Setting session variables.... whats the optimal/ideal place to declare?

[leetv]

Whats the most optimal place to declare a session variable? i.e. on the login page? on the grid being used?
I don't see an option in security to set session variables, except for ulink, upon login..

[glenschild]

Re: Setting session variables.... whats the optimal/ideal place to declare?

Hi Lee

I tend to use an interim .a5w page that sets session variables and whatever other setup processing that needs to happen this page then in turn goes to whatever page you need when done.

[leetv]

Re: Setting session variables.... whats the optimal/ideal place to declare?

Thanks Glen

I'm guessing this would be a page immediately after login if all session variables are to be available to other pages.

in the instance that a page is redirected after login, does the interim page still get accessed to declare the variables? Meaning if a user clicks on a link that requires login, does the interim page still get executed?

and just to be sure the format for declaring session variables is as follows (on an A5W page):
( couldn't find much in the forum as how to actually declare the session variables--so i've been guessing and not getting much result).

<a5%

session.variablename = expression

%>

can anyone post examples of session declaration code? (googling didnt come up with much)

thanks
lee

[Peter.Greulich]

Re: Setting session variables.... whats the optimal/ideal place to declare?

You have it exactly right.

<a5%
session.message = "Hello World"
session.date = DTOC(date())
session.number = str(100)
'etc etc
%>

[leetv]

Re: Setting session variables.... whats the optimal/ideal place to declare?

Thanks a ton peter... :)
you guys rock!!!
lee

[kleky]

Re: Setting session variables.... whats the optimal/ideal place to declare?

Can you create session arrays? And re-size them later on in a function? :)

[JerryBrightbill]

Re: Setting session variables.... whats the optimal/ideal place to declare?

Can you create session arrays? And re-size them later on in a function? :)

While V10 will allow arrays as session variables, it is not recommended as later Alpha Five versions do not support arrays in session variables. Session variables should only be character strings in later Alpha Five versions such as Alpha Anywhere (A5v12). If you need an array, create a local array and then dump the properties to a string and save the string in a session variable. Then recreate the array from the string wherever needed.

'----------- Create array and convert to string and save string and format in session variables
dim arr[0] as p

for i = 1 to 5
    arr[].name = "Name"+convert_type(i,"C")
    arr[..].Sort = convert_type(i,"C")
next
dim session.arrayString as c
dim session.arrayFormat as c = "name|sort"
session.arrayString = arr.dump_properties(session.arrayFormat)

'---------- reformulate array from session variables

dim session.arrayString as c
dim session.arrayFormat as c
dim arr[0] as p
if session.arrayFormat <> "" .and. session.arrayString <> ""
    arr.initialize_properties(session.arrayFormat,session.arrayString)
end if

If the array is not a pointer array, or the format is always known, there isn't any need to save the format.

However, if the amount of data in the array is large, it would probably be better to save the data in a table and pull the data as needed

[kleky]

Re: Setting session variables.... whats the optimal/ideal place to declare?

Fantastic, Jerry, thanks for that. I'll give this a go. I just wanted to save a small amount of data from a http get so I didn't have to re-submit it when using it a second time. Unfortunately, storing it in a dropdown makes it too difficult to put back into an array (using v11 particularly).

[kleky]

Re: Setting session variables.... whats the optimal/ideal place to declare?

I got there eventually, but it was a pain in the back-side. It's annoying that it can't pick up pointer array Dot variable name, meaning I have to explicitly name them in the format string(session.arrayFormat).