Session in use for multipage application / named pages

Sticky fields and session example from a Well House Consultants training course
More on Sticky fields and session [link]

This example is described in the following article(s):
• PHP sessions - a best practice teaching example - [link]

Source code: firstmultipage.php Module: H301

<?php

/* This demonstrates a framework for a Session based application in PHP. I've put all
the elements into a single file to demonstrate the various concepts; in practise, the
application would be much longer and split between a number of files ... */

session_name("concept_demo"); // In case there are several session based applications

session_start();

if (! $_SESSION["current_page"]) {
        $_SESSION["current_page"] = "loggedout";
        $_SESSION["sofar"] = array();
        }

$errormessage = "";

// Handle the incoming request

switch ($_SESSION["current_page"]) {

case "loggedout":
        $_SESSION["current_page"] = "loginoffer";
        break;

case "loginoffer": // Real application - database & password check!
        if ($_POST["user"] == "trainee" or $_POST["user"] == "admin") {
                $_SESSION["user"] = $_POST["user"];
                $_SESSION["current_page"] = "mainmenu";
        } else { // Real application - don't tell user names!
                $errormessage = "Only supports users 'trainee' and 'admin'";
        }
        break;

case "mainmenu":
        if ($_POST["option"] == "done") {
                $_SESSION["current_page"] = "loggedout";
        } elseif ($_POST["option"] == "enter") {
                $_SESSION["current_page"] = "dataentry";
        } elseif ($_POST["option"] == "display") {
                $_SESSION["current_page"] = "datadisplay";
        } else {
                $errormessage = "Please choose one of the options";
        }
        break;

case "dataentry": // Real application - store to database!
        if (preg_match('/\S/',$_POST["thought"])) {
                array_push($_SESSION["sofar"],$_POST["thought"]);
                $_SESSION["current_page"] = "mainmenu";
        } else {
                $errormessage = "Your mind has gone blank - say SOMETHING!";
        }
        break;

case "datadisplay":
        $_SESSION["current_page"] = "mainmenu";
        break;

default:
        die("Bad page status (1)");
        break;
}

// ---------- Now prepare for next page --------------

switch ($_SESSION["current_page"]) {

case "loggedout":
        $title = "Logged Out";
        $form = "Thank you for spending time with us";
        session_destroy();
        break;

case "loginoffer":
        $title = "Please Log in";
        $form = "<form method=POST>Name: <input name=user> <input type=submit></form>";
        break;

case "mainmenu":
        $title = "Please select what you want to do";
        $form = "<form method=POST><select name=option>";
        $form .= "<option value=xxx SELECTED>---</option>";
        $form .= "<option value=enter>Enter Fresh Data</option>";
        $form .= "<option value=display>Display all data so far</option>";
        $form .= "<option value=done>Logout</option>";
        $form .= "</select> <input type=submit></form>";
        break;

case "dataentry":
        $title = "Please enter your thoughts ...";
        $form = "<form method=POST><input name=thought size=60> <input type=submit></form>";
        break;

case "datadisplay":
        $title = "Here is what you have entered so far ...";
        $form = "<b>So far, you have written ...</b><br>";
        foreach ($_SESSION["sofar"] as $nextline) {
                $form .= $nextline . "<br/>";
                }
        $form .= "<form method=POST><input type=submit></form>";
        break;

default:
        die("Bad page status (2)");
        break;
}
// Template really should be in a separate file and filled in via preg_replace.
?>
<html>
<head>
<title>Session Concept Demo</title>
</head>
<body>
<h1>Session system - current page called <?php print($_SESSION["current_page"]); ?></h1>
This is some text that will be common to all pages ...<br />
<b><font color=red><?php print ($errormessage); ?></font></b><br />
<h2><?php print ($title); ?></h2>
Some more common text ...<br />
<?php print ($form); ?><br />
Yet more common text ...<br />
Copyright, date, and other small print<br />
</body>
</html>

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Other Examples

This example comes from our "Sticky fields and session" training module. You'll find a description of the topic and some other closely related examples on the "Sticky fields and session" module index page.

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