Passwords and web pages

[Just shoot]

What I would like to do is have a web site with a username and password list. Depending on the username and password it will Query a database and then link to a page. The database would have approx. 50 usernames and passwords each link to one or two pages.

I'm new to HTML so be gentle I'm not even sure if its possible just have a application where this would be slick.

[Visidex]

Depending on the amount of access you have to the server you could do it a couple of ways. You could do it through apache (prolly most any other webserver also), cgi, or javascript. Your best bet would be a cgi script of some kind, but your server must allow for it. Try a google search for cgi scripts and you should get a number of places that have free ones you can use.

AFAIK, it's not possibly to do it with straight HTML.

[Just shoot]

thanks for the help.

[Krieger]

can't be done in straight html, maybe dhtml(I'm not that familiar with it), in an MS platform ASP would be your best bet... pretty easty to use ti connect to a DB. I've used it quite a bit.

[Visidex]

dhtml is a mixture of html and javascript. Not really a language of it's self. PHP/ASP and a DB are your best choices

[Just shoot]

dhtml is a mixture of html and javascript. Not really a language of it's self. PHP/ASP and a DB are your best choices

not to sound stupid but whats PHP/ASP.

And thanks guys for the response its been quite a learning experience but fun.

[Visidex]

What is PHP?
PHP is a widely-used general-purpose scripting language that is especially suited for Web development and can be embedded into HTML.
Taken from: PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor (http://www.php.net)

ASP is Active Server Pages, and is basicly an MS PHP. I think ASP only runs on Windows/IIS servers. Google didn't turn up any nicely pastable tidbits here.

I'm a fan of PHP, I've done some work with it and find it to be easy to learn and use. MySQL interaction is incredibly easy.

I've never used ASP and I'm a bit biased against Microsoft so you best get an opinion of ASP from someone else.

[Krieger]

I've used ASP extensively. It's alot like programming in VB for the web. It's almost like VBA in that's its a stripped down version of VB. but it's very easy to use. It's MS IIS platform only though, at least to my best knowledge.

[drunkmonkey]

Web programming veteran here

You will need to use PHP, goto www.webmonkey.com for all the tutorials you will need about PHP and any other web programming language. PHP has an encyption command that could be very useful.
My Idea:
1:Make a text box in regular html(for password)
2:encrypt the text box into a variable
3:if that variable equals another variable(which is the encrypted answer) then let them through. You will probably need to make a php file to encrypt the answer and store all the answers in a database or array the the php script can access.

That's all I can tell ya!

edit: PHP is for all OS's and servers, works on anything, kinda like JAva and its free

[SuperFLY]

www.brinkster.com

for sum free asp hosting..

u can run asp on non ms based svrs.. using a plugin called asp+ but of course ur host must have this..

the easyspace hosts run linux svrs wiv this asp+ installed.. ive tested it and u can run any asp function apart from the cdfonts driver for mailer proggies.. so basically asp+ is iis4

oo i waffled a bit there didnt i :)


web designer here /pimp ;)

[drunkmonkey]

Oh yeah, www.barrysworldcom gives webservers w/ php when you sign up.

[Matthew1001]

I don't know if this has already been said but you cannot do it in HTML. CGI is better. Try to see if someone will write a script for you or search for one on the internet.

[SpeedFreak]

http://www.jsworld.com/scripts/passwords/

There are some javascript samples. Just be careful when you do it with any language that is not strictly on the server side because that info can be available in "View Source".

I would really suggest an ADO call to a database.

Use some soft of hashing so that the password stored in the database are not clear text.

What platform are you doing this on?

Another good alternative is to put all your information into an XML file somewhere else on the system and validate user credintials from the XML file.

Prety easy to maintain.

[XWRed1]

Just form post the user and pass to some sort of cgi page, bet it php or asp or perl or whatever, and have the server check it and deal with the user accordingly.

[SpeedFreak]

The bad thing about doing a post is I can write a program than can capture the POST data. That is not secure, and definately GET is the worst.

Server session would be better than POST, IMHO. Since the servers session state is stored in the servers memory and cannot be reached from the client machine and follows during the session. The downfall is bad use of session state can eat up the servers memory prety quickly.

I personal prefer storing them in a SQL server and use a custom hashing using Crypto API.

Another if you want to support M$ is go .NET and Passport.

[Just shoot]

Well I can see this is going to be more difficult than I originally thought. I need to go do somemore reading because some of this is over my head. I thought I had it figured out using php but know I'm not sure. If there is anymore good sources of info other than whats already been posted i surely would be grateful for a link. Thanks to all that posted. ;)

[drunkmonkey]

I think php is going to be the easiest for you, it's very flexable, and easy to learn. I learned to use it in 30 minutes by reading a free php chat room's code. Like I said before barrysworld.com will give you a server with sql, php, and cgi. you also get a pop3 email account. Everything is totally FREE! I think the maximum webpage size is 50mb!
OMG, i forgot this, the webpage they give you has a free secure password guard thats built into a linux apache server. NO CODE NEEDED! all you have to do is set a username/password and put your files in a folder called private! wow, can't believe I forgot that. I think you can also have multiple users and passwords. Hope that helps.
(Talkin out loud to myself) Man, they need to make me a senior member, geeze(/Talkin out loud to myself)

edit: sorry didn't put this in:
You can learn php at webmonkey.com and there's a huge list/description of commands at php.com i think.