The Dink Network

I was thinking of using 1st Page 2000 to make a website that covers quite a few things (the details aren't worked out exactly yet, but novels , computer games (including Dink), card games, rpgs and movies are confirmed so far). I was thinking of making it so that members get a few advantages over quests. However, I have run across a problem: I don't know how to create a member section. I found a Instant Script in 1st Page that allows logins based on user name and password, but nothing on allowing users to register an account. Can anybody tell me how to solve this issue?

Sure: write your own.

I don't know how. That's the point of this post.

Do you have access to a MySQL database? If not you'll have to use a text file. Just store the names and passwords (preferrably encrypted using md5()) in there.

Yeah but I also want a way for them to register for the account. I don't know how to do that either. I only have a way for them to sign in as existing members. Plus I'm don't know how to get a MySQL database.

Where are you hosting the site?

Not sure where yet, but probably this free one I found that allows 100mb.

NEW: I have decided on free.hostdepartment.com

If it supports PHP and MySql, you can try the scripts of the tutorial found here. I've found this site through this one which has some other links to tutorials and sample scripts.

It'd be good to have a basic understanding of PHP and MySql at first, though. I learnt the basics through the tutorial on lycos tripod, which is pretty decent. It assumes there's some form of phpMyAdmin on the server, and that you've already made a database, and that is the only thing that might cause trouble.

I advise you should find another host, which does support MySql and PHP. If you look at the bottom of the page, it says: "Our free web hosting account does not support CGI, Perl, PHP, ASP, MySQL, or any other advanced hosting solutions."

Anyway, if you've found a host which supports PHP and MySql, these tutorials are a good way to get started.

Okay, your right it does say that, but it does say "Free password protected web directories. Have your own members only area with user/password authenitcation!". So obviously it does it somehow. I will have to find out how through research. It includes many free tools to help make the website too.

The password protected directories are done using Basic Authentication with a .htaccess file. This use a .htpasswd file in which it stores the users and passwords. I don't know where your host stores this file, but if you can manage to write to it using some language that it does support, you can make it work. You'll have to find out the way passwords are encrypted, though. My guess is md5.

Nope, .htpasswd definately does not use MD5. I think they are just encrypted using 'crypt', if that makes any sense.

You're better off not using basic authentication, because there is no reliable way to remove users. If you remove someone from the .htpasswd file, they can still have access because it 'remembers' that the user is still logged in.

Well, better that than no membership accounts. And so far it is the best free one I can find. And no I can't use a pay service since none of the ones here in NZ are any good and I can't afford it.

Not to be blunt or anything, but how can you say "none of them are any good" if you don't even have the slightest clue of what to look for in a webhost... (i.e. your earlier remark about not knowing whether they had php etc...)

That isn't the only consideration. They don't offer enough of other services or enough space. Besides I never said I didn't know weither the NZ services offered it. I wasn't even saying that about any service. I was saying I don't know what service I was going to use.

If NZ services aren't good enough--use another country's! I'm from Norway, but host my site in the US.

Well the free service I am using is a US one.