javascript cookies question

[pnj]

I'm building an application that i need people to logon in order for them to view specific pages.

not a problem with that.

but what if they bookmark those pages?

how do i create a cookie in javascript that expires when they end the session or close the browser?

I doesn't need to be complex.

thanks for any tips or suggestions!

[Rick Bull]

This is what I use, I think if you don't pass a date it expires at the end of the session:

//Sets a cookie. Send the name of the varible, the value, days until it expires - leave blank for no-expiration
function setCookie(cookieName, cookieValue, cookieExpiry) {
  //If the date is not already in date format (i.e. days till expiry), and not missing
  if (!(cookieExpiry instanceof Date) && cookieExpiry != null) {
    //Convert the expiry date to the correct format
    var expiryDate = new Date ();
    expiryDate.setTime(expiryDate.getTime() + (cookieExpiry * 24 * 3600 * 1000));
    cookieExpiry = expiryDate;
  }
  //Write the cookie, and the expiration date (if present)
  document.cookie = cookieName + '=' + escape(cookieValue) + ((cookieExpiry == null) ? '' : '; expires=' + cookieExpiry.toGMTString());
  return true;
}

If you want the rest of the JS file (reading/deleting cookies etc) just let me know.

[pnj]

thanks!

yea, if you have the rest of the code that reads it that would be cool

what i'm going to do is, if the user trys to bookmark a page, i'll read the cookie. if it doesn't exist, send them back to the login page.

make sense?

thanks again!

[Rick Bull]

Good idea. Here's the file, I think it all works fine. I added a function called sixMonths that returns the date plus six months, so that you can set cookies for that length of time.

[pnj]

great!

thanks again!

[Rick Bull]

You're welcome.