Question

PHP Session timeout

Asked by: tripat

In one server, I am unable to increase the time limit of sessions by doing changes in php.ini

Following is the session block taken from phpinfo()

session
Session Support  enabled  
Registered save handlers  files user sqlite  
Registered serializer handlers  php php_binary wddx  

Directive Local Value Master Value
session.auto_start Off Off
session.bug_compat_42 Off Off
session.bug_compat_warn On On
session.cache_expire 180 180
session.cache_limiter nocache nocache
session.cookie_domain no value no value
session.cookie_httponly Off Off
session.cookie_lifetime 0 0
session.cookie_path / /
session.cookie_secure Off Off
session.entropy_file no value no value
session.entropy_length 0 0
session.gc_divisor 1000 1000
session.gc_maxlifetime 14400 14400
session.gc_probability 1 1
session.hash_bits_per_character 5 5
session.hash_function 0 0
session.name PHPSESSID PHPSESSID
session.referer_check no value no value
session.save_handler files files
session.save_path C:\WINDOWS\Temp C:\WINDOWS\Temp
session.serialize_handler php php
session.use_cookies On On
session.use_only_cookies Off Off
session.use_trans_sid 0 0


please guide as to what setting I need to do for increasing the limit from 24 min to 4 hrs

regards,
tripat

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Asked On
2009-08-31 at 05:21:37ID24694506
Topics

PHP for Windows

,

PHP and Databases

,

PHP Scripting Language

Participating Experts
4
Points
500
Comments
14

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Answers

 

by: hernst42Posted on 2009-08-31 at 05:35:23ID: 25222233

change session.gc_maxlifetime to a value of 86400 (24*3600)
Check if you edited the correct php.ini (the use php.ini can be found in phpinfo() )

Restart the webserver after editing the correct  php.ini

 

by: tripatPosted on 2009-08-31 at 05:46:28ID: 25222299

I want the limit to be 4 hrs so that is 14400 and this value is already set to session.gc_maxlifetime but it does not work.

About the correct php.ini file, this value is being reflected in the phpinfo() program so php.ini file is correct

Regards,
Tripat

 

by: maciekePosted on 2009-08-31 at 05:49:00ID: 25222315

herns,
In question is 4 hours not 24 hours, so it will be 14400

 

by: maciekePosted on 2009-08-31 at 05:53:30ID: 25222336

Tripat,
How you know that timeout is 24min? How are you checking it?

 

by: tripatPosted on 2009-08-31 at 05:58:40ID: 25222373

I know the default timeout limit is 24 minutes, so I am guessing it is taking that.

I am opening application, waiting for about 40 to 60 minutes, then try to access the next page, where login session is checked, it then gives me error to login again.

 

by: tripatPosted on 2009-08-31 at 23:42:01ID: 25229020

Increasing points, as it sems to be difficult

 

by: virmaiorPosted on 2009-09-05 at 08:46:49ID: 25266591

i'm not entirely sure what issue you are experiencing.  I am guessing that you are having users have longer sessions.  If this is what is happening, the basic problem is that garbage collection is based on a probability calculator.

other problems you could be having:
(1) ensure the permissions are correct for the tmp directory.
(2) ensure that the cookie method is being used for sessions
(3) ensure that the browser is set to accept cookies.

 

by: Ray_PaseurPosted on 2009-09-05 at 10:37:50ID: 25267065

I am just wondering about a session this long - it seems that you are expecting the client to be idle for four hours?  What are you keeping in the session that needs to persist for four hours without a page reload?

 

by: tripatPosted on 2009-09-06 at 20:56:20ID: 25272645

We need seesion to be active for 4 hours.

It is basically an web application for dcotors and they some times get busy after logging into the application and servers times out them after 24 mins, so it is there demand that login session should last for 4 hrs atleast as they do not want to type in again in form.

Regards,
Tripat

 

by: Ray_PaseurPosted on 2009-09-08 at 07:06:58ID: 25281983

For something like this, I would use a "remember login" cookie.  The session might not be the easiest way to accomplish what you want, and the clients may want a different time to remain logged in, etc.  If you change the session, you are changing a lot of "default" information about the way the site works.  If you use a cookie instead, you have more freedom to tailor the solution to each doctor's needs and wants.

 

by: tripatPosted on 2009-09-22 at 20:13:03ID: 31622481

I am accepting this answer as it is alternative solution to what I was trying to do

 

by: Ray_PaseurPosted on 2009-09-23 at 07:00:10ID: 25403095

@tripat: Please see the grading guidelines here:

http://www.experts-exchange.com/help.jsp#hi403

There was no reason to mark this answer down to a "B" - it is the correct advice and it is EXACTLY the right, "best practices" way to do what you described!  The answer does not deserve a poor grade.

Please use the "request attention" button and ask a moderator to show you how to change an incorrect grade.

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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