Cookies

What is a Cookie?

A cookie is often used to identify a user. A cookie is a small file that the server embeds on the user's computer. Each time the same computer requests a page with a browser, it will send the cookie too. With PHP, you can both create and retrieve cookie values.

Facts

1. You have to put the cookie code as the first line of your file, it has to be before the head, before any other code, HTML or PHP.
2. The cookie will not work on the page until its refreshed, or the user visits the page again.
3. The cookie only works on the directory you're in and down. Its best to place the cookie in a file which is located in the root directory, so you can use the cookie anywhere around the site.

Code:

setcookie(name, value, expire, path, domain);

Exmaples

setcookie ("cookie", "spoono rocks");
//makes a variable $cookie with a value of "spoono rocks"


setcookie ("cookie", "spoono rocks", time()+3600);
//same thing as above, but will last for 3600 seconds, or one hour from the current time.

Retrieve a cookie value.
The PHP $_COOKIE variable is used to retrieve a cookie value.

setcookie ("cookie1", "spoono rocks once", time()+3600);
setcookie ("cookie2", "spoono rocks 2 times", time()+3600);
setcookie ("cookie3", "spoono rocks 3 times", time()+3600);

//Then in the main body, you can place:

echo $_COOKIE["cookie1"]; //will display "spoono rocks once"
echo $_COOKIE["cookie2"];  // "spoono rocks 2 times"
echo $_COOKIE["cookie3"];  // "spoono rocks 3 times"

//if you want to display all cookies for debugging
//you can use:
print_r($_COOKIE);

Another Example

if (isset($_COOKIE["user"]))

  echo "Welcome " . $_COOKIE["user"] . "!
";
else
{
echo "Welcome guest!
";
setcookie("user", "Blogger", time()+3600);
}

///On first visit it will display guest and there after blogger.

Delete cookies

Just place a new setcookie() statement with the variable you want to deconstruct

setcookie ("cookie");
//deletes the spoono cookie

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