Catalyst-Plugin-Session-CGISession

Catalyst-Plugin-Session-CGISession version 0.2

NAME

Catalyst::Plugin::Session::CGISession - use CGI::Session for persistent session data

SYNOPSIS

use Catalyst qw{ ... Session::CGISession ... };

        MyApp->config->{session} = {
            expires   => 3600,
            rewrite   => 1,
        };

        $c->session->{foo} = 'bar';
        print $c->sessionid;

DESCRIPTION

This plugin provides the same functionality as the original Session::FastMmap plugin but uses the CGI::Session module for the session data management.

The motivations to develop this plugin were:

provide better session data expiration handling, as is available through the CGI::Session module
provide an easier migration to Catalyst for applications that have been using CGI::Session and its param() and other methods
allow Windows users to avoid the workarounds needed to make Cache::FastMmap work

The difference in session expiration between this plugin and Session::FastMmap is small but important. CGI::Session resets the expiration time limit on every access to the session. A one day time limit means the session data disappears 24 hours after the last request using that session. With Session::FastMmap the limit would be 24 hours after the first request, when the session is created.

While this plugin adds some functions and methods beyond those available with Session::FastMmap, new development most likely should avoid using these features. Try to use only the common feature, session(), to stay compatible with "Session::FastMmap" and other future session plugins.

DEPENDENCIES

CGI::Session
This module was developed using the first CGI::Session 4.00 release. It was subsequently tested under 3.95, the last 3.x version.

Testing has been done using:

Windows XP

CGI::Session 4.00 'File' driver

CGI::Session 4.00 MySQL 3.23.x

            CGI::Session 3.95   MySQL 3.23.x
                Note: driver name case sensitivity, e.g.
                    cgis_dsn: driver:MySQL;serializer:Storable;id:MD5
                Note: TableName not available, must use global variable, e.g.
                    $CGI::Session::MySQL::TABLE_NAME = 'myapp_sessions';

            CGI::Session 3.95   'File' driver
                Note: different global variable $CGI::Session::File::FileName

        Linux

            CGI::Session 3.95   'File' driver
                Note: this driver leaves session data tainted

            CGI::Session 3.95   MySQL 3.23.x

INSTALLATION

To install this module, run the following commands:

perl Build.PL
./Build
./Build test
./Build install

Alternatively, to install without Module::Build, you can use the following commands:

perl Makefile.PL
make
make test
make install

THANKS

To Christian Hansen, from whose test program implementation of CGI::Session use I borrowed extensively,

To Andy Grundman, for the solution to poking cookie values,

To Sebastian Riedel and Marcus Ramberg, for the Catalyst::Plugin::Session::FastMmap module used to get me started,

And to them and the rest of the contributors to Catalyst, for a great start!

AUTHOR

Thomas L. Shinnick "<tshinnic@cpan.org>"

LICENCE AND COPYRIGHT

This module is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself. See perlartistic.

DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY

BECAUSE THIS SOFTWARE IS LICENSED FREE OF CHARGE, THERE IS NO WARRANTY FOR THE SOFTWARE, TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW. EXCEPT WHEN OTHERWISE STATED IN WRITING THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND/OR OTHER PARTIES PROVIDE THE SOFTWARE "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THE ENTIRE RISK AS TO THE QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE OF THE SOFTWARE IS WITH YOU. SHOULD THE SOFTWARE PROVE DEFECTIVE, YOU ASSUME THE COST OF ALL NECESSARY SERVICING, REPAIR, OR CORRECTION.

IN NO EVENT UNLESS REQUIRED BY APPLICABLE LAW OR AGREED TO IN WRITING WILL ANY COPYRIGHT HOLDER, OR ANY OTHER PARTY WHO MAY MODIFY AND/OR REDISTRIBUTE THE SOFTWARE AS PERMITTED BY THE ABOVE LICENCE, BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR DAMAGES, INCLUDING ANY GENERAL, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE THE SOFTWARE (INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOSS OF DATA OR DATA BEING RENDERED INACCURATE OR LOSSES SUSTAINED BY YOU OR THIRD PARTIES OR A FAILURE OF THE SOFTWARE TO OPERATE WITH ANY OTHER SOFTWARE), EVEN IF SUCH HOLDER OR OTHER PARTY HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.