How to determine if an admin is logged in outside the loop

2 comments

1. You can use current_user_can() to determine if an admin user is logged and load your Google tracking code using wp_enqueue_script with an if statement in functions.php

   if ( ! current_user_can( 'edit_posts' ) ) {
           wp_enqueue_script( 'google-tracking');
       } 
   

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2. Either use wp-load.php (performance taxing) or do the following:

   // Capture 'init' event in a plugin placed in /wp-content/mu-plugins/
   // This will keep the shared cookie fresh for each load.
   add_action('init', function(){
       $cookie_server = $_SERVER['SERVER_NAME'];
       // To work an all subdomains uncomment:
       // $cookie_server = strchr($_SERVER['SERVER_NAME'], '.');
       // Now check if current user is an Admin and do this: Signal Admin presence by
       // setting up a special value cookie that you can detect in your other script.
       // Prepare a salt and a hash here caculated from $salt, User-Agent and Remote IP
       $special_salt = 'setup a string here others will not know';
       $special_hash = md5($_SERVER['HTTP_USER_AGENT'].$_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR'].$special_salt);
       if(!current_user_can('activate_plugins')){
           // If the user is not an admin remove the special cookie (if exists)
           setcookie('crosscript_auth', null, time() - 24 * 3600, '/', $cookie_server, is_ssl(), true);
       }else{
           // If the user is an admin add the special cookie with the $special_hash value
           setcookie('crosscript_auth', $special_hash, strtotime('+1 week'), '/', $cookie_server, is_ssl(), true);
       }
       // Now, in your other script, use the $special_salt and $special_hash from here
       // to compare to the $_COOKIE['crosscript_auth'], if available.
       // That will tell you if an Admin is logged in
   }); // PHP 5.3 Closure, just change to named function for 5.2
   

   Just read the comments in the code. I tried to describe the entire logic behind it there.
   It’s pretty safe and the special Cookie is bound to the IP/User-Agent. With a proper salt you should not have problems unless a very 1337 hacker targets you 🙂 Also it’s a start for you to tweak on.

   Regards.

   PS: For any other clarifications, don’t hesitate to ask.

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