PHP $_SESSION returning incorrect value

Question

Ok, so when I execute the initial function it works fine, the username gets stored in the database, however when I run the second function that appends the username to the text the user chooses to enter the IF statement returns 'no user' - when a user is defined...

If anyone knows how to fix this that would be great - I am currently learning PHP and mysql so I am sorry if any of this is incorrect

<?php

session_start()

    // connect to the database
    mysql_connect("localhost", "root", "");
    mysql_select_db("ajaxchat");



    // read the stage

    $stage = $_POST['stage'];

    // primary code
    if($stage == 'initial') {

        // check the username       
        $user = $_POST['user'];

        $query = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM chat_active WHERE user='$user'");
        if (mysql_num_rows($query) == 0) {

            $time = time();

            // 
            mysql_query("INSERT INTO chat_active VALUES ('$user', '$time')");

            // set the session
            $_SESSION['user'] = $user;

            echo 'good';
        }
        else {
            echo 'taken';
        }
    }

/////////////// PROBLEM FUNCTION ///////////////
================================================

    else if($stage == 'send') {
        // get the textdomain
        $text = $_POST['text'];

        // check for user_error
        if (isset($_SESSION['user'])) {
            $user = $_SESSION['user'];
            echo $user.' - '.$text.'<br />';
        }
        else {
            echo 'no user';
        }
    }
    else {
        echo 'error';
    }
?>

This is the javascript:

<script type="text/javascript">
    function chat_initialise() {
        var user = document.getElementById("chat_user").value;

        $.post("./chat.php", {stage:"initial", user:user}, function(data) {
            if (data == "good") {
                $('#initial').css('display', 'none');
                $('#content').css('display', 'inline')
            }
            else {
                alert("That username is taken! Please try another.");
            }
        });
    }

    function chat_send() {
        var text = document.getElementById("chat_text").value;

        $.post("./chat.php", {stage:"send", text:text}, function(data) {
            document.getElementById("chat_text").value = '';
            $('#window').text($('#window').text() + data);
            // alert(data)
        });
    }
</script>

Obligatory comment 1) you're vulnerable to SQL injection attacks and 2) don't use the mysql_ extension : stackoverflow.com/questions/12859942/… — CD001
– CD001, Commented Feb 17, 2015 at 15:23
Do you have a session_destroy() or a session_unset() somewhere after this code ? And check if SESSION is enabled. — Spoke44
– Spoke44, Commented Feb 17, 2015 at 15:26
else if($stage == 'send') { might be failing and is related to your POST in your form as per $stage = $_POST['stage']; which you should probably show us what it looks like. Add error reporting to the top of your file(s) right after your opening PHP tag for example <?php error_reporting(E_ALL); ini_set('display_errors', 1); then the rest of your code, to see if it yields anything. — Funk Forty Niner
– Funk Forty Niner, Commented Feb 17, 2015 at 15:29

cookies · Accepted Answer · 2015-02-17 15:42:45Z

1

I fixed it - changed the POST function to take the current username then redefine it as a variable in the second function:

else if($stage == 'send') {
    // get the textdomain
    $text = $_POST['text'];
    $user = $_POST['user'];

    echo $user;

    // check for user_error
    if (isset($_SESSION['user'])) {
        $_SESSION['user'] = $user;
        echo $user.' - '.$text.'<br />';
    }
    else {
        echo 'no user';
        var_dump($_SESSION);
    }
}

Thanks for all your help guys!!

answered Feb 17, 2015 at 15:42

cookies

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4 Comments

Funk Forty Niner Over a year ago

Glad to know you've found your own solution, cheers and you're welcome ;-)

CD001 Over a year ago

Essentially bypassing the session entirely by sending the user through again with the second AJAX call ... that's one way around it; I've still got this weird niggly feeling that you're losing your session here somewhere though ;)

cookies Over a year ago

@CD001 I'm sure it will break something else in the near future haha! I honestly don't know where it could be losing my session as the php in the question is literally the entire php script

Varun Naharia Over a year ago

yes you done that but it's not the correct way to use session and there is no user in chat_send function then how you can access the value of user in else if send part ?

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