comments page with multiple passwords

[Guest]

The site I am in charge of uses Front Page 2002. I have been asked to set up a page or series of pages that will allow others to leave comments but by invitation only and with passwords that I give and am able to take away if the privilege is misused by anyone having a password. Any ideas or help would be greatly appreciated. I am the web designer and do all systems management by default due to the fact I am the only one semi-computer literate. I am also supposed to limit the amount of comment allowed so someone does not give a disertation instead of a comment. Help please?

 

[Jon Spivey]

Hi Brenda,

We'd need to know the type of server you're hosted on (Windows or Unix) to
be able to help you. If you're not sure post up your site url and we'll look
for you.

 

[Guest]

The URL is http://www.gloryofhisgrace.or
Thank you for any help you can provide.

 

[Guest]

We use Earthlink as our server on a secure server and they do not have FP sub web support. I hope this helps.

 

[Guest]

I called earthlink and they said it is on the UNIX platform

 

[Stefan B Rusynko]

If Earthlink does not support subwebs you will need to look for a 3rd party solution (PHP, CGI, etc)

--




| We use Earthlink as our server on a secure server and they do not have FP sub web support. I hope this helps.

 

[Guest]

Maybe I didn't state clearly what I am looking to do. I want a way to let people send comments but only those invited and not in a way that everyone can read what is posted but private comments to the site for the site coordinator to read and reply to (which can just be by sending them a letter or emailing them a response.) We do not want to give an email address but I am thinking a page that is username/password protected that has a comments box they can put their comments into and then hit send. This could go to an email account or a database but I do not want the address to be public.

 

[Thomas A. Rowe]

Brenda,

Why not just create a FP feedback form that send an email to the site coordinator. Do not link the
form to any page within your web and then just provide the link to the form to those you want to be
able to use it?

Otherwise you will need to contact your host to see what server-side scripting language and database
that support or are willing to support.

--
==============================================
Thomas A. Rowe (Microsoft MVP - FrontPage)
WEBMASTER Resources(tm)

FrontPage Resources, WebCircle, MS KB Quick Links, etc.
==============================================

Maybe I didn't state clearly what I am looking to do. I want a way to let people send comments but

only those invited and not in a way that everyone can read what is posted but private comments to
the site for the site coordinator to read and reply to (which can just be by sending them a letter
or emailing them a response.) We do not want to give an email address but I am thinking a page that
is username/password protected that has a comments box they can put their comments into and then hit
send. This could go to an email account or a database but I do not want the address to be public.

 

[Andrew Murray]

Yes a discussion forum bulletin board is what you need - each person who signs up
has to sign up with their own unique password (or do you mean you want people to
express their interest and YOU give THEM a password ?

I think you're referring to the htaccess feature of Unix/Linux servers - it gives
some protection but it is not foolproof - it pops up the dialogue box you've
probably seen elsewhere : "Enter Network Password and Username" type thing.


try a search in Google on .htaccess that is, a fullstop followed by the word
htaccess (no spaces) and find out what this is and how to use it. This way it
creates a protected folder on your web server, you have to put usernames and
passwords in the htaccess file or htpasswd file and only those with a correct
username and password will have access into the folder.

The drawback is it only works once you can't 'backtrack' out of the secure page
and then have the logon box pop up again the only 'logoff' method is to close
down the browser, then start it up again go to the secure page and it will prompt
again for the logon., i.e. the first time and there is no "log off" apart from
closing down the browser. it is *fairly* secure but you might need something
more if you're too concerned about "undesirables" getting in.

to make it work you point the hyperlink to a html page inside the protected
folder for it to make the dialogue password box come up.

I hope this explains it a bit (might be a little confusing).....but to a google
search for more info.

Andrew

PS See my other post regarding discussion forums.

Maybe I didn't state clearly what I am looking to do. I want a way to let

people send comments but only those invited and not in a way that everyone can
read what is posted but private comments to the site for the site coordinator to
read and reply to (which can just be by sending them a letter or emailing them a
response.) We do not want to give an email address but I am thinking a page that
is username/password protected that has a comments box they can put their
comments into and then hit send. This could go to an email account or a database
but I do not want the address to be public.

 

[Andrew Murray]

Sounds like a you could use a discussion forum which might I don't think the
Frontpage discussion thing works and you've already said your ISP doesn't support
Frontpage extensions.

If you're able to upload and use your own or premade cgi scripts on earthlink
(??) then you can try the links below for a suitable script.

Try www.yabbforum.com - it is a free/open source CGI/Perl script - it might be a
little above your skill level but it has very details documentation to set it up.
basically all you do is upload the files and change a few file permissions on the
unix server (chmod). best thing is you can moderate it and it requires users to
sign up for membership to be able to post messages.

Also try searching www.hotscripts.com it is bound to have a suitable script,
however I recommend the above. here's a working example:
http://members.iinet.net.au/~admurray/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi

There are of course other products out there and a remote hosted forum may suit
you better - all you do is sign up as a member, and they give you the url of the
hosted forum program, and off you go - put a link on your site and let people
sign up as members to start the discussion.

The site I am in charge of uses Front Page 2002. I have been asked to set up a

page or series of pages that will allow others to leave comments but by
invitation only and with passwords that I give and am able to take away if the
privilege is misused by anyone having a password. Any ideas or help would be
greatly appreciated. I am the web designer and do all systems management by
default due to the fact I am the only one semi-computer literate. I am also
supposed to limit the amount of comment allowed so someone does not give a
disertation instead of a comment. Help please?

 

[Guest]

"Yes a discussion forum bulletin board is what you need - each person who signs up
has to sign up with their own unique password (or do you mean you want people to
express their interest and YOU give THEM a password ?

I think you're referring to the htaccess feature of Unix/Linux servers - it gives
some protection but it is not foolproof - it pops up the dialogue box you've
probably seen elsewhere : "Enter Network Password and Username" type thing.


try a search in Google on .htaccess that is, a fullstop followed by the word
htaccess (no spaces) and find out what this is and how to use it. This way it
creates a protected folder on your web server, you have to put usernames and
passwords in the htaccess file or htpasswd file and only those with a correct
username and password will have access into the folder."

What if you do not want the password dialoge box to appear?

Damzish