Question

ColdFusion, detecting session timeout

Asked by: PhotoMan2000

Is there a SIMPLE way to detect a session time out in ColdFusion and force a redirect to a specific URL?  Either due to no activity or the sessiontimeout="#CreateTimeSpan(0,1,0,0)#" has expired.

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Asked On
2009-04-08 at 07:09:26ID24305759
Tags

ColdFusion

Topic

ColdFusion Application Server

Participating Experts
3
Points
125
Comments
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Answers

 

by: erikTsomikPosted on 2009-04-08 at 07:17:33ID: 24097505

 

by: PhotoMan2000Posted on 2009-04-08 at 08:53:02ID: 24098661

Thanks.. regarding this link: http://coldfusion.sys-con.com/node/41925

It's from 2000 - hasn't CF come out with anything less complex? Such as doing something like this:

(Which is what I'm really after)

<cfif session.sessiontimeout LT '00:00:00:20'>
do something - like a cflocation or an alert.
</cfif>

                                              
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by: erikTsomikPosted on 2009-04-08 at 09:04:02ID: 24098809

Or try this
<cfif StructKeyExists(session,nameofthesession>
go
</cfif>

 

by: vonRoguePosted on 2009-04-08 at 10:33:30ID: 24099812

The CFIF code will not work, due to the way sessions are timed. As soon as a user requests a page, their session timeout is reset to it's default (20 minutes for a default CF install). Basically, this means that you can't see how much time is left in that specific session by using server side code. The only way you'll be able to redirect them is by using something like the javascript code erik mentioned above. I hope this clears things up a bit.

 

by: PhotoMan2000Posted on 2009-04-08 at 11:05:16ID: 24100074

Thanks vonRoque..  It's too bad Adobe  hasn't thought of such a simple concept to have native time feature.
(Note.. I'll be out of the office for a week, so pleases don't freak if I don't get back to this quesion.)

 

by: gdemariaPosted on 2009-04-08 at 11:20:32ID: 24100222

> It's too bad Adobe  hasn't thought of such a simple concept to have native time feature.

This is a browser level issue, client-side, coldfusion or any other server-side language cannot have any control over it.   That's why vonRoque suggested javascript because it runs client-side.

When the page loads, set a timer running that is in-line with your session time-out.   Have the javscript redirect you to a login page that drops the session.

 

by: PhotoMan2000Posted on 2009-04-21 at 06:27:50ID: 24193995

Basically none of the above worked.. I had to resort to testing for defined session variable.

Thanks,

<cfif structKeyExists(session, 'membertype')>
do this..
<cfelse>
do soemthine else
</cfif>

                                              
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by: PhotoMan2000Posted on 2009-04-21 at 06:28:57ID: 24194005

Actually erikTsomik's worked...

 

by: gdemariaPosted on 2009-04-21 at 06:54:40ID: 24194333

I guess we misinterpreted your question.   We thought you meant that if the page sits idle for 20 minutes, the page would automatically change to a session-timed-out page without user intervention.   Banking sites or credit card sites often do this in case someone walks away from the computer.

The solution with session variable testing will work, of course (that's what they're for) when the user attempts to go to another page.   The new page will catch the fact that the session variable no longer exists and sends you to the login page (or whatever).

We over-thought your question expecting it would be more than just testing for a session variable..
Another approach is...

<cfif NOT isDefined("session.user_id"")
    <cfinclude template="login.cfm">
    ...


 

by: PhotoMan2000Posted on 2009-04-21 at 07:05:12ID: 24194486

Yes. that is what my original question was.  But in doing searching and the input fom EE, and without having to figure out a JavaScript that would accomplish the task (noone actually provided me with a script) - i had to resort to testing for the existance of a defined variable name. Which does no exist after the session times out.  

So, iF the user tries to load a page and the value is not there, they are sent back to the login page with an  message being displayed. Not as user friendly as automatically forwarding the user, but it got the job done.

Thanks for the feedback.

<cfif structKeyExists(session, 'membertype')>
 <cfelse if session.membertype EQ XYX>do this</>
<cfelse>
 <cflocaion url="abc.cfm?timeout">
</cfif>

                                              
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