php man page for session_encode

SESSION_ENCODE(3)							 1							 SESSION_ENCODE(3)

session_encode - Encodes the current session data as a session encoded string

SYNOPSIS
       string session_encode (void  )

DESCRIPTION
       session_encode(3) returns a serialized string of the contents of the current session data stored in the $_SESSION superglobal.

	Please	note,  the  serialization method is not the same as serialize(3). The serialization method is internal to PHP and can be set using
       session.serialize_handler.

RETURN VALUES
	Returns the contents of the current session encoded.

NOTES
       Warning

	       Must call session_start(3) before using session_encode(3).

SEE ALSO
       session_decode(3), session.serialize_handler.

PHP Documentation Group 													 SESSION_ENCODE(3)