Cookie Paths & how they work

The Cookies are Created in Week 1.

Three "TestPath" Cookies are Created.

  • setCookie("TestPath", "TestPath no path assigned", expdate);
    • The Cookie "TestPath" is created with the Value "TestPath and no path is assigned"
    • When no path is assigned the path will automatically be the current directory. This means that directories beneath /coin70/week1 have the capability to read this Cookie.
  • setCookie("TestPath", "TestPath Week 2", expdate, "/coin70/week2");
    • The Cookie "TestPath" is created with the Value "TestPath Week 2"
    • Here we are setting the path to /coin70/week2. This means that directories beneath /coin70/week2 have the capability to read this Cookie. Any directory not within week2 will not have access to this particular cookie.
  • setCookie("TestPath", "TestPath /", expdate, "/");
    • The Cookie "TestPath" is created with the Value "TestPath /"
    • Here we are setting the path to the root. All directories will have access this Cookie.

One "Week7" Cookie is Created.

  • setCookie("Week7", "Week 7 Cookie Path Test", expdate, "/coin70/week7");
    • The Cookie "Week7" is created with the Value "Week 7 Cookie Path Test"
    • Here we are setting the path to /coin70/week7. This means that directories beneath /coin70/week7 have the capability to read this Cookie. Any directory not within week7 will not have access to this particular cookie.

/coin70/week1

The "Cookie Dump" in /coin70/week 1 shows the two Cookies:

  • TestPath=TestPath no path assigned;
  • TestPath=TestPath /;

So when we do:

document.write("TestPath = " + getCookie("TestPath") + "<BR>");
document.write("Week7 = " + getCookie("Week7") + "<BR>");

we get:

TestPath = TestPath no path assigned
Week7 = null

So what does all this mean? Remember, we created a Cookie in Week 1 "TestPath" with a Value "TestPath no path assigned" and no path was assigned. When no path is assigned the path will automatically be the current directory. getCookie("TestPath") looks to see if there is a Cookie "TestPath" assigned to the current directory. If there is a Cookie "TestPath" assigned to that directory it then "grabs" that Cookie, if there isn't it looks at its parent directory to see if there is a Cookie "TestPath" assigned to that directory. This process is continued until the root is reached.

getCookie("TestPath") looks to see if there is a Cookie "TestPath" assigned to the current directory -- YES -- Cookie "TestPath" with Value the "TestPath no path assigned".

getCookie("Week7") is not assigned to Cookie's current directory (/coin70/week1) or its parent directory (/coin70) or even the root (/), so the value is null.

/coin70/week1/cookies

The "Cookie Dump" in /coin70/week1/cookies shows the two Cookies:

  • TestPath=TestPath no path assigned;
  • TestPath=TestPath /;

So when we do:

document.write("TestPath = " + getCookie("TestPath") + "<BR>");
document.write("Week7 = " + getCookie("Week7") + "<BR>");

we get:

TestPath = TestPath no path assigned
Week7 = null

getCookie("TestPath") looks to see if there is a Cookie "TestPath" assigned to the current directory (/coin70/week1/Cookies) -- NO. Next it look at its parent directory (/coin70/week1) to see if there is a Cookie "TestPath" assigned to that directory -- YES -- Cookie "TestPath" with Value the "TestPath no path assigned".

getCookie("Week7") is not assigned to Cookie's current directory (/coin70/week1/Cookies) or to its parent directory (/coin70/week1) or its parent-parent directory (/coin70) or even the root (/), so the value is null.

/coin70/week2

The "Cookie Dump" in /coin70/week 2 shows the two Cookies:

  • TestPath=TestPath Week 2;
  • TestPath=TestPath /;

So when we do:

document.write("TestPath = " + getCookie("TestPath") + "<BR>");
document.write("Week7 = " + getCookie("Week7") + "<BR>");

we get:

TestPath = TestPath Week 2
Week7 = null

getCookie("TestPath") looks to see if there is a Cookie "TestPath" assigned to the current directory (/coin70/week2) -- YES -- Cookie "TestPath" with Value the "TestPath Week 2".

getCookie("Week7") is not assigned to Cookie's current directory (/coin70/week2) or to its parent directory (/coin70) or even the root (/), so the value is null.

/coin70/week7

The "Cookie Dump" in /coin70/week 7 shows the two Cookies:

  • TestPath=TestPath /;
  • Week7=Week 7 Cookie Path Test;

So when we do:

document.write("TestPath = " + getCookie("TestPath") + "<BR>");
document.write("Week7 = " + getCookie("Week7") + "<BR>");

we get:

TestPath = TestPath /
Week7 = Week 7 Cookie Path Test

getCookie("TestPath") looks to see if there is a Cookie "TestPath" assigned to the current directory (/coin70/week7) -- NO. Next it look at its parent directory (/coin70) to see if there is a Cookie "TestPath" assigned to that directory -- NO.  Next it looks at root directory (/) to see if there is a Cookie "TestPath" assigned to that directory -- YES -- Cookie "TestPath" with Value the "TestPath /".

getCookie("Week7") looks to see if there is a Cookie "Week7" assigned to the current directory (/coin70/week7) -- YES -- Cookie "Week7" with Value the "Week 7 Cookie Path Test".