Implementing Online Status

[chenko]

How would I display a list of online users at my ASP site?

Thanks.
Si

[JoshT]

Load them into a Application array or other data structure when the Session starts, unload them when the Session ends.

[JoshT]

I would use a db table to store the current users, and just use ADO to get the list from the table.

[chenko]

How do I know when to remove the user from the db thou?

[JoshT]

When the Session ends (either timeout or if you abandon it if they logout).

[chenko]

Ok I get that, but how do I do that? do you have any examples? links?

Thanks
si

[Sastraxi]

In GLOBAL.ASA --->

Sub Session_OnEnd
'code here
End Sub

Although I cannot use Global.ASA on my server (EVIL SERVER ) so I don't know too too much about it (just my handy-dandy Wrox ASP books...)

PS>
Where do all of you guys get your ASPs hosted? (for free I mean), because I can only find BRINKSTER (http://www.brinkster.com/) and they aren't that good...

[chenko]

Originally posted by Sastraxi
In GLOBAL.ASA --->

Sub Session_OnEnd
'code here
End Sub

I heard of that and still dont know how to use it, does anyone have any help?

[Sastraxi]

Okay.. Then you can set a session variable...

Session("UsersOnline") = 0

Then when somebody logs in, (any ASP page)
Session("UsersOnline") = Session("UsersOnline") + 1

Then you can make an array with all the names of them when they login, although I'm not sure session variables support this.

[chenko]

So if i put that session varible in the global.asa it will work for all users? how do i tell when I minus one from it thou?

and also its not hte number of users, its a list of user names i want to put.


thanks
si

[Sastraxi]

Sub Session_OnStart
   Session("LIU") = Session("LIU") + 1
End Sub
Sub Session_OnEnd
   Session("LIU") = Session("LIU") + 1
End Sub

...in Global.ASA

Then you can do this in the ASP that processes the login:

<!-- #INCLUDE FILE="adovbs.inc"-->
<%
'CONNECT TO DATABASE.... AND GET TO CORRECT USER & PWD RECORD
oRec("Online") = "YES" '<-----THIS LINE!!!
Response.Redirect "loggedin.asp?usernm=" + Request.Form("nmme")
'IF THE USER/PWD COMBO IS BAD, THEN REDIRECT TO BADLOGIN PAGE
%>

Then, when you want to display the users:

Sub OutputUsers()
   'connect to database....
   While Not oRec.EOF 
      If oRec("Online") = "YES" Then
         Response.Write "<A HREF='profile.asp?user=' + oRec("Username") + "'>" + oRec("Username") + "</A>"
      End If
   Wend
End Sub
'other stuff...

Note that I put in an ANCHOR tag, going to profile.asp, just for some extras.
This is how I am implementing it on my site.

[Sastraxi]

And also when they logout, remember to set ONLINE in oREC to "".

[chenko]

Thanks!!

What if the user dosesnt log out thou?

si.

[Sastraxi]

Easy. Exiting the site still causes a Session_OnEnd, so...!

[Sastraxi]

Oh sorry just noticed...

In session_onend that should DECREASE the variable ( - 1)

[chenko]

Originally posted by Sastraxi
Oh sorry just noticed...

In session_onend that should DECREASE the variable ( - 1)

hehe Noticed that

Thanks for the code, Now I need to try it just gotta get IIS working now I also got some code off someone else, that had and array in it, but I havnt tried it yet, If it does I will post the code


Cheers all, youve been a Help!!!

Simon

[Sastraxi]

Just some other thoughts.

1. You shouldn't put +1 in the Session_OnStart, add 1 when they login.
2. Make "LIU" (LoggedInUsers) an Application Level variable.
3. Make another Session variable that you will set, "LOGGEDOUT", in the logout page. If "LoggedOut" isn't "YES" then decrease the LIU by 1 ( - 1 ) in Session_OnEnd.

[chenko]

Heres that code that I was talking about... it also holds the IP adresses too...

''*************  GLOBAL.ASA: ******************************
Sub Application_OnStart
  Dim usersArray(100), usersID(100)
  Application("usersArray")=usersArray
  Application("usersID")=usersID
End Sub

''**********************************************************

Sub Session_OnStart
  Session.Timeout = 50
  Session("svr") = Request.ServerVariables("SERVER_NAME")
  Session("ServiceInstance") = "1"
  Dim usersArray, usersID, x, doesExist, myZ
  doesExist=False
  usersArray=Application("usersArray")
  usersID=Application("usersID")
  For x=0 To 99
      If usersArray(x)=Request.ServerVariables("remote_host") Then
         doesExist=True
         Exit For
      End If
  Next
  If Not(doesExist) Then
     For x=0 To 99
         If usersArray(x)="" Then
            Exit For
         End If
     Next
     If (x<100) Then
        usersArray(x)=Request.ServerVariables("remote_host")
        usersID(x)=Session.SessionID
        Application("usersArray")=usersArray
        Application("usersID")=usersID
     End If
  End If

End Sub

''***********************************************************

Sub Session_OnEnd
  Dim usersArray, usersID, x
  usersArray=Application("usersArray")
  usersID=Application("usersID")
  For x=0 To 99
      If usersID(x)=Session.SessionID Then
         usersID(x)=""
         usersArray(x)=""
         Application("usersArray")=usersArray
         Application("usersID")=usersID
         Exit For
      End If
  Next

End Sub

''*************  CHECKUSERS.ASP: ******************************
   Dim usersArray, x
   usersArray=Application("usersArray")
   Response.Write("USERS: <BR>")
   For x=0 To 99
       If usersArray(x)<>"" Then
          Response.Write(x&"."&usersArray(x)&"; "&"<BR>")
       Else
          'do nothing
       End If
   Next

It does exactly what I want, But how do I add a user to it?

[eric445]

Just so you know, www.addfreestats.com has a free service called InLive! that displays the active # of users on the site.

[Sastraxi]

You could add to the # of online GUESTS when the session starts. Then, when they login, decrease that session variable, and increase the # of online users. It would also be easy to grab their ID and take the names from a DB.

[chenko]

I havnt had much time to try at the moment, Im concentrating on the forums it self first, then I will add it in.

[Sastraxi]

Actually, they aren't session variables, they are application variables.

[chenko]

Originally posted by Sastraxi
Actually, they aren't session variables, they are application variables.

Yea thats it

Does the global.asa have to be in the wwwroot?

[kayoca]

Global.asa Doesnt need to be in the wwwroot directory. It has be in your website root.

[chenko]

Ahhhh, bringing back a thread from the dead

kayoca, wwwroot is what i was refering to as the web site root.



Ive just got some time to try and implement this, this is what I have

Global.asa

Application("users")(99) ' Im not sure if thats the way to put a application level array ??



adduser.asp?user=username used to add a user to the list

Dim i
For i = 0 to 99
If Application("users")(i) = "" AND Application("users")(i) = Null Then
Application("users")(i) = Request.QueryString("user")
Response.End
End If
Next


user.asp displays users
Dim i
For i = 0 to 99
If Application("users")(i) <> "" AND Application("users")(i) <> Null Then
Response.Write(i & ". " & Application("users")(i) & "<BR>")
End If
Next


When I run adduser.asp?user=simon I get this error...


Microsoft VBScript runtime error '800a000d'

Type mismatch: '[undefined]'

/simon/online/user.asp, line 5 (ive highlighted line 5 red)


Ideas?

~Simon

[chenko]

I had a talk to Sastraxi over MSN and sorted a few things with my code but I still have few problems

Global.asa

Sub Application_OnStart
Application("users")(99)
End Sub


users.asp

<%
Dim i
For i = 0 to 99
If IsEmpty(Application("users")(i)) = False Then
Response.Write(i & "<BR>" & Application("users")(i) & "<BR>")
End If
Next
%>

When i run users.asp i get this error, line 6 is highlighted above in red

Microsoft VBScript runtime error '800a000d'

Type mismatch: '[undefined]'

/simon/online/read.asp, line 6


any ideas?
cheers

[kayoca]

Its saying Application("users")(i) doesnt exist.
If you want to use arrays perhaps you can try setting a array variable in your Application.

[chenko]

Originally posted by kayoca
If you want to use arrays perhaps you can try setting a array variable in your Application.

???

The Application array does exsit as I am declaring it in the global.asa