PHP Know if user is on a page

Question

I am developing a Ticker support client in PHP with CodeIgniter, and I want to know if a user already open a ticket to hide this ticket from the list.

I know there is the solution of change a flag in database when the ticket is opened, then use :

 $(window).unload(function() {
    $.ajax({async:false ..... 
    /* change flag in database */
 });

But, what if the user's navigator is forcing to close ? Do I need a CRON task running to reset these flags ? Do you have some feedback for a complete solution ? Thanks.

"and I want to know if a user already open a ticket to hide this ticket from the list" this seems completely unrelated to the title. So what is that you want? Also what do you mean by "complete solution"? Complete code? Because if so, I think you came to the wrong place, we do not usually provide full code but suggestions on helping the user improve... not just copy. — sh03
– sh03, Commented Dec 19, 2012 at 9:09
Yes sorry for the title, this is hard to find the good words. I don't want a complete code, but some ideas for my problem. I want to know exactly if a ticket is opened by a user, and to know when the user close this ticket (by clicking on history back button for exemple, or if he close his navigator) — Vincent Decaux
– Vincent Decaux, Commented Dec 19, 2012 at 9:23
So you want to check if the user is no more on a specific page? — sh03
– sh03, Commented Dec 19, 2012 at 9:25

sh03 · Accepted Answer · 2012-12-19 09:31:54Z

2

Since PHP runs only once per page load, the only way to check continuously if a user is still on the desired page you need Javascript + AJAX. How?

Every 1-5 minutes you update a specific field in the database using the timestamp of the last update (like you said) and in the PHP script you check that field in order to close or keep that ticket open.

By the way notice that this solution requires Javascript enabled so either you force the user to enable it (by blocking it otherwise) or you define that after few minutes (15-1hr) of no page loading you close the ticket.

answered Dec 19, 2012 at 9:31

sh03

76.5k39 gold badges177 silver badges282 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

1 Comment

Vincent Decaux Over a year ago

This is a good solution, a AJAX call every 4 minutes on the ticket page to update a timestamp, and check if this timestamp was updated > 4 minutes in a PHP script, so the ticket was closed necessarily. I searched in the wrong direction, thanks !

VDP · Accepted Answer · 2012-12-19 09:45:15Z

0

I can suggest a couple of options.

using the ajax solution Jeffrey suggest.

advantage: easy to implement, supported on all browsers

disadvantage: not really live
using server sent events (similar to the ajax polling solution)

advantage: less overhead

disadvantage: not supported on IE & Android, not really live
websockets for a completely live solution. Make a connection, on connection lost or closed => release the ticket.

advantage: live, least overhead

disadvantage: not supported on <IE10 & Android, harder to implement on the server side.

However for the 'not supported' issues, there are fall-back techniques (modernizr)

answered Dec 19, 2012 at 9:45

VDP

6,4104 gold badges33 silver badges54 bronze badges

1 Comment

Vincent Decaux Over a year ago

I don't need a "fully live" solution, but thanks for WebSockets point, I did not think of this solution.

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

PHP Know if user is on a page

2 Answers 2

1 Comment

1 Comment

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

2 Answers 2

1 Comment

1 Comment

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related