[Catalyst] Browser window/tab independent sessions

[Ian Docherty]

Perrin Harkins wrote:
> Ian Docherty wrote:
>> What is still not clear is how to generate (for all possible ways of 
>> opening a new window) a new URL encoded session value. e.g. cutting 
>> and pasting a URL from one window into another will also copy the URL 
>> encoded session so both windows would have the same state.
>
> It's not a problem.  You have to stop thinking session IDs.  If what 
> you have in the URL is things like the current search term, it doesn't 
> hurt anything for them to be there when the person copies the URL and 
> pastes it into a new window.  The new window's data will change as the 
> person uses it, with no affect on the old window.  The only way it can 
> be a problem is if you put session IDs in the URL that are tied back 
> to server-side state.  Then both windows will be trying to change the 
> same server-side state.
>
> In other words, for state information that you keep in the URLs, 
> making a new window and pasting the URL into it will instantly split 
> the new window's state from the old one.
OK, I see and understand. However, it also depends on the amount of 
information that has to be stored and there is a limit (but I can't 
remember what it is) in the length of a URL.

I can see I might need to put a lot of information into the URL, for 
example when generating complex free-form reports based on a form (have 
you seen the reporting system in RT for example).

I think I will have to put this thread in my subconscious and come back 
to it later :)

Regards
Ian Docherty (IcyDee)
>
> As someone else pointed out, Apache::Session::Counted can also solve 
> this problem, but most people will find it more confusing than just 
> putting everything in the URLs.
>
> - Perrin