths in the httpd.conf but did not have permission to access all paths in PHP.ini. session.save_path is one of those paths and the server can't access session data if it can't store session data.

The session.save_path was set to C:\Windows\Temp and initially I did not think I had to give permissions to anything but the apache dirs, php dirs and webroot.

Thanks for all your help!

Upvotes: 1

ITroubs

Reputation: 11215

Look at the permissions of the php session directory where the files for the session are being stored. If php doesn't have the rights to write, create and change files you won't be able to store anything in your $_SESSION var.

Upvotes: 1

Dagg Nabbit

Reputation: 76736

Sessions will break if the user visits a sub-path of your site root and then navigates upwards. This is because the cookie will only be set for that path, not your entire domain. More info here: http://www.php.net/manual/en/function.session-start.php#91298

Upvotes: 0

Why does PHP not keep session between pages?

Answers (3)

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