Good morning, my name is Anthony. I am not a programmer. I build websites with Nvu. Everything I know about HTML and website building has been through reading and trial and error. Apologies if I am in the wrong place. I have a group of friends who want me to build them a website with user ID and password access. I know a database will be needed, but outside of that I am not sure how to implement one. I am looking for the easiest way to do this myself if possible, or for a reasonably priced product/service provider that can help me establish this part of the website? Thank you again. If I am in the wrong place, directions to fwd my questions would be greatly appreciated.
Best regards,
Anthony

Well, yes a database would be needed - as would a server side langauge (ASP, PHP, CF) to check the database for the username and password - and then check them.

You can build one, if you want, but here is one that I found that evolt built with step by step instructions on how to implement it: CLICK HERE.

It allows for user types and so on. Also, if you dig into PHP a little you could easily add specific requirements to the project.

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Greg

Not that with time and effort you can't do what gregwhitworth is suggesting, but since you are providing something that needs to work to your friends, you are better off handing out a complete working third party system.

I would suggest you point your friends in the direction of a CMS (Content management system). There's many available for free.

Good authentication and session management isn't trivial. In particular, you should be concerned that you have to supply this to your friends. If this were your own desire, and something were to go wrong, you could fix it at your leisure. But it's something your friends want, and they probably aren't interested in the technical difficulties and your learning experience. They just want something that works and is easy for them to use. And you are their free ticket to it...

There is a simple option, but it is only good for one user login. You can use .htaccess apache provides, and since a lot of webhost run on that software you can take advantage of that. But again I only use it for admin login to pages that should not be seen by normal users.

But a CMS is probably your best choice. WordPress is a pretty popular blogging/CMS software. But just google it and you will find a lot to choose from.

If it's just a login that is required, then I would surely suggest a server side language (ASP/PHP) & a database (MySql/MSSQL). An entire CMS just for a user login is overkill.

Thanks for the input Greg. I really appreciate you taking the time to confirm my needs and I ended up acquiring hosting with server side PHP language. After speaking with my little group of friends, I think what they want is something along the lines of a CMS. SO I am off and running with SMF. Well, off and crawling might be a better description. Thank you again.

This post has been edited by soulorbit: 24 Jun, 2009 - 01:12 PM

Oler1s,
Thanks for that. Strangely enough I found my way to the solution you offered last night LOL! I am seeing your advice here today. I am going with SMF(Single Machines Forum) for my CMS. I get everything I want from it for the group of friends, plus more. I am still doing it for them for free but, I too am getting something out of it. A crash course lesson in how to manage one. They know they are getting it for free right now . That is our deal. So they have agreed to be patient while I travel through the learning curve. Good friends huh?? I have an idea later for another site I think I would like to implement this on, and with the experience I gain from the trial and error with the group of friends website, I hope to have polished my skills with SMF for my own website. Thanks for the looking out, more importantly, thank you for the sound advice. I am off to the learning curve now.
Best regards,
Anthony




Thank you Mike for the input. I agree. I ended up going with SMF (Single Machines Forum) for the CMS.


This post has been edited by soulorbit: 24 Jun, 2009 - 01:32 PM