CodeIgniter - Store class instance in CI session - php

Question

Recently, I've been wanting to implement the Facebook SDK for PHP in my CodeIgniter project.
Facebook sdk can be slooooow, that's why I want to store a class instance containing gathered fb & fb user details in the user session.
When I store the class instance, I can use it later on as long as I don't refresh or redirect.
When I do redirect, the value is unset...
I've read about using serialize and unserialize (for global PHP sessions), but it didn't help in this situation.
This is the fb class:
class FBClass {
protected $FB = false;
protected $FBUser = false;
protected $FBUserProfile = false;
protected $FBUserEmail = false;
protected $loggedIn = false;
protected $config = array(
'appId' => '007',
'secret' => '911',
'cookie' => true,
'fileUpload' => false,
'allowSignedRequest' => false
);
protected $params = array(
'client_id' => '007',
'scope' => 'email'
);
function __construct() {
if (!$this->FB) {
$this->FB = new Facebook($this->config);
}
}
public function isLoggedIn() {
return $this->loggedIn;
}
public function getLoginUrl() {
$this->FB->getLoginUrl($this->params);
}
public function getUser() {
if (!$this->FBUser) {
$this->FBUser = $this->FB->getUser();
}
return $this->FBUser;
}
public function getUserProfile() {
if (!$this->FBUserProfile) {
$this->FBUserProfile = $this->FB->api('/me','GET');
}
if ($this->FBUserProfile && !$this->FBUserEmail) {
$emailArray = $this->FB->api('/me?fields=email');
$this->FBUserEmail = array_key_exists('email', $emailArray) ? $emailArray['email'] : 'Onbekend';
$this->loggedIn = true;
}
return $this->FBUserProfile;
}
public function getUserFullName() {
return $this->FBUserProfile['name'];
}
public function getUserAlias() {
return $this->FBUserProfile['username'];
}
public function getUserEmail() {
return $this->FBUserEmail;
}
public function getUserFirstName() {
return $this->FBUserProfile['first_name'];
}
public function getUserLastName() {
return $this->FBUserProfile['last_name'];
}
public function getUserId() {
return $this->FBUserProfile['id'];
}
}
In my controller, I store or retrieve my FBClass instance like this:
public function checkFacebookState() {
if (!$this->session->userdata('fb')) {
$fbSes = new FBClass();
$this->session->set_userdata('fb', serialize($fbSes));
} else {
$fbSes = unserialize($this->session->userdata('fb'));
}
}
Storing strings in the session does work.
I know PHP is not OO, that's why I'm looking for an easy alternative.
Any ideas?

Answer 1

In order for you to save your instance in a session, there is no problem whether you serialize it first or not.
Take the following example for instance.
create a library test in your application/library folder:
class Test {
public $testProp;
public function __construct() {
$this->testProp = 'testing';
}
}
then in your controller write the following:
class Welcome extends CI_Controller {
public function index()
{
$this->load->library('test');
$this->session->set_userdata('someIns', $this->test);
$this->load->view('welcome_message');
}
}
and lastly in your view:
<div id="container">
<?php
echo '<pre>';
var_dump($x = $this->session->userdata('someIns'));
echo '</pre>';
echo '<pre>';
echo $x->testProp;
echo '</pre>';
echo '<pre>';
var_dump($this->session->all_userdata());
echo '</pre>';
?>
</div>
the output would be:
object(Test)#15 (1) {
["testProp"]=>
string(7) "testing"
}
testing
array(6) {
//some session data
["user_data"]=>
string(0) ""
["someIns"]=>
object(Test)#15 (1) {
["testProp"]=>
string(7) "testing"
}
}
if you noticed I used echo $x->testProp directly after fetching it from the session.
No serialization needed here.
With serialization:
Controller:
class Welcome extends CI_Controller {
public function index()
{
$this->load->library('test');
$this->session->set_userdata('someIns', serialize($this->test));
$this->load->view('welcome_message');
}
}
View:
<div id="container">
<?php
echo '<pre>';
var_dump($x = $this->session->userdata('someIns'));
echo '</pre>';
echo '<pre>';
$y = unserialize($x);
echo $y->testProp;
echo '</pre>';
echo '<pre>';
var_dump($this->session->all_userdata());
echo '</pre>';
?>
</div>
Results:
string(44) "O:4:"Test":1:{s:8:"testProp";s:7:"testing";}"
testing
array(6) {
//some session data
["user_data"]=>
string(0) ""
["someIns"]=>
string(44) "O:4:"Test":1:{s:8:"testProp";s:7:"testing";}"
}
the word testing is still being echoed out.
Now your problem, apparently, is that you are getting your FB class in a wrong way,
it is a library. Thus, you need to load your library first, as I did in the above example,
$this->load->library('test');
$this->session->set_userdata('someIns', $this->test);
or after serializing it. $this->test here is an instance of the Test class in the library folder.