CES Cookie Cutter - Share Cookies Across Domains

[thincom2000]

CES Cookie Cutter
vBulletin 3.6.x, 3.7.x, & 3.8.x supported
Version: 1.2.3

*** NEWS ***
4/13/2009 - create 3.8.x thread

Known Issues:
- none

What It Does:
Shares cookies among domains for seamless vBulletin login/logout functionality across multiple domains.

Basically if you have more than one domain name, or you have private forums scattered among domains, and all vBulletin instances use the same vBulletin database, this hack allows for integrated, synchronized login/logout on all domains at once.

Products to Install: 1
Plugins Included: 3
Files to Upload: 1
Templates to Edit: 0
Files to Edit: 0

Mod Features:
- Adds a field in vBulletin Options to enter multiple forum URLs
- Integrates login/logout functionality at all forum locations
- safety cookie settings available for users who left their cookie domain blank in vBulletin cookie options

Changelog:
Version 1.2.3:
- bug fix: only logouts integrate

* This mod is offered for free here. Please donate if you like this mod *

[Jasem]

Good work, thank you!

[FiMeTi]

Damn this is a month too late for me. lol ^^
I´ve solved my problem already, but very nice job! thx

[LoveStream]

hello.

I've

www.mydomain.net/forum
forum.mydomain.net
www.mydomain2.org

You said, and all vBulletin instances use the same vBulletin database,
now, there is all different database, so you mean that the same database needed?
using the same DB just defferent domain?

In this case, where I the ces_cookies.php file? As you state, is it must be in under forum/includes per ALL domain's forum?

I tested it between different DB had the same username, but nothing act. There is NOT same cookie_prefix or domain on the vbulletin options.

What is the problem that I tried?

Thanks.

[thincom2000]

Well, the session tables aren't synced because they are in different databases. However, the mod should handle that anyway. Even if the users have the same username, if they are not the same userid then this will not work. For each of the databases, make sure this product is installed and that the settings are the same for this mod.

[Hornstar]

I have a custom cms that uses the same database as my vbulletin. so users can login on both with the same username and password. however I think it is something to do with cookies, because you need to login on both. Could this solve my problem?

[thincom2000]

I don't know how your CMS is set up, but you can always try it. Remember that you are messing with cookies and the ability to login, so make sure you're familiar with the steps to revert your changes in the event you experience problems logging in.

[kris]

Installed on 3.8.2 and I have php error right after login:

PHP Parse error: syntax error, unexpected ')' in /forum_test/includes/ces_cookies.php(171) : eval()'d code on line 115

and this error points to line 171 in ces_cookies.php :
eval('print_output("' . fetch_template('STANDARD_REDIRECT') . '");');

any ideas ?

[kris]

I think the problem is somewhere here :



"</form>\n\n\".((!\$GLOBALS['vbulletin']->options['ces_cookie_debug']) ? \"","\" : \"\").\"\n\n\$stylevar[ces_cookies]\n</body>"

[thincom2000]

You have the mod's debug mode enabled in its options. Disable cookie debug mode.

[RTMdotORG]

so does this mean that http:sitename.com will be the same as http://www.sitename.com with this mod?

[RTMdotORG]

when i login from being logged out, it says cooke cutter complete with a nasty white box and then the redirecting text is not there and it doesnt automatically redirect you, but the logging in and out problem is fixed...

any suggestions?

[RWerksman]

This is now working for me on the 4 different sites that I have.

You have to be sure to put in the exact path of the forum - not just the site name. If your forums, like mine, are in http://www.yoursite.com/forum and http://www.yoursite2.com/forum, you need to enter the following into the box:

www.yoursite.com/forum
www.yoursite2.com/forum

Omitting the /forum part or including the http:// breaks this.


Basically what's going on here is opening hidden windows and posting the form information into them. As long as user names and passwords are the same, your good to go.

[thincom2000]

If you see a nasty white box and no redirect, it means you enabled cookie debug mode. This is a development option that we left in, and it should not be used on live forums. Turn that particular option off.

[RWerksman]

This doesn't seem to be working correctly for me for Admin login or when the forum prompts on login to delete a thread or something. I just get caught in a continual loop.

Works great for regular login, but for now I've had to disable.

:(

(no, I'm not in debug mode, and I'm not seeing any white boxes)

[thincom2000]

We haven't have any problems with this for admin login and inlinemod auth logins. Could you provide a little more information like:

Does this occur in all browsers or just a particular one?
Do all domains share the same file system?
Are the config.php cookie settings the same for all 4 domains?
What about your settings for the "Cookies and HTTP Header Options" group?
-- Does the cookie path exist for all domains?
-- Is your cookie domain blank?

[RWerksman]

We haven't have any problems with this for admin login and inlinemod auth logins. Could you provide a little more information like:

Does this occur in all browsers or just a particular one?
Do all domains share the same file system?
Are the config.php cookie settings the same for all 4 domains?
What about your settings for the "Cookies and HTTP Header Options" group?
-- Does the cookie path exist for all domains?
-- Is your cookie domain blank?

It occurs in both Firefox Mac & PC, and IE 6 & 7.
Yes.
Yes - it's the same config.php.
Settings for Cookies and HTTP Headers are all default.
-- Yes, it's set to /
-- Yes.

[ach-ja]

Sorry for my bad English!

I use the vBulletin for my forum combined with "vBCMS" (from www.vbdesigns.de) for my portal, but both should go under another URL - with synchonized Logins.
Today I tried the Cookie Cutter, but without luck.

The vBCMS-Installation is in the same directory as the vBulletin. This is linked to URL "1".
The vBCMS-Startcomponents "vbcms.php" and "vbcms_location.php" (only these two!) are in another directory what is linked to URL "2".

Is there a possibility to use the Cookie Cutter for synchronize Login of this "combi-system"?

Kind regards
Ach-ja

[thincom2000]

@RWerksman, was this problem on your /testvb or your live site? I have been able to reproduce this on a /testvb, but I suspect it may be a cookie conflict with the non-test. If this is the case for you, it would save me a lot of time to know for sure.

[thincom2000]

@RWerksman, I just had this problem on my site. It occurs if you have a testvb installed at the domain you are trying to log into a deep folder like admincp or modcp. When the testvb uses the same cookie prefix, or used to and you haven't completely emptied your browser's session cookies, a conflict will arise where you are unable to log into either cp. I believe this might only be an issue if "Remember Me" was checked when you logged into the test board.

To fix, make sure the test board has a unique cookie prefix, but make sure all boards you want to integrate share a prefix. Clear your browser cookies, and you should be good.

[RaZor Edge]

Hi!

Do you known if this is working well with Vbadvanced (http://www.vbadvanced.com/products.php?do=productinfo&productid=4)?

What happen with "Who's Online " when using this mod? Does it show exactly what domain the user is on?

Thanks!

[thincom2000]

I'm not sure that vbAdvanced would have any effect on this mod, so I expect the two to play well together.

Who's Online doesn't show what domain the user is on. The mod only provides login integration.

[Wilfred1]

This has been great on two sites that I have - one live and one test site.

The only issue I have found is that when you log out of one site it doesn't log you out of the other

Any ideas - and thanks for a great mod!

[|Jordan|]

This mod works half the time.

During my browser session, if i log out and log back into the primary domain, then im logged into both domains. But if i close my browser session and go back to the secondary domain, i'm not logged in and if i try logging in, i get invalid password error.

Any idea how to fix this? Both domains point to the same forum.

[thincom2000]

@|Jordan|, this sounds like a browser issue I've been having lately. When I close my Firefox session and come back to vbulletin.org, I'm not logged in even though I had "Save?" checked at my last login.

This mod doesn't change anything that would cause a password error.

[footose]

This mod messed up my forum, even after uninstall. Can't login, Can't delete posts, Can't access AdminCP.

Keeps asking for password over and over again.

[azn_romeo_4u]

Quick question...what is the danger of using this mod? Seems kinda dangerous to be sharing cookies or whatever is going *notice i'm a noob*

[thincom2000]

With respect to the cookies themselves, there is no more danger than usual. "Sharing cookies" does not mean that they can be used everywhere - by inherent design cookies only work on the domain they were created on anyway. This mod just creates extra cookies on domains you specify.

The most dangerous part of using this mod is related to improper configuration. You always need to be careful when modifying your forum's cookie settings. Having them set wrong could prevent you from being able to log in entirely. Additionally, many people just uninstall mods when they aren't working right. If you uninstall this mod when your cookie settings are wrong, you will make the problem worse and even harder to fix.

While you can just restore a database backup (technically you should make one before installing any mod), I would not recommend that anyone unfamiliar with repairing vBulletin installations use this mod.

[Wilfred1]

Hi Thincom
Is this going to be updated for v4.0.3?

Just tried it on 2 sites one with v4.0.3 and one with v3.8.5 and it only works one way

[thincom2000]

vBulletin > 4.0.2 uses different sign-on hashing than vBulletin 3.8.x. So unfortunately you would not be able to do this.

Also for the most part, completely separate installations of vBulletin would have different general and user salts even if the user name and password are the same. This mod is really only for one installation of vBulletin that you can access from more than 1 domain or sub-domain.

[00pavan00]

Just want to give you some information regarding this plugin , If it was not working for you i mean if you are unable to logged in automatically please check the iframe url in the page where you see this while logged in Click here if your browser does not automatically redirect you. copy that iframe url and execute it in browser you have to see some thing like cookie cutter executed successfully then only this plugin works across domains.Hope this help to some one :) ...

And forgot to say you have to include the main domain name where you installed thie plugin and remaining domains in Cookie Sharing Domains box where you want to share that cookie.

If you are unable to login into admin panel just clear your cookies of your browser and login again it will work. :)

[tanzeelniazi]

is this working in vb 4.2.0 ???