Thread: PHP Question about session variables. How do I start a session? New to PHP

and I have some ?'s before I start? I am trying to create a client login area for my clients to each see there information (received from a MySQL Database) when they login.

I have created the login page in Dreamweaver CS3 and that works but now I think I need to start a session in order for it to say
Welcome, Username and have that users information.

Please help. Where would I begin the session in my code and is this even possible? What do I need to do to request a certain field from my database based on the username and password entered from the form.

A Breakdown of what I am asking:
- Clients login and are sent to the main php page. I accomplished this

- Clients are greeted with Welcome, Client and there information
* I need help with this.

- How do I insert certain fields and records (only the ones associated with the client that logged in)

Again, I am using Dreamweaver CS3

You can also post some links to resources, that will answer some of these questions for me.

THANKS!!!!!!! Help is appreciated.
Would AddProperty & Add Value be replaced with something? My guess is yes but I am not sure what.

<?
/***************************
login.class.php
***************************/
class user{
//To track the switch/errors through out
var $login_error;

//constructor
function user($UserInput){
$this->login_form();
}//End function


//Just a simple login form
function login_form(){
echo "<div align=\"center\"><form name=\"LoginForm\" action=\"$_SERVER[PHP_SELF]\" method=\"POST\"><table><tr><td><tr><td>User Name:</td><td><input type=\"text\" name=\"FLU\"></td><td>Password:</td><td><input type=\"password\" name=\"FLP\"></td></tr><tr><td colspan=\"2\"><input type=\"submit\" value=\"Submit\"> <input type=\"reset\" value=\"Reset\"></td></tr></table></div>";

}//End Function

function validate_user($UserInput){

//my chosen user name and password pattern
$this->user_name_pattern = ("^[a-zA-Z0-9]{5,15}$");
$this->password_pattern = ("^[a-zA-Z0-9\!\@\#\$\%\^\&&#92;*\`\~\_]{5,15}$");
//JavaScript History -1
$this->go_back = <a href=javascript:history.go(-1)><font color=red size=-2>(Go Back)</font></a>;
$this->success_login_redirect = "http://dzsoundnirvana.com/";

switch($UserInput){
case ($UserInput['FLU'] == "" || !ereg($this->user_name_pattern,$UserInput['FLU'])):
$this->login_form();
echo "<div align=\"center\"><font color=\"red\">Invalid user name. Try again or $this->go_back!</font></div>";
$this->login_error == false;
break;

case ($UserInput['FLP'] == "" || !ereg($this->password_pattern,$UserInput['FLP'])):
$this->login_form();
echo "<div align=\"center\"><font color=\"red\">Invalid password. Try again or $this->go_back!</font></div>";
$this->login_error == false;
break;
}
if($this->login_error === false){
//Or you can redirect to a "Forgot password/user name" page or leave it alone. This will kill the script. No output after though!
exit;
}
else{
//Now we go to the Database and validate the user
$this->db();
$this->query_string = "SELECT * FROM users WHERE user_name='$UserInput[FLU]' && password='" . md5($UserInput['password']) . "'";
$this->query = mysql_query($this->query_string);
//Error check the query
if(!$this->query){
echo "System error! Contact the system administrator!<br>or<br>$this->go_back";
//use this for debugging (below), Delete the // at the beginning
//echo mysql_error();
}
else{
//Need to check if more than 1 user exists if so....throw HACKING error (not supported here)..another class
$this->num_rows = mysql_num_rows($this->query);
if($this->num_rows > 1){
echo "Hacking warning";
exit;
}
else{
//Get the user information and set into the $_SESSION and then redirect to the directed page
$this->user_information = mysql_fetch_assoc($this->query);
//Put all user data into $_SESSION
foreach($this->user_information as $key => $value){
$_SESSION[$key] = $value;
//Now we redirect to the page specified
echo "<script type=\"text/javascript\">window.location=\"$this->success_login_redirect\"</script>";
echo "If you are not redirected <a href=\"this->success_login_redirect\" target=\"_parent\">Click here to continue</a>";
}
}

}//else

}//if($this->login_error === false)/else{


}//End function

function db(){
$this->db_link = mysql_connect("data_base_host","data_base_user","d ata_base_password]);
//Select the DB
$this->db_select = mysql_select_db("data_base_name");

}


}//End Class
?>