Tech: Cookie Stuff (from Max)

Subject: RE: Cookie Stuff
From: Earl
Date: 26 Aug 97 - 04:24 PM

To use my personal page I need to reset the cookie every visit. I assume this is not the normal situation. What should I do?

Subject: RE: Cookie Stuff
From: Alan of Australia
Date: 25 Aug 97 - 09:58 AM

Thanks Max - it works

Cheers,
Alan

Subject: RE: Cookie Stuff
From: Max
Date: 24 Aug 97 - 10:47 PM

No, you should never edit or copy cookie files. All you need to do is go to http://www.onstagemedia.com/mudcat/Login.cfm from the computer that does not have the cookie, put in your email address and submit. It will look you up and plant the appropriate cookie (MemberID) on your new machine. Then it will be as if you are accessing us from the same machine and your personal pages will be the same for both machines. Simple as pie.

Subject: RE: Cookie Stuff
From: Alan of Australia
Date: 24 Aug 97 - 10:32 PM

Max,
My problem is the converse of Bill's - one person, two computers. In fact it is Monday lunchtime and I'm here hard at work. I wonder if the problem I had getting onto this forum on the weekend had anything to do with the fact that I registered as a member from the computer at work and was using my own machine on the weekend. Seems unlikely though, if I was using a machine without a cookie I'd expect to get on but without any member privileges.

Will it help if I copy the cookie file from this machine and put it on my home machine?

Cheers,
Alan

Subject: RE: Cookie Stuff
From: Bill D
Date: 24 Aug 97 - 08:34 PM

Okay! Great...not perfect...but workable...thanks, Max...

Subject: RE: Cookie Stuff
From: Max
Date: 24 Aug 97 - 04:18 PM

Got it. Here's how it works:

Let's say you and your wife are both members. Our system is reading your identity as whoever was the last one to register,that is, got a cookie. So if your wife registered after you, she has defined the cookie on your machine as your MemberID. If you get on later and check in, our system is going to think you are her and show you her personal pages. So you need to reset your cookie. I created this page: http://www.onstagemedia.com/mudcat/Login.cfm to allow you to reset your cookie. All it asks you for is your email address. It requeries our membership database and finds your record and plants a new cookie based on your memberID. So then, since you were the last to reset your cookie, when your wife comes and kicks you off so she can check her stuff, she will have to reset it again to get her cookie on there.

Does that make sense?

I will make that Login (Reset) Page a link somewhere on the site. It also serves to put your MemberID cookie on a new computer (ie. your work computer) or just to reset it if something goes wrong. Let me know how this works for you.

Subject: RE: Cookie Stuff
From: Bill D
Date: 24 Aug 97 - 03:52 PM

ok, thanks...(I know...the cookies don't discriminate..but we will have very different lists and it would be nice if she wasn't greeted by my name...)

I am already preparing myself for the possibility that this one isn't just a matter of code....[didn't we all warn you when you started these features, that we are never satisfied.?)click

Subject: RE: Cookie Stuff
From: Max
Date: 24 Aug 97 - 03:16 PM

Wow, that's a good question. I'll have to think about that one. Easyest answer of course is for you and your wife to share. That would mean that your computer is the member. Hmmm. I'll think about a solution.

Subject: RE: Cookie Stuff
From: Bill D
Date: 24 Aug 97 - 11:04 AM

Max...I got it to work ok, and when I click on the 'tracer' function, it welcomes me by name...which brings up a question...my wife also uses the system! Now, is my machine the 'member',or am I? If the cookie is set on the machine, how can she have seperate tracer, bookmark, and links lists? (I guarantee, we need 'em different..)

(ain't technology fun..?)

Subject: Cookie Stuff
From: Max
Date: 23 Aug 97 - 11:43 PM

Sorry about the problems associated with some of the new features. I think I have solved the latest of them. Please bear with us as we debug things and get the hang of this new technology.

If anyone that has filled out the membership form and is getting errors or cannot take advantage of the new features like the tracer option or the links page, go back to the membership form and just put in your email address that you used when you originally used. This should reset your cookie and smooth your sail from here. Same goes for anyone who originally refused the cookie and would like to try our new features.

For those of you that do not like to accept cookies, I am sorry for the new mess. I will try to make sure that none of the old features will be interupted because of this. Please note though that cookies get a bad rap. They are harmless and simply allow us to identify you and let you customize some of the site.

You can turn the alert for cookies off on all known browsers. In Netscape it is in the option menu under Network Preferences then the Protocols tab. In Internet Explorer, the option is on the Advanced tab of the options menu. This will accept cookies for you, therefore not bothering you.

Again I am sorry for any difficulties and I will work them out as fast as I can. Thank you.