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Create cookie on page open... delete on page close.

I have a pop-up window. What I would like is for a javascript code to create a cookie when the page opens and delete it when the page is closed. It will be used to add/remove users from a chat list. (php chat) I do not know much about cookies, I would appreciate if you could throw in how to retrieve the info from the cookie... thanks.

Michel Plungjan

put this in a file called cookie.js

// cookie.js file
if (!window.daysToKeep) daysToKeep = 14; // default cookie life...
today = new Date();
expiryDate = new Date(today.getTime() + (daysToKeep * 86400000));

/* Cookie functions originally by Bill Dortsch */

function setCookie (name,value,expires,path,theDomain,secure) {
value = escape(value);
var theCookie = name + "=" + value +
((expires) ? "; expires=" + expires.toGMTString() : "") +
((path) ? "; path=" + path : "") +
((theDomain) ? "; domain=" + theDomain : "") +
((secure) ? "; secure" : "");
document.cookie = theCookie;
}

function getCookie(Name) {
var search = Name + "="
if (document.cookie.length > 0) { // if there are any cookies
offset = document.cookie.indexOf(search)
if (offset != -1) { // if cookie exists
offset += search.length
// set index of beginning of value
end = document.cookie.indexOf(";", offset)
// set index of end of cookie value
if (end == -1) end = document.cookie.length
return unescape(document.cookie.substring(offset, end))
}
}
}
function delCookie(name,path,domain) {
if (getCookie(name)) document.cookie = name + "=" +
((path) ? ";path=" + path : "") +
((domain) ? ";domain=" + domain : "") +
";expires=Thu, 01-Jan-70 00:00:01 GMT";
}

Michel Plungjan

Then I suggest you add this to the parent window:
<script src="cookie.js" type="text/javascript"language="JavaScript"></script>

and this in the popup:

<html>
<head>
<script type="text/javascript"language="JavaScript">
if (opener && !opener.closed) opener.setCookie('cookieName','cookieValue')
</script>
</head>
<body onUnload="if (opener && !opener.closed) opener.delCookie('cookieName')">

Michel

cbonnock

ASKER

For the purposes of a chat users list, all i need is to keep a username in the cookie... do i need to define everything else?

UnexplainedWays

Encryption!!!, if that's all someone is identified by, then you just get your self a cookie editor, and change your username and then your someone else.

Michel Plungjan

The cookie script I gave you is a real save-and-forget script. It is also needed if your server sets session cookies or if you have other cookies than the userName

Here is a simpler alternative

in parent window:
<script>
userName="unknown";
</script>

<html>
<head>
<script type="text/javascript"language="JavaScript">
if (opener && !opener.closed) parent.userName='fred'
</script>
</head>
<body onUnload="if (opener && !opener.closed) parent.userName='unknown';">
in the popup you can then access parent.userName all the time

No need for cookie.

Alternative 3 if you insist on cookie :

In parent:

<script>
function setUser(user) {
document.cookie='userName='+user
}
function getUser() {
return document.cookie.substring(9); // return what is after "userName="
}
</script>

in popup:

<html>
<head>
<script type="text/javascript"language="JavaScript">
if (opener && !opener.closed) parent.setUser('fred')
</script>
</head>
<body onUnload="if (opener && !opener.closed) parent.setUser('unknown');">
in the popup you can then access parent.getUser() all the time

UnexplainedWays

You you set the cookie to expire -1, so as soon as the page is shut it is then deleted?

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

Michel Plungjan

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