# session_name

(PHP 4, PHP 5)

session_name — Get and/or set the current session name

### Description

string session_name ([ string `$name` ] )

session_name() returns the name of the current session.

The session name is reset to the default value stored in session.name at request startup time. Thus, you need to call session_name() for every request (and before session_start() or session_register() are called).

### Parameters

`name`

  The session name references the session id in cookies and URLs. It should contain only alphanumeric characters; it should be short and descriptive (i.e. for users with enabled cookie warnings). If `name` is specified, the name of the current session is changed to its value.

  Warning

  The session name can't consist of digits only, at least one letter must be present. Otherwise a new session id is generated every time.

### Return Values

Returns the name of the current session.

### Examples

Example#1 session_name() example

`<?php
/* set the session name to WebsiteID */
$previous_name = session_name("WebsiteID");
echo "The previous session name was $previous_name<br />";
?>`

### See Also

- The session.name configuration directive