Destroying Objects

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  • STEPHEN GOODE
    #1

    Destroying Objects

    I have a need to notice when a user leaves a site so I can implement
    destructors for objects. I know that PHP doesn't supply an object
    destructor. I can code that myself. What I don't know how to do is know when
    a session is no longer needed, for example, when a user leaves the site or
    closes the browser. I thought that register_shutdo wn_function() would help,
    but it shuts down at the end of the session regardless of whether I plan to
    start it again on the next page.

    I'd appreciate any ideas.


    Tags: None
    • Kevin
      #2
      Re: Destroying Objects

      There is no way to reliably detect if a user has left the site/closed their
      browser/computer struck by lightning. You could have pages automatically
      refresh periodically (or use a javascript call) and check for sessions older
      than that period, but it wouldn't be infallible.

      What is the end result you are trying to accomplish?

      - Kevin

      "STEPHEN GOODE" <rexgoode@veriz on.net> wrote in message
      news:ZmuKd.448$ RI.127@trnddc06 ...[color=blue]
      >I have a need to notice when a user leaves a site so I can implement
      >destructors for objects. I know that PHP doesn't supply an object
      >destructor. I can code that myself. What I don't know how to do is know
      >when a session is no longer needed, for example, when a user leaves the
      >site or closes the browser. I thought that register_shutdo wn_function()
      >would help, but it shuts down at the end of the session regardless of
      >whether I plan to start it again on the next page.
      >
      > I'd appreciate any ideas.
      >
      >[/color]


        Comment

        • Joshua Beall
          #3
          Re: Destroying Objects

          "STEPHEN GOODE" <rexgoode@veriz on.net> wrote in message
          news:ZmuKd.448$ RI.127@trnddc06 ...[color=blue]
          >I have a need to notice when a user leaves a site so I can implement
          >destructors for objects. I know that PHP doesn't supply an object
          >destructor. I can code that myself. What I don't know how to do is know
          >when a session is no longer needed, for example, when a user leaves the
          >site or closes the browser. I thought that register_shutdo wn_function()
          >would help, but it shuts down at the end of the session regardless of
          >whether I plan to start it again on the next page.
          >
          > I'd appreciate any ideas.[/color]

          As Kevin pointed out there is no foolproof way to know when a user has left
          the sight.

          A typical method (used by PHP's builtin session handler, too) is to assume
          that a certain period of inactivity means they left the site.

          If you built a custom session handler, on cleanup of dead sessions you could
          have it execute your "visitor left the site" code for all sessions that
          expired. The disadvantage, of course, is that it will not be run for
          however long you set the session expiry to be. For instance, is sessions
          expire after 15 minutes of inactivity, then the "visitor left site" code
          will not get run until they've already been gone 15 minutes.

          Kevin also suggested some JS solutions. You could try those. As usual, the
          caveat is that JS can easily be disabled, might be broken in the visitor's
          browser, etc.

          HTH,
          -Josh


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