Thread

Hi all,

I am using the following PHP to store and output a URL variable…

<?php
 if(isset($_GET['media'])){
  $_SESSION['media']=strip_tags($_GET['media']);
 }else{
  $_SESSION['media']="DEFAULT";

 }
?>

Media code: <?php echo strip_tags($_SESSION['media']); ?>

It works fine unless I put the first set of php tags in another template in which case I get this error…

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: Notice

Message: Undefined variable: _SESSION

Filename: libraries/Functions.php(659) : eval()'d code

Line Number: 19

Any ideas?

The issue (as I understand it) is that you can’t use the $_SESSION inside of a template (for whatever reason, it’s never worked for me) - instead store it in the session class instead:

http://ellislab.com/expressionengine/user-guide/development/usage/session.html

Thats what I’ve used in the past anyway and it’s worked.

One question though - why are you setting a session variable which you then use further on in the page? why not set it as a variable $media = strip_tags($_GET[‘media’]); and then you can simply “echo $media;”? or have I missed something?

Cheers,

Carl.

Ah, I didn’t know that. This is unchartered territory for me so I asked someone with PHP knowledge to write it.

I need to check if there is a media code in the url in case someone has clicked a promo link and then set the variable accordingly (or set it to a default value) for the purposes of linking off site for another domain with a similar system in place.

Could you show me a better way to do this? Using native EE code if its possible?

Many thanks
Mike

Hi Mike,

Thank for posting to the forums!

You might have some luck with Session Variables, a plugin that lets you access native PHP sessions without using PHP in your templates.

Thank you Carl for chiming in!

This might be better served in the Development and Programming forum, would you like me to move it there for you?

Cheers,

That looks great Dan, I’m still going to need some assistance though : )

Move the thread if you think it would be better suited elsewhere.

Cheers

Will I be able to get something out of the URL with the session variables plugin? Bearing in mind I’ll never know which segment it will be?

Cheers

This is working using the Session variables plugin, but is there a better way to do it?

In head of document

<?php
 if(isset($_GET['media'])){
  $_SESSION['media']=strip_tags($_GET['media']);
 }else{
  $_SESSION['media']="DEFAULT";

 }
?>

{exp:session_variables:set name='media_code' value='<?php echo strip_tags($_SESSION['media']); ?>'}

In body of the document

Media code: {exp:session_variables:get name='media_code'}

Actually, this doesn’t work as it needs to. As soon as the media code isn’t present in the URL (which will happen as soon as the user navigates away from the first page) the media code goes back to DEFAULT.

Hi again,

I have this most of the way there. The PHP needed to be altered…

In the head of the document

<?php
   if (isset($_GET['media']))
   {
    $_SESSION['media'] = strip_tags($_GET['media']);
   }
   else if ( ! isset($_SESSION['media']))
   {
    $_SESSION['media'] = "DEFAULT";
  
   }
  ?>
  
  {exp:session_variables:set name='media_code' value='<?php echo strip_tags($_SESSION['media']); ?>'}

Then this outputs the code

Media code: {exp:session_variables:get name='media_code'}

e.g. http://somesite.com?media=123

Would produce “Media code: 123”

But as soon as you navigate away from a page without this output on, the output defaults until the page is refreshed. I clearly don’t understand how php sessions work : (

I really hope someone how understands this stuff will be able to help.

Many thanks

Hi Mike,

Indeed, this is out of our general wheelhouse for technical support.

However, looking over your code and the way the plugin works, you are adding an unneeded step:

<?php
   if (isset($_GET['media']))
   { ?>
    {exp:session_variables:set name='media_code' value='<?php echo strip_tags($_GET['media']); ?>'}
   <? }
   else
   { ?>
    {exp:session_variables:set name='media_code' value='DEFAULT'}
   <? }
  ?>

That might get you closer to your goal.

Cheers,