Call to undefined function session_start()

Question

I'm trying to start a session with php, but I always get this error:

Fatal error: Call to undefined function session_start() in /www/test/test.php on line 2

My Code (Copied form http://php.net/manual/en/session.examples.basic.php):

<?php
session_start();
if (!isset($_SESSION['count'])) {
  $_SESSION['count'] = 0;
} else {
  $_SESSION['count']++;
}
?>

In my php.ini I got extension=session.so . Further, my settings in session section are:

[Session]
session.save_handler = files
session.save_path = "/tmp"
session.use_cookies = 1
;session.cookie_secure =
session.use_only_cookies = 1
session.name = PHPSESSID
session.auto_start = 0
session.cookie_lifetime = 0
session.cookie_path = /
session.cookie_domain =
session.cookie_httponly =
session.serialize_handler = php
session.gc_probability = 1
session.gc_divisor     = 100
session.gc_maxlifetime = 1440
session.bug_compat_42 = On
session.bug_compat_warn = On
session.referer_check =
session.entropy_length = 0
;session.entropy_file = /dev/urandom
session.entropy_file =
;session.entropy_length = 16
session.cache_limiter = nocache
session.cache_expire = 180
session.use_trans_sid = 0
session.hash_function = 0
session.hash_bits_per_character = 4
url_rewriter.tags = "a=href,area=href,frame=src,input=src,form=,fieldset="

I'm using PHP Version 5.4.17. The server is running on an Arduino Yun (Linux).

Anyone can help me, or give ma a hint? :)

Thanks!

Check your error logs and your PHP modules paths. Just because you're telling PHP to load the sessions extension doesn't mean that it actually exists on your machine. — WWW, Dec 11 '14 at 17:04
You might also run [`phpinfo()`](http://php.net/manual/en/function.phpinfo.php) to see whether the module is loaded properly. — GolezTrol, Dec 11 '14 at 17:06
Someone might be a php newbie like me so I'm putting this in. I checked phpinfo and session support was enabled. Problem was that I wrote `session.start();` instead of `session_start();`. I think I'm allowed to simply say "doesn't work" for this one. — BobRodes, May 16 '16 at 04:50

score 10 · Answer 1 · answered Jan 09 '18 at 19:46

10

I had to install additional php7-session package on Alpine Linux to make it work. I guess you can install it too:

opkg install php5-mod-session

answered Jan 09 '18 at 19:46

vladkras

16,483
4
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2

Did alpine rename their package manager, or is that a typo? https://wiki.alpinelinux.org/wiki/Alpine_Linux_package_management v https://openwrt.org/docs/guide-user/additional-software/opkg – AD7six Jun 09 '21 at 14:03
I'm using PHP 8 on Alpine, and added the following to my Dockerfile: `apk add php8-session` Seems to be working OK. Thanks for the suggestion @vladkras – dougB Oct 14 '22 at 02:49

score 3 · Answer 2 · answered Sep 07 '18 at 08:04

3

On FreeBSD 11:

su pkg install php72-session
service php-fpm restart

my 2 cents

answered Sep 07 '18 at 08:04

Code4R7

2,600
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score 2 · Answer 3 · answered Dec 11 '14 at 17:19

2

looks like self-compiled php with --disable-session for minimization purpose.
Try to recompile your php without this option.

You can check this in php -i output.
Should be Session support => enabled

answered Dec 11 '14 at 17:19

vp_arth

14,461
4
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score 2 · Answer 4 · answered Jun 27 '16 at 01:36

2

If you are running PHP cli version from a shell, the session extension is not included because it does not make sense, as sessions only exist when the user is accessing your server via a Web browser.

answered Jun 27 '16 at 01:36

mlemos

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Call to undefined function session_start()

4 Answers4

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