Cookies used by iShare Maps

From v5.8.14

iShare now uses Local Storage rather than Cookies to store user state information e.g. layers selected, position on map) etc. This should have no visible effects to the user other than that they should no longer hit problems when using large numbers of layers.

Note: Currently there is no expiry date on localStorage settings as there is for cookies.

What is a cookie?

Cookies are text files retained on computers by browsers containing various information in regards to a specific website visit. Another way to think of this is that a cookie is a message given to a web browser from a web server that is then sent back to the web server whenever the browser requests a page from it.

Please note that there is a Browser imposed cookie restriction on the number and size of cookies e.g. IE 50 cookies max, 5117 characters per cookie. If this is exceeded then an error message will be displayed. The way to avoid this message is to reduce the number of Layers that are being displayed and/or reduce the number of characters used within your Layer names.


GDPR Compliance

From Version 5.4.22 and Version 5.6.26 please ignore the Expires column in the following table.

From these versions of iShare Maps, cookie expiry is configurable by the iShare administrator in iShare Studio as a specific number of days.  If expiry is set to 0 days, the cookies are then Session Cookies.

Session cookies - are temporary and erased when you close your browser at the end of your session. The next time you visit that particular site it will not recognise you and will treat you as a completely new visitor as there is nothing in your browser to let the site know that you have visited before. 

The following is a list of cookies used by iShare Maps for each installation.

You should be able to see all of the Astun related cookies when using browser developer tools and viewing the application.

NameTypical ContentExpires
ASP.NET_SessionIdRandom string identifying browsing session to serverWhen user exits browser
astunVersion number of Astun iShare web applicationAfter 30 days
astun:baseMapIdentifier for most recently selected base map in My MapsAfter one month
astun:currentLocationMost recently set address and its coordinatesAfter 30 days
astun:mapSourceIdentifier for map overlay configuration in My MapsAfter one month
astun:mapViewLocation and extents of the most recent view of the map in My MapsAfter one month
astun:panelsAccordionStatus Number identifying last opened panel in My Nearest After 30 days
astun:panelsCollapseStatusIDs of collapsed panels in My MapsAfter 30 days
astun:previousLocationAddress and its coordinates of last location in My MapsAfter one month
astun:rLayers_[profile_identifier]The list of layers currently added to the Map Categories panel for a given profile (e.g. ORGANISATION_mapsource)After one month
astun:vLyrs_ish_[profile_identifier]Layers turned on in My Maps for a given profile (e.g. ORGANISATION_mapsource)After one month
atMyCouncilIdentifier of most recent tab visited by user and changes to visibility of panels in My House and My NearestAfter one month
atLocationMost recently set address and its coordinatesAfter 30 days
astun:layerPanelOpenGroupsLayer group expanded in panel in My MapsAfter one month
myAlertsEncrypted user logon detailsAfter 90 days

Older versions may have the following set

panelsaccordionstatusNumber identifying last opened panel in My Nearest (replaced by astun:panelsAccordionStatus)After 300 days
jQuery-ui-panelsCollapseStatus IDs of collapsed panels in My Maps (replaced by astun:panelsCollapseStatus)After one week