session_start(); used with other headers?

[redtail]

Is there a way to use session_start(); at the top of a php page, and still be able to use header statments in the same php page later on? without getting those nasty headers already sent error messages?

[NogDog]

You can use as many different header type statements as you want (session_start(), setcookie(), header()...) as long as all of them come before any output is generated (whether via echo, e.g., or text not within <?php...?> tags). If you find yourself simply unable to organize your script in such a way to avoid any output, you can use the output buffering functions, but this may add a bit of overhead to things.

[redtail]

You can use as many different header type statements as you want (session_start(), setcookie(), header()...) as long as all of them come before any output is generated (whether via echo, e.g., or text not within <?php...?> tags). If you find yourself simply unable to organize your script in such a way to avoid any output, you can use the output buffering functions, but this may add a bit of overhead to things.

Thanks for the reply NogDog. I had it set up so that the one echo statement was at the very bottom, but, I'm wondering if "PDF_show_xy" qualifies as an "output" type statement? Because that's the only thing I can see that's possibly creating output and that is above the "header" statements.

I'll research the 'output buffering' functions too - I didn't know about those...

The 3 header statements that I have at the bottom of my file, just above the one echo statement are:

header('Content-type: application/pdf');
header('Content-disposition: inline; filename=Test.pdf');
header('Content-length: ' . strlen($data));

Which work okay, until I put in the "session_start();" at the very top. Then I get headers already created type errors.

[redtail]

Thanks for the reply NogDog. I had it set up so that the one echo statement was at the very bottom, but, I'm wondering if "PDF_show_xy" qualifies as an "output" type statement? Because that's the only thing I can see that's possibly creating output and that is above the "header" statements.

I'll research the 'output buffering' functions too - I didn't know about those...

The 3 header statements that I have at the bottom of my file, just above the one echo statement are:

header('Content-type: application/pdf');
header('Content-disposition: inline; filename=Test.pdf');
header('Content-length: ' . strlen($data));

Which work okay, until I put in the "session_start();" at the very top. Then I get headers already created type errors.

I would like to know which headers the "session_start();" sets.

I managed to get my page working this evening. I had to move things around
and play with it a little bit. But, then I got to the point where ff was working well, but IE was giving me some nasty error msg. to the effect that it wasn't finding my page. I put in a "session_cache_limiter('public');" statement just before the "session_start();" - and voilà! it works! I'm guessing that session_start sets the cache in some way that IE didn't like...

Anyway, it's working...

[NogDog]

session_start() sets a cookie header (the same as setcookie() does) to hold the session ID.

[redtail]

session_start() sets a cookie header (the same as setcookie() does) to hold the session ID.

Thanks, I didn't know that. Is that all that it sets?

It seems like IE7 has some problem with this session_start in this file. I use it all the time in all my other pages, with no
issues. So, today I've got to research the 'session_cache_limiter' and see why certain settings work, like 'public' and 'private', but the one I prefer, 'nochache' doesn't work right for me, with this page. In testing, I found that 'public' was not refreshing - ever, and I need it to refresh at each new request (in IE). FF seems to be working fine either way...

[redtail]

It looks like 'session_cache_limiter ("must-revalidate");' is working much better for me. The page displays - #1 and #2, it refreshes properly displaying new content each time... Still testing, but it's looking much better... Good in FF too!

[sammylightfoot]

Thank You redtail for posting this! I would have never figured this out. I just registered to post this.

[redtail]

Thank You redtail for posting this! I would have never figured this out. I just registered to post this.

You're welcome! Glad it helped you. I had a heck of a time with this one...And usually, if I'm having a hard time with something, other folks will be too...

Please do the same for someone else, sometime.


Best Regards,

Red.