Re: Protecting Files

well, you could do two things:

use PHP to mask the file name so no one could type it.

OR

use PHP to only accept a download request based on the $_SERVER['HTTP_REFERRER'] (check this syntax on php.net )

dan

Clint Davis had written:

It's actually must simpler than this...

When a visitor registers, I'm setting a session cookie. The registration
info is captured in a database and isn't compared against anything. We're
only asking them to register so we have an idea of who's accessing the PDF
files. Anyone can register anytime to view the PDFs.

On 6/10/05 11:22 AM, "DC" <dan.cynosure@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

depends on your number of expected users and what you are comfortable with.

tell us more about the details...

you could do htaccess but that would mean interfacing with the itools
user database in whatever protected area you have since you say you want
auto-registration, not moderated. this is not a small task and would
involve a fair bit of shell scripting and/or perl CGI (or PHP).

mod_rewrite is not really for permissions.

i would suggest PHP since you can keep and manage everything outside of
the itools user arena.

it sounds like all you are doing is collecting email addressed and if
the email address matches on in a databsae (or a simple text file) then
the user should get the PDF.

try google for some of the relevant keywords: PHP access registration
download, etc... there's bound to be a little script somewhere that you
can plonk in without too much trouble.

dan

Clint Davis had written:

I'm running iTools 7.3/Apache 2.0 on an Xserve.

I have several PDF files on my site. To view the PDFs, each visitor needs to
register first. Even after they register, I don't want them to be able to
access PDFs directly by typing in the full URL - they must click a link
within the site. Since the links are always visible, I can't just hide/show
them based on the registration cookie.

The flow is like this:

1. Visitor clicks link to PDF
2. Are they registered?
   a. Yes
       i. Show the PDF
   b. No
       i. Take them to the register page
       ii. Visitor completes form and clicks submit
       iii. Show the PDF

How can this be done?
Use .htaccess?
Use mod_rewrite?
Other solution?

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