Sending cookies from C# Application to an Internet Explorer pop-up window

Question

I have a C# form that we browse our web application with. If we are inside the form and logged in and we click a link that opens a new window (an Internet Explorer window), it asks for my credentials again.

We use cookies to store the session for authentication. Is there a way to make the account stay logged in whether it is in the form or in a separate IE window?

I assume this is a matter of passing cookies from the form to the Internet Explorer window for authentication.

I can provide more information if needed.

Answer 1

I am also experiencing a similar challenge. We are attempting to wrap an external website inside a C# application, but when the external website opens an internet explorer window, the authentication must be re-done.

Has anyone found a solution to this problem?

Answer 2

I've only been able to do this for an embedded WebBrowser control (see code below) but NOT for new IE window. Still haven't found an answer.

[DllImport("wininet.dll", CharSet = CharSet.Auto, SetLastError = true)] public static extern bool InternetSetCookie(string lpszUrlName, string lbszCookieName, string lpszCookieData);

string url = "http://www.google.com";

// write the session cookie InternetSetCookie(url, null, "abc=1");

webBrowser1.Navigate(url);

Answer 3

I believe any new window instance will start a new session and therefore wipe out any session cookies you may have created prior to opening a new browser through either Process.Start("iexplorer.exe", "www.msn.ca") or webBrowser1.Navigate("www.msn.ca", true).

However I finally found a work around for this problem. It involves the following:

1. Create your own web browser that looks almost exactly like Internet Explorer. See the folowing link for code for a basic browser and customize it as needed.

   http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms379558(VS.80).aspx

   I fixed the bug by replacing the obsolete RaftingStrip with the ToolStrip, ToolStripContainer. (Email me if you want this debugged code. I'd post it but I think it's too long for this forum.)

   For myself, I added

   (a) constructor to pass the target url, set it to the Address bar, set it as the home page and also pass the security token

   (b) properties to enable/disable the Address bar and Search bars

   (c) added Cut, Copy, Paste, SaveAs, and Print buttons

   (d) changed the progress icon from "C#" to an hourglass

2. On the web browser form's declaration section, add

   DllImport("wininet.dll", CharSet = CharSet.Auto, SetLastError = true)] public static extern bool InternetSetCookie(string lpszUrlName, string lbszCookieName, string lpszCookieData);

3. On the web browser form load and Create_a_new_tab(), before the webpage.Navigate() insert the lines below that save the token to a session cookie. (This may also be required on the button_go_click and button_search_click events if navigating to a new domain. Personally, I would disable the Address and Search bars if passing a security token.)

   string url = comboBox_url.Text.Trim(); // write the session cookie

   string security_token = "my_session_id=12345" // should have been passed to constructor

   InternetSetCookie(url, null, security_token);

The user will never know the difference and you have control over what features to turn on/off or implement.

Answer 4

you can use the usual session mode..

e.g:

Session.Add("", >

e.g: if you want to hold the username which is in a variable called "User", you can use the below code.

Session.Add("UserName", User);

in order to calidate this session in your webpage, use the below code under the page_lad method.

if(Session["UserName"] != null) {

---

}

else { * (you can redirect to your home page...) }