Reading a cookie

[Jerim79]

I did try to find the answer to this before posting, so this isn't a
knee jerk reaction.

What I am trying to accomplish is to have a script that opens a
cookie, reads a value, and then use a switch/case to take action based
on that value in the cookie. I want to set the cookie manually, so I
don't need setcookie(). I see that in PHP it stores the cookie in
memory. Is there a way to have PHP just read a cookie from the desktop
machine? Does it have to set it first? Am I better off with Javascript
for this?

The situation is that we have 4 computers. We also have 4 different
types of specialty printers, each for a different function. We don't
know which computer will be hooked up to which printer, and they may
be switched out routinely. We are trying to develop a simple script
that reads the value of the cookie which tells it which printer to
print to and what to print. This way, we can easily switch computers
around as needed, and will only need to change the value in the cookie
to have it access the correct code so that it prints the correct
information in the correct format.

[P Pulkkinen]

Re: Reading a cookie


"Jerim79" <mylek@hotmail. comkirjoitti
viestissä:11707 73276.017695.16 2470@v45g2000cw v.googlegroups. com...

What I am trying to accomplish is to have a script that opens a
cookie, reads a value, and then use a switch/case to take action based
on that value in the cookie. I want to set the cookie manually, so I
don't need setcookie(). I see that in PHP it stores the cookie in
memory. Is there a way to have PHP just read a cookie from the desktop
machine? Does it have to set it first? Am I better off with Javascript
for this?

I hope i don't miss some point, but generally speaking:

1) On page #1 EITHER php during the page rendering OR client javascript
anytime, even later, SETS UP a cookie.
2) Person clicks a link submits a form to MOVE ON to page #2 on same domain.
3) On page #2 EITHER php OR client javascript READS that cookie and have
some fun with it (does it's thing).

Of course even both can set cookies and have fun together, but that' not the
point.

No comments on the final problem, but somehow i felt that this needed to be
written to clarify.

[P Pulkkinen]

Re: Reading a cookie

I hope i don't miss some point, but generally speaking:
>
1) On page #1 EITHER php during the page rendering OR client javascript
anytime, even later, SETS UP a cookie.
2) Person clicks a link submits a form to MOVE ON to page #2 on same
domain.
3) On page #2 EITHER php OR client javascript READS that cookie and have
some fun with it (does it's thing).

But of course it needs to be added that ajax, i believe, gives more
opportunities to play with cookies, since php calls are not restricted to
initial page rendering.

[Jerim79]

Re: Reading a cookie

On Feb 6, 9:03 am, "P Pulkkinen"
<perttu.POISTAT AMA.pulkki...@P OISTATAMA.elisa net.fiwrote:

"Jerim79" <m...@hotmail.c omkirjoitti
viestissä:11707 73276.017695.16 2...@v45g2000cw v.googlegroups. com...
>

What I am trying to accomplish is to have a script that opens a
cookie, reads a value, and then use a switch/case to take action based
on that value in the cookie. I want to set the cookie manually, so I
don't need setcookie(). I see that in PHP it stores the cookie in
memory. Is there a way to have PHP just read a cookie from the desktop
machine? Does it have to set it first? Am I better off with Javascript
for this?

>
I hope i don't miss some point, but generally speaking:
>
1) On page #1 EITHER php during the page rendering OR client javascript
anytime, even later, SETS UP a cookie.
2) Person clicks a link submits a form to MOVE ON to page #2 on same domain.
3) On page #2 EITHER php OR client javascript READS that cookie and have
some fun with it (does it's thing).
>
Of course even both can set cookies and have fun together, but that' not the
point.
>
No comments on the final problem, but somehow i felt that this needed to be
written to clarify.

Not exactly.We will have a simple registration form that a customer
fills out at a kiosk. They click submit and the customer is done. From
there the registration info is sent to a PHP script which first opens
a cookie on the client computer and reads the value. Next, it runs
through a list of switch/case statements based on that value to
determine which printer the client computer is using and what format
it needs to print in (This is for remote printing, to one of four
possible printers). This way, when we move a computer to a different
printer, we just change the value in the cookie and it starts printing
correctly. (We are using a remote server for the data collection, and
local PC to print.)

Since each printer is different, the setcookie() method would not
work because it can only set one value across four machines (Unless we
did four different scripts, which would get confusing). We need to be
able to have four different values for the same cookie. We also need
to be able to manually change the value when the computer moves. Think
of a file that you create on four different computers. Each file has
the same name, but a different letter in it; A, B, C or D. The program
opens the file up on each computer, reads in A, B, C or D. Then it
takes action on whether the file contained A, B, C or D. That is what
we are trying to accomplish with cookies. We don't want to create the
file each time the program runs, because the file is already there.

[P Pulkkinen]

Re: Reading a cookie

So - if I understand right- situation is this:

- There are four printers.
- Those machines that are somewhere close to printer x, should be able to
communicate to php (when it's rendering the page) that all php-made-printing
from this page request goes to printer x, since it is server PHP that
prints, not the local machine.
- Your personnel - but nobody else - can move any computer to a new
location, that is, closer to another printer than before.
- That's why you need to be able to change easily that location info, that
is again permanent, until you decide move the computer again.

Question is then also, is the cookie right or only way to accomplish this?

Usually kiosks use kiosk mode of the browser. You can start the browser
with http://example.com?printer=a or http://example.com?printer=b etc.,
after that it would be php session variable that can hold the info on the
printer. Or cookie. You could have four shortcut icons on the desktop to
make the starting easy. You could name them in descriptive way:
START-HERE-WHEN-UR-CLOSE-2-PRINTER-X

May it be my stupidity, if I misunderstood you. I hope you find the solution
anyway.

[Jerry Stuckle]

Re: Reading a cookie

Jerim79 wrote:

I did try to find the answer to this before posting, so this isn't a
knee jerk reaction.
>
What I am trying to accomplish is to have a script that opens a
cookie, reads a value, and then use a switch/case to take action based
on that value in the cookie. I want to set the cookie manually, so I
don't need setcookie(). I see that in PHP it stores the cookie in
memory. Is there a way to have PHP just read a cookie from the desktop
machine? Does it have to set it first? Am I better off with Javascript
for this?
>
The situation is that we have 4 computers. We also have 4 different
types of specialty printers, each for a different function. We don't
know which computer will be hooked up to which printer, and they may
be switched out routinely. We are trying to develop a simple script
that reads the value of the cookie which tells it which printer to
print to and what to print. This way, we can easily switch computers
around as needed, and will only need to change the value in the cookie
to have it access the correct code so that it prints the correct
information in the correct format.
>

You can use a cookie for this. But here's a suggestion - have a
password-protected admin page which sets the cookie. When they move the
computer, they have to log into the admin page and tell it which printer
to use.

This then sets the cookie, which is now available for the rest of your
pages. Of course, you would want to ensure that cookies are not cleared
when the browser shuts down - at least not for your site.

--
=============== ===
Remove the "x" from my email address
Jerry Stuckle
JDS Computer Training Corp.
jstucklex@attgl obal.net
=============== ===

[Jerim79]

Re: Reading a cookie

On Feb 6, 3:50 pm, Jerry Stuckle <jstuck...@attg lobal.netwrote:

Jerim79 wrote:

I did try to find the answer to this before posting, so this isn't a
knee jerk reaction.

>

What I am trying to accomplish is to have a script that opens a
cookie, reads a value, and then use a switch/case to take action based
on that value in thecookie. I want to set thecookiemanual ly, so I
don't need setcookie(). I see that in PHP it stores thecookiein
memory. Is there a way to have PHP just read acookiefrom the desktop
machine? Does it have to set it first? Am I better off with Javascript
for this?

>

The situation is that we have 4 computers. We also have 4 different
types of specialty printers, each for a different function. We don't
know which computer will be hooked up to which printer, and they may
be switched out routinely. We are trying to develop a simple script
that reads the value of thecookiewhich tells it which printer to
print to and what to print. This way, we can easily switch computers
around as needed, and will only need to change the value in thecookie
to have it access the correct code so that it prints the correct
information in the correct format.

>
You can use acookiefor this. But here's a suggestion - have a
password-protected admin page which sets thecookie. When they move the
computer, they have to log into the admin page and tell it which printer
to use.
>
This then sets thecookie, which is now available for the rest of your
pages. Of course, you would want to ensure that cookies are not cleared
when the browser shuts down - at least not for your site.
>
--
=============== ===
Remove the "x" from my email address
Jerry Stuckle
JDS Computer Training Corp.
jstuck...@attgl obal.net
=============== ===

I talked with my boss, and he is completely against the kiosk mode
(for whatever reason). Let's step back from the word cookie for a
minute.

We are going to have 4 "kiosk" style computers, each of which display
the same registration form on a remote server. As the customer fills
out the form, he may get redirected to other forms based on how he
answered (Multiple paths). The very last step for everyone, after
everything is filled out and the customer submits the form, we want to
have a small script on the server that accesses a file on the kiosk
computer. The script on the server will read the value and perform an
action based on that value.

Cookie is the word my boss threw out there. I don't see why it has to
be a cookie, if PHP can access a remote file on the "kiosk" machine
from the server. We don't want to pass the value with the URL, as he
would have to go back and change all the pages of the PHP form to
pickup the value and pass it along to the next page.

[Jerry Stuckle]

Re: Reading a cookie

Jerim79 wrote:

On Feb 6, 3:50 pm, Jerry Stuckle <jstuck...@attg lobal.netwrote:

>Jerim79 wrote:

>>I did try to find the answer to this before posting, so this isn't a
>>knee jerk reaction.
>>What I am trying to accomplish is to have a script that opens a
>>cookie, reads a value, and then use a switch/case to take action based
>>on that value in thecookie. I want to set thecookiemanual ly, so I
>>don't need setcookie(). I see that in PHP it stores thecookiein
>>memory. Is there a way to have PHP just read acookiefrom the desktop
>>machine? Does it have to set it first? Am I better off with Javascript
>>for this?
>>The situation is that we have 4 computers. We also have 4 different
>>types of specialty printers, each for a different function. We don't
>>know which computer will be hooked up to which printer, and they may
>>be switched out routinely. We are trying to develop a simple script
>>that reads the value of thecookiewhich tells it which printer to
>>print to and what to print. This way, we can easily switch computers
>>around as needed, and will only need to change the value in thecookie
>>to have it access the correct code so that it prints the correct
>>information in the correct format.

>You can use acookiefor this. But here's a suggestion - have a
>password-protected admin page which sets thecookie. When they move the
>computer, they have to log into the admin page and tell it which printer
>to use.
>>
>This then sets thecookie, which is now available for the rest of your
>pages. Of course, you would want to ensure that cookies are not cleared
>when the browser shuts down - at least not for your site.
>>
>--
>============== ====
>Remove the "x" from my email address
>Jerry Stuckle
>JDS Computer Training Corp.
>jstuck...@attg lobal.net
>============== ====

>
I talked with my boss, and he is completely against the kiosk mode
(for whatever reason). Let's step back from the word cookie for a
minute.
>
We are going to have 4 "kiosk" style computers, each of which display
the same registration form on a remote server. As the customer fills
out the form, he may get redirected to other forms based on how he
answered (Multiple paths). The very last step for everyone, after
everything is filled out and the customer submits the form, we want to
have a small script on the server that accesses a file on the kiosk
computer. The script on the server will read the value and perform an
action based on that value.
>

A problem here. The server cannot read a file on the client system.
This would be a huge security risk if it could be done.

Cookie is the word my boss threw out there. I don't see why it has to
be a cookie, if PHP can access a remote file on the "kiosk" machine
from the server. We don't want to pass the value with the URL, as he
would have to go back and change all the pages of the PHP form to
pickup the value and pass it along to the next page.
>

It about has to be a cookie because security prevents anything on the
server from reading anything on the client not sent directly by the
browser. And javascript cannot access files on the client computer, either.

Can you imagine what fun the hackers would have if there were a way to
read files on your computer when you visit a website?

So you're pretty much stuck with a cookie if you want something specific
to that machine.

--
=============== ===
Remove the "x" from my email address
Jerry Stuckle
JDS Computer Training Corp.
jstucklex@attgl obal.net
=============== ===

[Jerim79]

Re: Reading a cookie

On Feb 7, 10:17 am, Jerry Stuckle <jstuck...@attg lobal.netwrote:

Jerim79 wrote:

On Feb 6, 3:50 pm, Jerry Stuckle <jstuck...@attg lobal.netwrote:

Jerim79 wrote:
>I did try to find the answer to this before posting, so this isn't a
>knee jerk reaction.
>What I am trying to accomplish is to have a script that opens a
>>cookie, reads a value, and then use a switch/case to take action based
>on that value in thecookie. I want to set thecookiemanual ly, so I
>don't need setcookie(). I see that in PHP it stores thecookiein
>memory. Is there a way to have PHP just read acookiefrom the desktop
>machine? Does it have to set it first? Am I better off with Javascript
>for this?
>The situation is that we have 4 computers. We also have 4 different
>types of specialty printers, each for a different function. We don't
>know which computer will be hooked up to which printer, and they may
>be switched out routinely. We are trying to develop a simple script
>that reads the value of thecookiewhich tells it which printer to
>print to and what to print. This way, we can easily switch computers
>around as needed, and will only need to change the value in thecookie
>to have it access the correct code so that it prints the correct
>information in the correct format.
You can use acookiefor this. But here's a suggestion - have a
password-protected admin page which sets thecookie. When they move the
computer, they have to log into the admin page and tell it which printer
to use.

>

This then sets thecookie, which is now available for the rest of your
pages. Of course, you would want to ensure that cookies are not cleared
when the browser shuts down - at least not for your site.

>

--
=============== ===
Remove the "x" from my email address
Jerry Stuckle
JDS Computer Training Corp.
jstuck...@attgl obal.net
=============== ===

>

I talked with my boss, and he is completely against the kiosk mode
(for whatever reason). Let's step back from the wordcookiefor a
minute.

>

We are going to have 4 "kiosk" style computers, each of which display
the same registration form on a remote server. As the customer fills
out the form, he may get redirected to other forms based on how he
answered (Multiple paths). The very last step for everyone, after
everything is filled out and the customer submits the form, we want to
have a small script on the server that accesses a file on the kiosk
computer. The script on the server will read the value and perform an
action based on that value.

>
A problem here. The server cannot read a file on the client system.
This would be a huge security risk if it could be done.
>

Cookieis the word my boss threw out there. I don't see why it has to
be acookie, if PHP can access a remote file on the "kiosk" machine
from the server. We don't want to pass the value with the URL, as he
would have to go back and change all the pages of the PHP form to
pickup the value and pass it along to the next page.

>
It about has to be acookiebecause security prevents anything on the
server from reading anything on the client not sent directly by the
browser. And javascript cannot access files on the client computer, either.
>
Can you imagine what fun the hackers would have if there were a way to
read files on your computer when you visit a website?
>
So you're pretty much stuck with acookieif you want something specific
to that machine.
>
--
=============== ===
Remove the "x" from my email address
Jerry Stuckle
JDS Computer Training Corp.
jstuck...@attgl obal.net
=============== ===

Okay, so we are going with cookies. The problem I have is that I don't
know how to make PHP just read a cookie. I understand how to set a
cookie, and it is stored in memory, which then can be used throughout
the form. I even know how to set a time limit on a cookie to make it
stay on the kiosk computer, but again, we don't want to create the
cookie.

The problem is that I don't want to set a cookie. I want to just read
one that I create manually. Obviously, setting a cookie through our
PHP form would only be able to set one value for all four machines,
yet we want to have 4 different values. Is there a way to just read a
cookie without setting it through PHP?

[Rik]

Re: Reading a cookie

Jerim79 <mylek@hotmail. comwrote:

Okay, so we are going with cookies. The problem I have is that I don't
know how to make PHP just read a cookie.

It's in the $_COOKIE array.
--
Rik Wasmus

[Jerim79]

Re: Reading a cookie

On Feb 7, 10:46 am, Rik <luiheidsgoe... @hotmail.comwro te:

Jerim79 <m...@hotmail.c omwrote:

Okay, so we are going with cookies. The problem I have is that I don't
know how to make PHP just read acookie.

>
It's in the $_COOKIE array.
--
Rik Wasmus

I tried that and it doesn't seem to work. For instance:

<?php

switch ($_COOKIE["printer"]) {

case A:
echo "Hello";
break;
case B:
echo "Yes";
break;
case C:
echo "No";
break;
case D:
echo "Goodbye";
break;
}
?>


That doesn't do anything.

[Rik]

Re: Reading a cookie

Jerim79 <mylek@hotmail. comwrote:

On Feb 7, 10:46 am, Rik <luiheidsgoe... @hotmail.comwro te:

>Jerim79 <m...@hotmail.c omwrote:

Okay, so we are going with cookies. The problem I have is that I don't
know how to make PHP just read acookie.

>>
>It's in the $_COOKIE array.
>--
>Rik Wasmus

>
I tried that and it doesn't seem to work. For instance:
>
<?php
>
switch ($_COOKIE["printer"]) {
>
case A:
echo "Hello";
break;
case B:
echo "Yes";
break;
case C:
echo "No";
break;
case D:
echo "Goodbye";
break;
}
?>
>
>
That doesn't do anything.

Do a var_dump($_COOK IE);
If nothing is set, the browser probably did not send a cookie, and you'll
have to check wether the cookie you're expecting is set correctly.
--
Rik Wasmus

[Jerim79]

Re: Reading a cookie

On Feb 7, 11:21 am, Rik <luiheidsgoe... @hotmail.comwro te:

Jerim79 <m...@hotmail.c omwrote:

On Feb 7, 10:46 am, Rik <luiheidsgoe... @hotmail.comwro te:

Jerim79 <m...@hotmail.c omwrote:
Okay, so we are going with cookies. The problem I have is that I don't
know how to make PHP just read acookie.

>

It's in the $_COOKIE array.
--
Rik Wasmus

>

I tried that and it doesn't seem to work. For instance:

>

<?php

>

switch ($_COOKIE["printer"]) {

>

case A:
echo "Hello";
break;
case B:
echo "Yes";
break;
case C:
echo "No";
break;
case D:
echo "Goodbye";
break;
}
?>

>

That doesn't do anything.

>
Do a var_dump($_COOK IE);
If nothing is set, the browser probably did not send acookie, and you'll
have to check wether thecookieyou're expecting is set correctly.
--
Rik Wasmus

Right, we don't want to set a cookie. EVER. We just want to READ a
cookie that we create manually, ourselves. (The goal here is to have
the PHP form read a cookie by the name of "printer." The value of
"printer" needs to be different on every machine. If PHP sets the
cookie, then "printer" would always have the same value and that
defeats the purpose. The only way "printer" will have a different
value on each computer, is if we create it manually on each machine.
We need a way for the PHP form to "identify" which kiosk computer it
is talking to.)

I know in javascript you can create a cookie manually and have
javascript read it. We want to do that in PHP.

[Rik]

Re: Reading a cookie

Jerim79 <mylek@hotmail. comwrote:

Okay, so we are going with cookies. The problem I have is that I don't
know how to make PHP just read acookie.

>>

>It's in the $_COOKIE array.

>>

I tried that and it doesn't seem to work. For instance:

>>
>Do a var_dump($_COOK IE);
>If nothing is set, the browser probably did not send acookie, and you'll
>have to check wether the cookie you're expecting is set correctly.

>
Right, we don't want to set a cookie. EVER. We just want to READ a
cookie that we create manually, ourselves.

And the cookie HAS TO BE SET, SOMETIMES, BY AN ARIBTRARY PROGRAM, SCRIPT
OR PERSON. If no cookie is set, or you've set it with the wrong
parameters, PHP will never receive it.

You cannot just expect something exists by just checking wether it exists.

I know in javascript you can create a cookie manually and have
javascript read it. We want to do that in PHP.

No, you just told me you did not want to create it. Get your plan straight.

--
Rik Wasmus

[Jerim79]

Re: Reading a cookie

On Feb 7, 11:59 am, Rik <luiheidsgoe... @hotmail.comwro te:

Jerim79 <m...@hotmail.c omwrote:

Okay, so we are going with cookies. The problem I have is that I don't
know how to make PHP just read acookie.

>

It's in the $_COOKIE array.

>

I tried that and it doesn't seem to work. For instance:

>

Do a var_dump($_COOK IE);
If nothing is set, the browser probably did not send acookie, and you'll
have to check wether thecookieyou're expecting is set correctly.

>

Right, we don't want to set acookie. EVER. We just want to READ a
cookiethat we create manually, ourselves.

>
And thecookieHAS TO BE SET, SOMETIMES, BY AN ARIBTRARY PROGRAM, SCRIPT
OR PERSON. If nocookieis set, or you've set it with the wrong
parameters, PHP will never receive it.
>
You cannot just expect something exists by just checking wether it exists.
>

I know in javascript you can create acookiemanually and have
javascript read it. We want to do that in PHP.

>
No, you just told me you did not want to create it. Get your plan straight.
>
--
Rik Wasmus

When you say "set the cookie" I take that to mean setcookie(). I don't
want setcookie(). I want to create the cookie manually. So I can
create the cookie called "printer" manually and use
$_COOKIE['printer'] to read it?