php keep session active across multiple websites

check this and tell me what do you think


http://www.webmasterworld.com/forum88/13355.htm
http://www.webmasterworld.com/forum88/7936.htm

You could try with session_set_save_handler() function to save the sessions to a database and from all those domains to access that DB. You'll need to pass the session id from one domain to another to access the correct values in database. But i can't say for sure if it will work, its just an option if you would like to try and tell us if it worked. Cheers

The difference between 1.com and 2.com is as big as the difference between IBM.com and Hitachi.com -- in other words, they are isolated and separate domains.  But there may be hope.  Instead of using differen domains, you can use different sub-domains, something like one.mydomain.com and two.mydomain.com, etc.  It's possible to set a cookie that will persist across the subdomains, and that will enable you to create a persistent session across the subdomains.

Here is an example of how to get a session cookie that works across subdomains (they do not work that way by default).

<?php // RAY_session_cookie_domain.php
// DEMONSTRATE HOW TO START SESSIONS THAT WORK IN DIFFERENT SUBDOMAINS
error_reporting(E_ALL);
 
 
// GET DOMAIN WITHOUT WWW
$host = eregi_replace('^WWW', '', "$_SERVER[HTTP_HOST]");
 
// START THE SESSION AND SET THE COOKIE FOR ALL SUBDOMAINS
$sess_name = session_name();
if (session_start())
{
	setcookie($sess_name, session_id(), NULL, '/', $host, FALSE, TRUE);
}
 
 
// LOAD UP SOME INFORMATION TO SHOW SESSION CONTENTS
$_SESSION["cheese"] = "Cheddar";
if (!isset($_SESSION["count"])) $_SESSION["count"] = 0;
$_SESSION["count"] ++;
 
 
// PUT UP TWO LINKS WITH DIFFERENT SUBDOMAINS
$gost = substr($host,1); // STRIP OFF THE DOT THAT WAS NEEDED FOR SETCOOKIE
$dmn_link = 'http://'    . $gost . '/RAY_dump_session.php';
$www_link = 'http://www' . $host . '/RAY_dump_session.php';
 
echo "<br/><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"$www_link\">$www_link</a>\n";
echo "<br/><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"$dmn_link\">$dmn_link</a>\n";
 
 
// SHOW WHAT IS IN COOKIE AND IN $_SESSION
echo "<pre>";
echo "COOKIE ";
var_dump($_COOKIE);
echo "\n\n";
echo "SESSION ";
var_dump($_SESSION);
 
echo "</pre>\n";
 
 
 
?>
<form method="post">
<input type="submit" value="CLICK ME" />
</form>

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Here's the code that will visualize the cookie and session values across the domains.  Install these things and run them, and you will get an idea of how it can work for you.

Best regards, ~Ray

<?php // RAY_dump_session.php
error_reporting(E_ALL);
 
// START THE SESSION
session_start();
 
// DISPLAY THE VARS
echo "<pre>";
echo "COOKIE ";
var_dump($_COOKIE);
echo "\n\n";
echo "SESSION ";
var_dump($_SESSION);
 
 
 
echo "</pre>\n";

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Hi All,
I don't want to keep the session between different sub-domains. It's between completely different domains.

Sorry, you CAN share between sub-domains, but it just doesn't work that way between domains, and if the PHP security people find a way that makes it work, they will plug the hole.

If you have all the sites running under the same account at a shared hosting server, (like with "parked" domains) you may be able to share a data base.  Then you can program your way around the issue by simulating the session via the data base.  That's a lot of work, and it will lead to a very brittle installation for more reasons than you can anticipate.

I guess what I'm gently trying to say is "there's a right way and a wrong way" and an application design that depends on intimate communication between different domains -- well, I would not go there.

Can't you go back to the architect and tell them that this is an infeasible design?

Anyway, best of luck with your project. ~Ray

Hi ucsdmbdm, have you tried my suggestion ?
http://www.experts-exchange.com/Web_Development/Web_Languages-Standards/PHP/Q_24160244.html?cid=238#23687535
Hope it works

is these web sites sharing the same mysql server ... or same database server ... if yes i think we can make a work around