Network, Computer and Programming Resources

Java - Cookie

A special object containing state/status information about the client that can be accessed by the server. Included in that state object is a description of the range of URLs for which that state is valid. Future HTTP requests from the client falling within a range of URLs described within the state object will include transmission of the current value of the state object from the client back to the server. This simple form of data storage allows the server to provide "personalized" service to the client. Online merchants can store information about items currently in an "electronic shopping basket," services can post registration information and automate functions such as typing a user ID, and user preferences can be saved on the client and retrieved by the server when the site is contacted. For limited-use information such as shopping services, it is also possible to set a time limit on the life of the cookie information. CGI scripts are typically used to set and retrieve cookie values. To generate the cookie requires sending an HTTP header in the following format: Set-Cookie: NAME=Value; [EXPIRES=date;] [PATH=pathname;] [DOMAIN=domainname;] [SECURE] When a request for cookie information is made, the list of cookie information is searched for all URLs which match the current URL. Any matches are returned in this format: cookie: NAME1=string1; NAME2=string2; ... Cookie was an arbitrarily assigned name. For more information about the cookie and its function, see http://home.netscape.com/newsref/std/cookie_spec.html. |String value of a small piece of information stored by the browser in a client-side cookies folder or file. The value stored in the cookie is found using substring, charAt, IndexOf, and lastIndexOf. For more information, see the discussion under TERMS. Property of document. See hidden OBJECT.