--- view.old.php        2008-05-07 14:11:13.199988168 +0200
+++ view.php    2008-05-07 15:58:59.886902328 +0200
@@ -312,23 +312,14 @@
                 error('Navigation: first page not found');
         }
         /// This is the code for starting a timed test
-        if(!isset($USER->startlesson[$lesson->id]) && !has_capability('mod/lesson:manage', $context)) {
-            $USER->startlesson[$lesson->id] = true;
-            $startlesson = new stdClass;
-            $startlesson->lessonid = $lesson->id;
-            $startlesson->userid = $USER->id;
-            $startlesson->starttime = time();
-            $startlesson->lessontime = time();
-            
-            if (!insert_record('lesson_timer', $startlesson)) {
-                error('Error: could not insert row into lesson_timer table');
-            }
-            if ($lesson->timed) {
-                lesson_set_message(get_string('maxtimewarning', 'lesson', $lesson->maxtime), 'center');
-            }
-        }
+        lesson_start_lesson($USER, $lesson, $context);
     }
     if ($pageid != LESSON_EOL) {
+
+        // if they're accessing a page provided by a link, and not starting at the beginning, 
+        //   then start the lesson now if this their first visit to this lesson
+        lesson_start_lesson($USER, $lesson, $context);
+
         /// This is the code updates the lessontime for a timed test
         if ($startlastseen = optional_param('startlastseen', '', PARAM_ALPHA)) {  /// this deletes old records  not totally sure if this is necessary anymore
             if ($startlastseen == 'no') {