Debugging PHP Session Issues

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PHP's session mechanism includes garbage collection, and the session.gc_maxlifetime setting determines how long a session may be inactive before it is subject to being cleaned up.
Ensure that the session.gc_maxlifetime setting is correctly configured in your PHP configuration or in your php.ini file. . Also, check for any conflicting configurations in local .htaccess files.

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// Set the session timeout to 30 days (2592000 seconds)
ini_set('session.gc_maxlifetime', 2592000);

• Additionally, you can consider adjusting the session.gc_probability and session.gc_divisor settings to control how often garbage collection is performed.

• If you are using session_regenerate_id(true) frequently (e.g., on each page load), it might cause issues. Regenerating the session ID should be done sparingly, usually after a successful login. Frequent regeneration can disrupt the session's continuity.

Ensure that the directory specified in the session.save_path setting has the correct permissions. PHP needs write access to this directory to store session files.
For Example :

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// Set the session save path
session_save_path('/path/to/session/directory');

Implement additional logging and debugging statements to track the session's behavior. Log the session ID, start time, and any relevant session variables to help trace the issue.
For example :

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        error_log('Session ID: ' . session_id() . ', Start Time: ' . $_SESSION['start_time'] ?? 'N/A');

check the session status and see if the session variables are being set as expected. For example:

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// After starting the session
var_dump(session_id());  // Check the session ID

// After setting the session variables
var_dump($_SESSION);

// Before checking the session email
var_dump($_SESSION['email']);

By strategically placing var_dump statements, you can trace the flow of your code and identify where the issue might be occurring. If the problem persists, there might be some specific context or detail that's not evident in the provided code snippets. Consider reviewing the broader context of your application or providing additional relevant code for a more accurate diagnosis.

• Confirm that the session ID is correctly passed between requests. If there's an issue with passing the session ID (e.g., due to redirects, URL rewriting, or misconfigured server settings), it could result in a new session being created.

• Ensure that your PHP version is compatible with the session handling code. There might be subtle changes in behavior between different PHP versions.

Ensure that error reporting is turned on to catch any potential errors that might be affecting session functionality. Add the following at the top of your script.
Example :

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error_reporting(E_ALL);
ini_set('display_errors', 1);

Confirm that session auto-start is not interfering with your intended session handling. If you have session auto-start enabled, it might initialize a session prematurely.
Example (if applicable) :

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    session.auto_start = 0

• Ensure that the server's timezone settings are correctly configured. If there's a mismatch between the server's timezone and your expected timezone, it could affect session expiration calculations.

By carefully examining these factors, you should be able to identify and address the issue causing the removal of the session email variable. If the problem persists, consider consulting your hosting provider or server administrator for further assistance.