No tutorials/examples to be found on using PHP dbm-style functions with apache's mod_auth_db

Hi

In a project I'm working on I need to allow users to register
themselves on a site, and then give them access to a protected folder
of the site once they are validated. I'll be running Apache and PHP on
some form of Unix.

I can't use PHP sessions to control access because there will be lots
of other file types besides .php in the protected folder. I can't use
simple basic authentication because users need to be added
automatically, not manually, and besides i think the flat file nature
of basic auth will cause problems beyond a few hundred users (we need
to support at least 1000 users).

So it looks like I need to use the mod_auth_db functionality of
apache. I notice there is a section in the PHP manual specifically for
this, but I notice there is not much activity in the newsgroups or any
examples to be found on the usual PHP resource sites. Usually the
comments under the relevant manual page on php.net are very useful,
but here they are very thin on the ground (
http://www.php.net/manual/en/ref.dba.php ).

Can anyone please tell me:

- Is PHP + Apache database authentication a good approach here? PHP is
my strongest language so I'd prefer to stick with it if I can. But the
lack of online discussion about this topic makes me suspicious...

- Are there any examples on websites, or in newsgroups postings, or
anywhere else, that describes in detail, or even outlines the steps
involved in getting this kind of security setup up and running?

Even the slightest hint here would be most appreciated
Thanks a million
Colm

colm_ward@hotmail.com (Colm Ward) writes:
>
Snip.

> Can anyone please tell me:
>
> - Is PHP + Apache database authentication a good approach here? PHP is
> my strongest language so I'd prefer to stick with it if I can. But the
> lack of online discussion about this topic makes me suspicious...

Yes, in theory at least.

>
> - Are there any examples on websites, or in newsgroups postings, or
> anywhere else, that describes in detail, or even outlines the steps
> involved in getting this kind of security setup up and running?

Somewhere on google I suppose.

Sorry I can't be of more help on this.

>
> Even the slightest hint here would be most appreciated
> Thanks a million

All right.

Setting this up is simple and all the docs that you need are included
with Apache and PHP.

Keep a careful eye on your Apache error log while you are testing.

There are no fewer than 5 different and somewhat incompatible versions
of the DBM libs that you can build Apache and PHP with.

My best advice to you is have a good look at the setup of both Apache
and PHP and be prepared to recompile one or both if necessary.

Good luck!



--
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jerry Sievers 305 854-3001 (home) WWW ECommerce Consultant
305 321-1144 (mobile http://www.JerrySievers.com/

Thanks for you reply.

You were right, I went back to the Apache manual, where there are
links to tutorials on setting this up. It seems that the tricky bits
are more in the configuration of apache rather than the php code you
use.

I ended up switching to mod_auth_mysql instead just because of my
greater familiarity with MySQL and it's working well now.

thanks again
-Colm


Jerry Sievers <jerry@jerrysievers.com> wrote in message news:<m3ptcu7pls.fsf@prod01.jerrysievers.com>...
> colm_ward@hotmail.com (Colm Ward) writes:
> >
> Snip.
>
> > Can anyone please tell me:
> >
> > - Is PHP + Apache database authentication a good approach here? PHP is
> > my strongest language so I'd prefer to stick with it if I can. But the
> > lack of online discussion about this topic makes me suspicious...
>
> Yes, in theory at least.
>
> >
> > - Are there any examples on websites, or in newsgroups postings, or
> > anywhere else, that describes in detail, or even outlines the steps
> > involved in getting this kind of security setup up and running?
>
> Somewhere on google I suppose.
>
> Sorry I can't be of more help on this.
>
> >
> > Even the slightest hint here would be most appreciated
> > Thanks a million
>
> All right.
>
> Setting this up is simple and all the docs that you need are included
> with Apache and PHP.
>
> Keep a careful eye on your Apache error log while you are testing.
>
> There are no fewer than 5 different and somewhat incompatible versions
> of the DBM libs that you can build Apache and PHP with.
>
> My best advice to you is have a good look at the setup of both Apache
> and PHP and be prepared to recompile one or both if necessary.
>
> Good luck!