Link to home
Start Free TrialLog in
Avatar of Bruce Gust
Bruce GustFlag for United States of America

asked on

Flash cookie in PHP

I need a tutorial on how to grab a Flash cookie and store it in a MySQL database. I've been looking on google, but I haven't found anything yet.

Any help would be most appreciated.

Bottom line: I have to grab the Flash cookie, store it in a database and then when that same user logs in, I need to see how many times they've logged in previously. I have my code attached. I need to implement the Flash cookie into the mix and replace the traditional cookie as I currently have it scripted.
<?php

//purge the table of any dates unlike today

$today = date("Y-m-d");

$redsox = "select * from songwriting_login where ballot_date<>'$today'";
$redsox_query = mysqli_query($cxn, $redsox)
or die("Couldn't execute query.");
$redsox_row = mysqli_num_rows($redsox_query);
if($redsox_row>0)
{

$titans = "delete from songwriting_login where ballot_date <>$today";
$titans_result = mysqli_query($cxn, $titans);
	if(!$titans_result){
		$error = mysqli_errno($cxn).': '.mysqli_error($cxn);			
		die($error);
		}

}

//check to see if the user's cookie is set. If it is, then we see if it's in the database

if(!empty($_COOKIE['showdown_user']))
{
$oatmeal = "select oatmeal_raisin from songwriting_login where oatmeal_raisin='" . $_COOKIE['showdown_user'] . "'";
$oatmeal_query = mysqli_query($cxn, $oatmeal)
or die("Couldn't execute query.");
$oatmeal_count = mysqli_num_rows($oatmeal_query);
	if($oatmeal_count>4)
	{

	//the user's cookie is in the database 5 times which means that they're getting ready to exceed the maximum number of logins

	header("Location: songwriting_too_many_logins.php?email=$voter_email");
	exit();
	}
	else
	{
	$insert = "insert into songwriting_login (ballot_date,oatmeal_raisin)	
	values ('$today','" . $_COOKIE['showdown_user'] . "')";	
	$insertexe = mysqli_query($cxn, $insert);			
		if(!$insertexe) {			
		$error = mysqli_errno($cxn).': '.mysqli_error($cxn);			
		die($error);			
		}
	$login_count = 5 - ($oatmeal_count+1);
	}
}
else
{

//there isn't any showdown_user cookie on the voter's computer so we set one up and insert it into the database

$random = (rand()%1000000);
setcookie("showdown_user", "$random");
$insert = "insert into songwriting_login (ballot_date,oatmeal_raisin)			
values ('$today', '$random')";			
$insertexe = mysqli_query($cxn, $insert);			
	if(!$insertexe) {			
	$error = mysqli_errno($cxn).': '.mysqli_error($cxn);			
	die($error);			
	}
$login_count = 4;
}

?>

Open in new window

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
Avatar of NerdsOfTech
NerdsOfTech
Flag of United States of America image

Link to home
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
Start Free Trial
Avatar of Bruce Gust

ASKER

Thanks for the feedback, NerdsOfTech. I'm going to give you the points in appreciation for your time. However, from what I've read, what makes the Flash cookie distinct from a traditional cookie is that the Flash Cookie embeds itself in your system folder where your traditional cookie is going into your temp directory. Hence, the flash cookie is a bit more "durable," though some would interpret that durability as being sinister. Here's some of what I've learned:

http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2009/08/you-deleted-your-cookies-think-again/
The dilemma isn't resolved, but I'm going to go ahead and interpret that as being an indicator that what I'm trying to do either isn't possible or it isn't common.
Thanks for the points! You may want to reissue the question but use "LSO files" or "LSO" to describe the "flash cookie".