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Deleteting browser session when closing TABs

I need to delete session variables when my users close the browser TAB in which they are working (I have non technical users that do not perform logout nor close the browser when they finish browsing my website in a shared PC after having had access with their own username and password, but just close the TAB in which they are working, so that the next user will be able to surf the site with username and password of the previous user). How can I do that in a way that works for all (or at least IE 7, FIreFox 2, FireFox 3) browsers?

I read somewhere that this problem cannot be solved in any way if the browser has a popup blocker setup. Is this true?

Chris Harte

You cannot end a session using tab close, unless somebody has implemented it in the last year.
What you can do is record activity with a custom session handler and if there has been no activity for ten minutes, log them out.

Michael701

Here's a thought, use getenv("HTTP_REFERER") at the top of all pages (probably where you also see if they are logged in). If it doesn't exist or isn't your domain, force a login.

Esanteva

ASKER

> If it doesn't exist or isn't your domain, force a login.

Do you mean forse a logout?

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Michael701

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Esanteva

ASKER

> for all of these it would be the first time to your site, so, make them login

Almost. Several users (e.g. me) are used to open several TABs to the website and they do this by opening a new TAB then retyping the URL or using their Favorites. Would the check on getenv("HTTP_REFERER") work also in this situation?

Michael701

"opening a new TAB then retyping the URL or using their Favorites"

this would cause them to have to login again.

If you have a page open you could right click any link and 'open in new tab', this will not force them to login again

Esanteva

ASKER

> If you have a page open you could right click any link and 'open in new tab', this will not force them to login again

Yes, this is clear. I'm only trying to understand if there is a way that would allow me to delete the session variables when there are no more TABs open on the website without having to force a change of habits (mine and my users')

Esanteva

ASKER

Sorry for having waited so long before coming back to this question of mine. I was thinking if I could detect when a TAB is closed by using something like

<body onbeforeunload="closeSession();">

and then in the closeSession function I could do some server side work by using AJAX? What do you think? Could that solve the problem?

Michael701

This issue there is that if they have 2 tabs open then it will end the session when the first tab is closed.

Esanteva

ASKER

I see. Thanks.