PHP Session variable timeout

Question

My application uses some session variables that are timing out even though I thought they would not because I've got the following setting in php.ini:

session.cookie_lifetime = 0

The other session settings in php.ini are pretty much set as their defaults. How do I make sure the session variables stay around until the browser window closes?

Answer 1

I think you set the session timeout with session.gc_maxlifetime which defaults to 1440 seconds - 24 minutes

Answer 2

Note that since PHP 4.2.3 the life time is calculated on the base of the modification date and not the access date (see session.gc_maxlifetime). So you have to update the session data on every request to “reset the timer”.