Hiding a div based on session in PHP - php

Question

I have a div that contains a slider when the homepage of the website is opened. What im trying to achieve is that when the website is opened for the first time, the slider should appear. However, if the user goes another page other than the homepage and then returns to the homepage again, the slider should not appear.
Below is the code I am trying to implement:
<div class="homeslidermain" style="display:<?php echo empty($_SESSION['first_load']) ? 'block' : 'none'; ?>">
<?php putRevSlider("typewriter-effect", "homepage") ?>
</div>

Answer 1

The recommended way would be to set a cookie using setcookie() and getcookie() (http://php.net/manual/de/features.cookies.php).
If you want to use the session then you are setting "first_load" incorrectly. Make sure that on any page call:
session_start(); // before you do anything else
if(!isset($_SESSION['first_load'])) // set it to true on first load
... and to false in any other case.
The only reason why this might go wrong is if you are reinitializing your session wrong. Make sure you are still in the same session after switching pages.

Answer 2

There is no need to output the div as display:none. Just output the div only when user visits the homepage for the first time. Use the setcookie() function to remember that user already visited he homepage, but please note that you should call this function before any output.
<?php
if (empty($_COOKIE['homepage_visited'])) {
// Remember the first visit for one year
setcookie('homepage_visited', 1, strtotime('+1 year'));
// Show the slider
echo '<div class="homeslidermain">';
putRevSlider("typewriter-effect", "homepage");
echo '</div>';
}

Answer 3

There are several ways to achieve it, best is to check if user visiting page for first time
session_start();
if(!isset($_SESSION['first_load']))
{
$_SESSION['first_load'] = '1';
}
if(empty($_SESSION['first_load']))
{?>
<div>
Slider block // this block loads only is first load is empty
</div>
<?php
}?>

Answer 4

You Could try something like this
// start the session
session_start();
$bShowBanner = true;
if(isset($_SESSION['BannerShown'])){
$bShowBanner = false;
}else{
$_SESSION['BannerShown'] = true;
}
?>
<div class="homeslidermain" style="display:<?php echo ($bShowBanner ? 'block' : 'none'); ?>">
<?php putRevSlider("typewriter-effect", "homepage") ?>
</div>