PHP and Password Protected Directories

Junior WebHelper Joined: 25 Mar 2006 Posts: 2

I've set up a PHP and MySQL member section on my website, but want to display some images that only members can access. The script lets users onto a PHP page, which detects a cookie to see if they're logged in. If the page does not detect a cookie, the code stops and only the header of the page is shown. I need to display images that are for members only, but am concerned that people will just go to my images directory and find them on their own. I was wondering if PHP could log into a password protected directory which uses .htaccess.

Thanks for any input, or a new way around this problem.

Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2006 2:24 pm (18 years, 7 months ago)

I'm not sure you'll have much success with using Apache's password protection (unless you want to put the username/password in the image URL and somehow sync your database with the htpasswd file - not what I'd recommend doing).

What I would do is place all the members-only images in a directory which isn't accessible directly via Apache. Then, use a PHP script to check the user's authentication cookie, then use readfile() to send the image to the user.

Junior WebHelper Joined: 25 Mar 2006 Posts: 2

Thanks, Adam!
I'm an extreme beginner at PHP and MySQL, and I don't exactly get what you're saying (sorry!). Do you have a PHP script example to get me going on the right track? Thanks a bunch!

Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2006 9:24 pm (18 years, 7 months ago)

I don't have any examples handy, and don't really have the time to write one. The PHP manual might be a good place for you to start: http://www.php.net/readfile