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FrontPage2000 need a Gateway page...

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9 replies

by ds9 2 views

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Problem: We have a download center where we catalog both eBooks for sale, and eBooks that are FREE downloads. Each eBook for sale has it's own password/Key combination for unlocking it after it is downloaded, as a result, we do not worry about people downloading a "Per Pay" book without paying, because they cannot get into it anyway. They just waste their time for a long usless download.

However, to create a "Opt-in" mailing list, we require people to register their e-mail address and name before giving them access to the download center. We are getting to many wise guys with phony email addresses and I wish to verify those addresses by sending them a "Password" via email to enter the download area. If the email bounces back, we know its a phony, and if not, then the true customer/client can use the password to get into the download center.

We need a "Gateway" web page to do this. when they enter the gateway page it asks for the password. We need a script of some type that is like a "Y" in the road that sends you down either the left or the right side, such as:

Dim A$="sunshine" (the password)
If A$=TRUE then goto page01.htm
If A4=FALSE then goto page02.htm
Else repeat.

I'm no programmer of VB or Java, but back in my IBM Basic days the above would be similar to what I am lookin for as a HTML coding to drop into the page....

Any ideas....???

George

9 replies

by raffi_

Are you planning on doing all of this in Frontpage or can you do some hand-coding?
Can your server handle ASP and VB scripts?

If so I can probably supply you with somehting that will work

Regards
Raffi_

by ds9

Yes Raffi, we do everything with FrontPage, and yes I can handle HTML coding O.K., and our servers are complete with all extensions and ASP. Hate to use ASP, it does cause some problems with some brousers, would prefer an HTML solution or possibly some kind of CGI script, I was going to wait to see if Microsoft came up with something new in Frontpage 2002 which goes on sale today (May 31st), but did not see anything in the advanced Hype announcements that would do what I want here.
George

by peyison

George,

This can be done pretty easily in ASP. Let me know if you want code to do this.

Another option that is not too secure, but doesn't involve coding is to put the URL to the download center in the email you send and not have it availableon the site. So unless I receive your email, I don't know the URL to the download center.

If you want to do it by ebook, then you can put each ebook in its own subdirectory and give the directory an unguessable name - /downloads/agrhsd8/gonewiththewind.html. Send this URL in the email, from which I can just click on it or cut and paste into my browser. If I never get the email, I can't get the ebook.

Hope this helps.

by peyison

George,

Just a quick comment on ASP - you would do server-side code to do this - all the client would see is the HTML it generates, so browser compatibility is not a problem.

by ds9

Yes, your correct, so I will have to explore ASP. Got any good web sites with "PreMade" scripts..??

If so, send to george@sentryusa.com

Thanks
George

by raffi_

Hello DS9.

I do this stuff for a living so I have to be careful ;-) my clients might read this board too!

A couple of things: I hope you have a db on the back-end running all of this because it could get real messy real quick if you are doing it manually.

Frontpage, while great for sheilding you from the code, will never be as powerful as an editor that allows full control over the generated code. If this is a serious commerce site (and I have to presume that it is) you might want to look at something like MacroMedia's Dreamweaver Ultradev. It is a large step beyond FP but still very user friendly.

Whew. All that said here is a link to a JavaScript resource that gives you plenty of cut'n'paste options for pasword protection schemes.

http://javascript.internet.com/passwords/

Regards
Raffi_

by ds9

Thanks for the link to javascript.internet.com/passwords/ it gave me a good temporary solution, but as peyison says, it can still be seen when you access "source" in the brouser.

Thanks
George

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