Details - Web 2.0 & AJAX :: passing cookie/session values in an ajax site

I am trying to increment the state of one panel through 4 states changing every time the main content panel is changed. I am attempting to do this by triggering a reload of the default state of this panel for every state of the main content window.

I tried:

session_start();
if ($_SESSION['valuePanel'] == '') {
  $_SESSION['valuePanel'] = 0;
} else {
  $_SESSION['valuePanel']++;
}
if ($_SESSION['valuePanel'] >= 4) { $_SESSION['valuePanel'] = 0; }
$valuePanel=$_SESSION['valuePanel'];

with and without session_start(). I placed this code in the body and then tried it in the header of the panel state.

I also tried to use cookies with:

// IF NO COOKIE IS SET, SET COOKIE
if (!isset($_COOKIE['valuePanel'])) {
  if (setcookie('valuePanel',1,time()+7200)) {
    // IF COOKIE CAN BE SET
    $valuePanel = 0;
  } else {
    // IF COOKIE CAN'T BE SET
    $valuePanel = rand(0,3);
  }
} else {
// ELSE A COOKIE ALREADY HAS BEEN SET, INCREMENT IT.
  $valuePanel = $_COOKIE['valuePanel'];
  if ($_COOKIE['valuePanel'] >= 3) {
    setcookie('valuePanel',0,time()+7200);
  } else {
    setcookie('valuePanel',$_COOKIE['valuePanel']++,time()+7200);
  }
}

in the header of the panel state. Am I doing something wrong? I have used session variables in other pages without a problem. Do I need to use another method with AJAX?

Thanx

Steven

I did get session variables to work by using an included file that contained the function rather than having the code in the panel page.

Hello,

Do you need anymore help with this issue?

Best Regards,
Catalin Anastasoaie

I would like to know if there is a known reason why the session variable works in the include file but not in the panel file itself, and if there is a way to set/change a cookie value when a panel changes.

My immediate problem is solved.

Thanx,
Steven