Deleting a cookie - Writing PHP

Posted by admin (Graham Ellis), 19 February 2005

Q: How do I delete a cookie?

A: Set it with an expiry time in the past

There's an example on our web site at http://www.wellho.net/demo/cookie_demo.php4.

Here's the source code of that page:

Code:

<?php
$year = 3600*24*365;
if (! is_string($_COOKIE[userkey])) {
$received = "No cookie received - you are a NEW visitor";
$newcomer = 1;
$cval = uniqid("rn:");
setcookie("userkey",$cval,time()+$year);
$say = "Your cookie called userkey".
" will be set to $cval";
} else {
$received = "Cookie received - you are a RETURNING visitor ".
"Cookie value received - $_COOKIE[userkey]";
$newcomer = 0;
if ($_GET[logout]) {
$newcomer = -1;
setcookie("userkey","gone",time()-$year);
$say = "Your cookie called userkey".
" has been deleted";
} else {
$say = "Your cookie called userkey".
" will NOT be altered";
}
}

?>
<head>
<title>Setting and clearing a persistant cookie</title>
</head>
<body bgcolor="white">
<h2>Setting, reading and deleting a cookie</h2>
When you visit this page for the first time, you'll set a
cookie called userkey to a unique id starting with
"rn:". The link below to "refresh" the page will visit the
page again, and the link to "logout" will visit the page
again, deleting the cookie. <hr> 
Current status: 
<?= $received ?> <?= $say ?> <hr> 
Actions available: 
You may <a href=<?=$PHP_SELF?>>reload this page</a> 
<?php if ($newcomer != -1) { ?> You may
<a href="<?=$PHP_SELF?>?logout=1">log out</a> <?php } ?>
You may <a href=/index.html>go to our home page</a> <hr>
Example written by Graham Ellis of Well House Consultants 
We're in the business of training you on subjects like this! 
website: <a href=http://www.wellho.net>http://www.wellho.net</a>
</body>
</html>

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