Topic awaiting preservation: javascript cookies

I need to implement a cookie and need some help - even after some research I cant find a "cut and paste" example that I understand!!!

Basically I have an index page that has 2 choices of industry. I need the choice to be stored in a cookie so that when users return they are always directed to the correct page.

I though of having a remember choice checkbox that when ticked will drop the cookie.

can anyone help me or direct me to a script that is easily customisable?

cheers

FR

Why not checking the FAQ ?

I have found this code... it uses check boxs to deploy the cookie - is there anyway to use <a href> tags to set the cookie if just one check box is ticked. i.e. 2 links (bs & it) one check box and no form elements to call just <a> tags?

<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">

<!-- Original:  Ronnie T. Moore -->

<!-- Web Site:  The JavaScript Source -->



<!-- This script and many more are available free online at -->

<!-- The JavaScript Source!! http://javascript.internet.com -->



<!-- Begin

var expDays = 30;

var exp = new Date(); 

exp.setTime(exp.getTime() + (expDays*24*60*60*1000));



function getCookieVal (offset) {  

var endstr = document.cookie.indexOf (";", offset);  

if (endstr == -1)    

endstr = document.cookie.length;  

return unescape(document.cookie.substring(offset, endstr));

}

function GetCookie (name) {  

var arg = name + "=";  

var alen = arg.length;  

var clen = document.cookie.length;  

var i = 0;  

while (i < clen) {    

var j = i + alen;    

if (document.cookie.substring(i, j) == arg)      

return getCookieVal (j);    

i = document.cookie.indexOf(" ", i) + 1;    

if (i == 0) break;   

}  

return null;

}

function SetCookie (name, value) {  

var argv = SetCookie.arguments;  

var argc = SetCookie.arguments.length;  

var expires = (argc > 2) ? argv[2] : null;  

var path = (argc > 3) ? argv[3] : null;  

var domain = (argc > 4) ? argv[4] : null;  

var secure = (argc > 5) ? argv[5] : false;  

document.cookie = name + "=" + escape (value) + 

((expires == null) ? "" : ("; expires=" + expires.toGMTString())) + 

((path == null) ? "" : ("; path=" + path)) +  

((domain == null) ? "" : ("; domain=" + domain)) +    

((secure == true) ? "; secure" : "");

}

function DeleteCookie (name) {  

var exp = new Date();  

exp.setTime (exp.getTime() - 1);  

var cval = GetCookie (name);  

document.cookie = name + "=" + cval + "; expires=" + exp.toGMTString();

}



var favorite = GetCookie('selection');



if (favorite != null) {

switch (favorite) {

case 'it' : 	url = '/it/index.shtml'; // change these!

	     	break;

case 'bs' : 	url = '/bs/index.shtml'; 

	     	break;

}

window.location.href = url;

}

//  End -->

</script>

</HEAD>

call is

<form>

<table><tr><td>



<input type=checkbox name="it" onClick="SetCookie('selection', this.name, exp);">it<br>

<input type=checkbox name="bs" onClick="SetCookie('selection', this.name, exp);">bs<br>



</td></tr>

</table>

</form>

</center>

(Edited by FatRod on 03-02-2005 13:19)

Sorry, without a link I'm too tired to look closely at that (unindented) source code.

Check the How do I set and read cookies in JavaScript?, and you may also have a look at the GreaseMonkey: Pouet "attention whores" toggle user script I did to look my setCookie( ), getCookie( ) functions and how I trigger them.

Hope that helps,



(Edited by poi on 03-02-2005 14:27)

Thanks POI, not that any of it makes any sense to me - i have no javascript skills yet (apart from cut and paste). i have read through the tutorials and either they do not offer what i am looking for or more likely that i just dont understand.

I'll read it all again and see if that helps

Assuming that the cookie functions you found do their job properly that's perfectly doable.

Say you have this checkbox

<form name="cookie_option">

        <input type="checkbox" name="remember_choice" /> text.....

</form>

Then a link that checks whether the cookie needs to be set before the next page is called would look like this:

<a href="page2.html" onclick="if (document.forms['cookie_option'].elements['remember_choice'].checked) 

{ SetCookie('selection', 'it'); }">text....</a>

Hope that helps getting you started
kuckus

[edit: added tiny line break]

(Edited by kuckus on 03-02-2005 21:31)

thanks kuckus,

works a treat! cheers!

how would i call the delete cookie function?

<a href="page.html" onclick="DeleteCookie {'selection'};" > maybe????

cheers

Call the DeleteCookie( ) function just like you call the SetCookie( ). They are basically the same, and behave the same way.

I cant seem to get the deleteCookie function to work - this is the call i have:

<a href="http://www.domain.co.uk/index.shtml" title="Home" onclick=" {DeleteCookie('selection'); }">home</a>

i have tried a few variations but none seem to work

(Edited by FatRod on 03-07-2005 13:19)

have you tried :

<a href="http://www.domain.co.uk/index.shtml" title="Home" onclick="void( DeleteCookie('selection') )">home</a>

thanks poi. yep works but only if you restart i.e.... is that right?

it should work without restarting your "browser". Try in another browser. The cache of IE is well known for being hungry. It might trick you.



(Edited by poi on 03-07-2005 15:40)

actually the cookie gets deleted every time i restart IE, regardless of the whether i call the DeleteCookie function or not... it does not make sense, it is meant to expire after 30 days surely?

The cookie settings of the browsers are more important than the expiration date. If a user set its browser ( IE or not ) to delete the cookies on close, there's nothing you can do to make the cookies stay on there.