mod_python and PHP sharing same session

[Jim Gallacher]

Scott wrote:
> I am trying to get a mod_python application to read an existing PHP
> session.  I need some data that was set in the session by the PHP
> application.  I am using the mod_python Session class but even when I
> specify the session id that PHP uses the Sesssion(req, sid) call
> returns a new session id.  The session file exists in /tmp as
> mp_sess.dbm and I have verified that PHP is reading/writing it and from
> what I have read mod_python will use the same file.  I have used the
> PythonOption session DbmSession in the Apache configuration to force
> this and specified the filename as well but to no avail.
> 
> Has anyone attermpted what I am trying to perform and if so a short
> snippet of code or explanation of how to interface to PHP session via
> mod_python would be great.  I am not an experiecne PHP users but have
> used mod_python extensively.
> Scott

It shouldn't be a suprise that this doen't work. Mod_python stores its 
session data as a python pickle. PHP stores its session data as... well 
I have no idea, but I'm pretty sure it won't be a python pickle. ;) 
Mod_python creates a new session if it can't load valid session data 
from the dbm file, which will always be the case here as that file 
contains PHP formatted session data.

You have 2 choices: Rewrite PHP session handling to write the data as a 
python pickle, or subclass mod_python BaseSession to read the PHP data 
format.  Once that's done you'll need to figure out how to handle 
session locking between the 2 modules, which may not be trivial.

I'd suggest joining the mod_python mailing list if you want to discuss 
this in detail.

Jim