title: SESSION variables are being destroyed during Paypal IPN process
body: <p>My problem is that my SESSION variables are being destroyed during the Paypal IPN process.</p>
  
  <p>I have successfully written my IPN listener to talk to Paypal and I have no problem manipulating the predefined IPN variables that Paypal POST’s back to me.  Despite this, I am having trouble accessing the SESSION variables created before the Paypal payment is made. I assume that they are being destroyed when I connect to Paypal. </p>
  
  <p>I have quite a few variables so it is not feesable to just use Paypal’s ‘custom’ field.</p>
  
  <p>As an example, if I want to send an email to a customer containing a SESSION variable (named $_SESSION[‘order_type’] ) that they created during the ordering process on my site:</p>
  
  <pre><code>&lt;?php
  
  //enable sessions
  if (!isset($_SESSION)) {
    session_start();
  }
  
  **** Accept payment/verify using paypal listener etc****
  
  // If everything is successful and the payment is accepted then send an email containing some previously stored session variables
  
     $mail_From = "From: me@example.com";
     $mail_To = "email@email.com";
     $mail_Subject = "Your payment has been made successfully” ;
     $mail_Body = "you have successfully made a ". $_SESSION['order_type']."order";
     mail($mail_To, $mail_Subject, $mail_Body, $mail_From);
  
     ?&gt;
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>My email never contains my session variables leading me to believe that they are being destroyed...please help!</p>
  
  <p>Many thanks,</p>
  
  <p>David</p>