Who's online does not show cart

I run into this interesting problem on a new set up cart, the session is stored in database btw (since it seems like this doesnt work if session stored in files)

I can see users having items in cart, just cant see the cart content, weird.

If you have hardened PHP installed (suhosin), you won't be able to see cart contents.

Thanks DrByte. That's one possibility, huhm. We were using 1.3.7 on the same server and the cart content view was working fine though?

Regards

Raine

The bigger question is ... why are you snooping on your visitors while they're shopping anyway ... but that's a more philosophical topic anyway.
If you're trying to do analytics, you're better off using other tools for that, since they track all visitors' patterns, not just one at a time, and produce usable stats.
If you're just trying to cheer them on, well, there are better things for a shopowner to be spending their time on.

Do you store to database or files?

You need to store to database to see the cart contents via whos_online ...

DrByte:

The bigger question is ... why are you snooping on your visitors while they're shopping anyway ... but that's a more philosophical topic anyway.
If you're trying to do analytics, you're better off using other tools for that, since they track all visitors' patterns, not just one at a time, and produce usable stats.
If you're just trying to cheer them on, well, there are better things for a shopowner to be spending their time on.
It's actually what my partner wants to see, and also Im curious as a developer to know why it doesnt work :)

Ajeh:

Do you store to database or files?

You need to store to database to see the cart contents via whos_online ...
Im storing in Database Ajeh

Then I'd go with DrByte's conclusions ... :smile:

Ajeh:

Then I'd go with DrByte's conclusions ... :smile:
Thanks Ajeh, So since it was working on 1.3.7, can I assume that this is due to some changes in the code in 1.3.8?

Hi,

Well its nothing to do with Suhosin. Im having same problem, so I requested my host provider to disable it, but still its not working though its disabled.

Some thing other is playing behind the screen that still not got to zen designers.

After seeing Suhosin as culprit for Who's Online in many threads I assumed it will work if its gone but no way, its still there.

~ Time
Ver:1.3.8a

And you also are storing everything to the database in your two configure.php files, correct?

Ajeh:

And you also are storing everything to the database in your two configure.php files, correct?

Hi,

Yes that also its given 'db' in both files. I noticed this also in many threads.

Seeing what all in cart is very important for us, as we guide to customers what shipping method they should use based on items in cart. We have multiple shipping methods.

~ Time

time111:

... we guide to customers what shipping method they should use based on items in cart.
I'm not sure I understand ... are you talking to these customers while they're on the telephone with you or something?
If yes, then why do you need to see the cart online if you have them on the phone and are guiding their shopping?
If no, then how do you influence their choice of shipping options if you have no interaction with them other than remotely spying on what they choose to add to their cart?

Hi,

We use live chat and its not spying and we dont influence any customer, we only guide for appropriate shipping method, as it become lengthy process to inform them for extra shipping or refunding balance if they paid extra.

By the way, I will be glad if you concentrate on core issue i.e. Who's Online not working. If it was so unethical then it would not have included in software in first place. As many people on forum are searching this. Im the first person who confirmed that its nothing to do with Suhosin.

~ Time

Well, I'm not sure what exactly is causing it, because in the past couple hours I have checked a dozen different sites, spread across numerous different servers using various hosting configurations, including varying operating systems and varying server software ... and all of them are showing whos-online data, including cart contents, properly, on Zen Cart v1.3.8.

So ... in some respect, the problem seems to be isolated to the two of you.

Architecturally, the data is stored in the sessions table if you have your configure.php settings set to do so. As mentioned previously, if you have your config set to store sessions in files, that's not going to work. And, you need to be sure you have the same setting on both the admin and the storefront versions of your configure.php file.

Additionally, if the problem "just started happening" recently, then it's pretty clear that the problem isn't with the software, unless you (or someone) have made changes to the software. So, if it's not the software, then perhaps it's the server. You're on your own to deal with your hosting company about what they've changed on their server.

time111:

By the way, I will be glad if you concentrate on core issue i.e. Who's Online not working.
If you were to explain exactly what your problem was, perhaps that might be possible. In other forum threads you've scattered varying conflicting pieces of information. In one you talk about too many entries showing according to your personal preference. In another you talk about error messages. In another you talk about suhosin problems. In another you talk about other cart issues.

Pick a thread, and explain the big picture there ... instead of hijacking 10 different threads that don't necessarily relate to your exact problem.

Well, before this topic gets too long :laugh:

I understand your privacy concern DrByte, and I dont want to go peek into other people carts as well, but this is a question I was asked and could not find the answer, so I was interested in. What puzzles me was that the function was working on 1.3.7, but stops working on the new 1.3.8a. I have checked both configure files, they are all using 'db'. so that is weird. Anyhow, I think I can tell the person to live without that, Im just curious I guess.

The only difference between 1.3.7 and 1.3.8 related to whos_online is that the database field storing the data was made larger to store more data. The net difference on the PHP side is nothing other than more data. I suppose you could force it back to shorter field length, but that doesn't seem to make any sense ... especially when I've seen it working just fine on lots of sites ... with my own eyes. I find it hard to believe that the problem is specific to 1.3.8. It seems way more likely to be specific to the host.

DrByte:

If you were to explain exactly what your problem was, perhaps that might be possible. In other forum threads you've scattered varying conflicting pieces of information. In one you talk about too many entries showing according to your personal preference. In another you talk about error messages. In another you talk about suhosin problems. In another you talk about other cart issues.

Pick a thread, and explain the big picture there ... instead of hijacking 10 different threads that don't necessarily relate to your exact problem.

Hi,

In this thread I only posted because you was online at that time and the topic was same.

I saw many 0 post threads which no one answers but questions are valid, so its make no sense that i should not join existing live thread than posting a 0 thread post.

You had a peek on my other posts but incomplete. In all posts I only posted with relevant information. So called experts of zencart are telling people that because of Suhosin, Who's online is not working, so there I clarified even without it its not working.
You also mistaken on too many entries, its not a bug, I just wanted to reduce online time of visitors from 20 mins to 5 mins so that it does not create a long list. So in short that also not related to this post.

I believe in place of pointing out to any person, it will be wise to address main issue here as its effecting lot of people. I my self dig out more than 2 dozen such people on forum.

I do not know is it specific to 1.3.8 or not as from day one I use this. I encountered after I shifted from my new server to old server after encountering frequent downtime by new server. At first I though it was due to backing up of files but later when I done a fresh test installation, same problem persists. So I started digging into the forum.

~ Time