session_start() doesn't seem to work

Question

I am writing a form that verifies a sign in according to a youtube tutorial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mn0ucCuNOTI.

The thing is I can't make this particular page work:

    <?php include_once("db.php") 
     session_start();
     ?>

    <?php
$user = $_POST['name'];
$pass = $_POST['pwd'];

 $sql="SELECT count(*) from phplogin WHERE(username='$user' and password='$pass')";

$query = mysql_query($sql);

$result = mysql_fetch_array($query);

if($result[0] > 0) {
    $_SESSION['userName']=$user;
    echo "Succesful login!";

    echo "<br /> Welcome " .$_SESSION['userName']. "!";
    echo "<br /><a href='signupform.php' > SignUp </a>";
    echo "<br /><a href='signinform.php' > SignIn </a>";
    echo "<br /><a href='logout.php' > LogOut </a>";
}
else{
echo "Login failed!";
echo "<br /><a href='signupform.php' > SignUp </a>";
echo "<br /><a href='signinform.php' > SignIn </a>";

}
?>

The thing is when I removed start_session() the site worked (of course I haven't started to use the session for real). I don't know if the problem is in my code.

Now I get the following error message instead: Parse error: syntax error, unexpected 'session_start' (T_STRING) in C:\webserver\apache\htdocs\sign_in_up\signin.php on line 2

See also http://stackoverflow.com/questions/18050071/php-parse-syntax-errors-and-how-to-solve-them#18092277 — mario, Aug 22 '13 at 00:43

score 3 · Accepted Answer · answered Aug 21 '13 at 23:46

3

You're simply missing a semicolon after your include_once statement:

<?php
   include_once("db.php"); // Added the missing semi-colon
   session_start();
?>

answered Aug 21 '13 at 23:46

Paul

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score 2 · Answer 2 · answered Aug 21 '13 at 23:47

2

try this:

<?php include_once("db.php") ;//semi-colon was missing
     session_start();
     ?>

answered Aug 21 '13 at 23:47

undone

7,857
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While this is the right answer, it would be nice if you included a one line explanation of what was wrong, rather than just 'try this'. – Ayush Aug 21 '13 at 23:49
@xbonez you're right. done :-) – undone Aug 21 '13 at 23:50

score 2 · Answer 3 · answered Aug 21 '13 at 23:47

2

You have a missing semi-colon.

<?php include_once("db.php"); 
 session_start();
 ?>

PHP cannot process the next function correctly due to this missing syntax.. Hence the error showing on the next line.

answered Aug 21 '13 at 23:47

Daryl Gill

5,464
9
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69

session_start() doesn't seem to work

3 Answers3