Message:

I can set session variables manually in a php file.
I can't get session variables to set using input variables from an html form.
I'm confused because the same input variables work when I use them to update a mySQL database.

Here is the php file that successfully sets a session variable:

<?php

    session_start();

    

    $_SESSION['username'] = "brandonpetaccio";

    

    echo $_SESSION['username'];

?>

I test the session variables by echoing them in a separate php file:

<?php

    session_start();

    

    echo $_SESSION['username']."<br>";

    echo $_SESSION['name1']."<br>";

    echo $_SESSION['name2'];

?>

Username was already set in the first file. I am trying to set name1 and name2 using an html form.

Here is the file with the form. It contains php and html:

<?php

// STARTS SESSION FOR THIS PAGE

session_start();



// CONNECTS TO DATABASE

include 'dragon-conn.php';





// // NAME INPUTS

$iName1 = mysqli_real_escape_string($dragonden, $_REQUEST['iName1']);

$iName2 = mysqli_real_escape_string($dragonden, $_REQUEST['iName2']);



// SET SESSION VARIABLES

$_SESSION['name1'] = $iName1;

$_SESSION['name2'] = $iName2;



?>



<html lang="en">



<form method = "post" class="mt-5">

                <!--NAME-->

                <h2>People</h2>

                <label for="iName1" class="" style="font-weight:bold;">First Name</label>

                <input id="iName1" name="iName1" type="text" class="spaceless form-control username m-1">

                <label for="iName2" class="mt-1" style="font-weight:bold;">Last Name</label>

                <input id="iName2" name="iName2" type="text" class="spaceless form-control username m-1">

                

                <div class="form-check form-check-inline m-2">

                  <input class="form-check-input" type="checkbox" value="" id="customer">

                  <label class="form-check-label" for="customer">

                    Customer

                  </label>

                </div>

                

                <div class="form-check form-check-inline m-2">

                  <input class="form-check-input" type="checkbox" value="" id="employee">

                  <label class="form-check-label" for="employee">

                    Employee

                  </label>

                </div>

                <!--SUBMIT-->

                <input type="submit" id="addme" class="btn btn-primary m-1" value="Add Me">

                

            </form>



</html>

After submitting the form with input, I refresh the php file that echos the three session variables. The first session variable is still set, and echos. The last two session variables do not echo.

I have session_start(); at the top of each file. The same input variables work when updating the database. I don't understand why they don't work when trying to set session variables via the html form.

What am I missing?

My Answer:
't be lost when the user navigates away from the page or closes the browser. They will remain active until the session is destroyed or expires.

John Davidson

PHP session variables won't set when submitting form, even though same inputs work to update database

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