[4.2] Allow to disable session metadata tracking for guest users

[Fedik]

Summary of Changes

This should improve performance for sites that does not use User registration/login feature.

We already have an option to disable "Track Session Metadata",
However it more usefull to be able to disable it only for non registered users, while keep track of metadata for loged in users.
That what I made here.

Testing Instructions

Enable debug with DB queries enabled.
Visit the site frontend (do not login) and check how much DB queries.

Apply patch.
Go to global configuration and set "Track Session Metadata for non registered Users" to "No".
Visit the site frontend again (do not login) and check how much DB queries.

Expected result AFTER applying this Pull Request

All should continue work as before, without any errors.

And it should reduce 2db query.

Documentation Changes Required

Yes, I guess, need a description for this feature.

[dgrammatiko]

Does it also drops the cookie for non logged in users?

[Fedik]

Does it also drops the cookie for non logged in users?

hm, nope, session still works as before, it just does not store "User state" in database.

[dgrammatiko]

I have tested this item ✅ successfully on a1e36cf

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[HLeithner]

Wrong approach in my opinion, we should try to create no user session if we have only a guest user. And only create the session if needed by a extension.

[brianteeman]

Good luck with that

[HLeithner]

Good luck with that

I wrote already a poc a while ago

[Fedik]

@HLeithner I just extending existing feature 😉

we should try to create no user session if we have only a guest user. And only create the session if needed by a extension.

That would be better of course, but that will be much to do, and I have no idea how.
And when someone will make it, it will be not hard to remove current "option".

[HLeithner]

true, other thing isn't select box with 3 options better?

[Fedik]

true, other thing isn't select box with 3 options better?

I not sure.
Then probably I need to change the session_metadata value type to integer, that tehnically will be b/c. It is boolean currently.

[simbus82]

This should improve performance for sites that does not use User registration/login feature.

I'm really interested in this aspect, performance. In case of many visitors then this solution can improve the performances avoiding the work due to the creation of the sessions ... correct?
What side effects, if any, will there be compared to the current CMS behavior for guests?

Thanks!

[HLeithner]

I'm really interested in this aspect, performance. In case of many visitors then this solution can improve the performances avoiding the work due to the creation of the sessions ... correct? What side effects, if any, will there be compared to the current CMS behavior for guests?

Thanks!

sadly not, it only allow to disable metadata for guest users, you can disable metadata for all users if you like then no addition database query for updating the stats will be done. But still Joomla creates a Session for each user (request without session)

[martin-zw]

I have tested this item ✅ successfully on b2d406e

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[joeforjoomla]

I have tested this item 🔴 unsuccessfully on b2d406e

The new parameter is not b/c because it's set by default to 0 and it's disabled by default. This causes to lose metadata for guest users by default causing b/c issues to extensions relying on these data also for guest users.
The parameter must be '1' enabled by default.

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[Fedik]

I have changed to enabled by default, test again

[martin-zw]

I have tested this item ✅ successfully on 99e7bb9

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[joeforjoomla]

I have tested this item ✅ successfully on 99e7bb9

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[alikon]

RTC

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