Web OS 10.0 Application Guide
Chapter 16: Persistence 425
212777-A, February 2002
The following topics discussing cookie-based persistence are detailed in this section:
n“Permanent and Temporary Cookies” on page 425
n“Cookie Formats” on page 425
n“Cookie Properties” on page 426
n“Client Browsers that Do Not Accept Cookies” on page 426
n“Cookie Modes of Operation” on page 427
n“Configuring Cookie-Based Persistence” on page 430
Permanent and Temporary Cookies
Cookies can either be permanent or temporary. A permanent cookie is stored on the client's
browser, as part of the response from a Web site’s server. It will be sent by the browser when
the client makes subsequent requests to the same site, even after the browser has been shut
down. A temporary cookie is only valid for the current browser session. Similar to a SSL Ses-
sion-based ID, the temporary cookie expires when you shut down the browser. Based on RFC
2109, any cookie without an expiration date is a temporary cookie.
Cookie Formats
A cookie can be defined in the HTTP header (the recommended method) or placed in the URL
for hashing. The cookie is defined as a “Name=Value” pair and can appear along with other
parameters and cookies. For example, the cookie “SessionID=1234” can be represented in
one of the following ways:
nIn the HTTP Header
Cookie: SesssionID=1234
Cookie: ASP_SESSIONID=POIUHKJHLKHD
Cookie: name=john_smith
The second cookie represents an Active Server Page (ASP) session ID. The third cookie
represents an application-specific cookie that records the name of the client.
nWithin the URL
http://www.mysite.com/reservations/SessionID=1234