How to put a restricted-access searchable database online

Hi, I hope I'm getting this in the right forum.

I work for a non-profit that puts out a yearly publication to our members (basically a large catalog with the listings of all the vegetable varieties our members have to offer). Right now it is a 460-page monster of a book that we mail, but we have been getting more and more requests for this to be online. In order to do that, we need to have our database online, searchable on about 5-6 different fields,
able to display about a dozen fields (sometimes with multiple results), and most importantly - able to be restricted only to current members by passwords.

We have a great Access database that we've been using for years, which has all the information - we just don't know how to get what we need out there and available like this.

My first attempt at this was to not use any of the confidential information (anything that had a member's name or address), so as not to deal with restricting access, and used a free tool I found called Rod the Robot (www.rodtherobot.com). I think it would have worked, but the problem is, we've got an online store and the .asp pages it builds, we've already got other versions of, for searching our online store.

Of course we really don't have much of a budget for this, so I don't know if it's possible, but I'd love to know what's available. Thanks!

Steph

If you just want a handful of specific users to be able to download the Access database file and search against it on their own machines, then you could just put it on a folder on your server, and then password protect that folder.

Most web hosting services provide a web-based cpanel (control panel) interface that will let you easily identify a folder that you want to password protect. Then you can send your users a link along with the username and password... they can download it and search to their heart's content.

They'll click the link in the email you send them, and their browser will prompt them for a password to access the database. They'll enter their username and password that you provide them, and they'll be able to download the Access .mdb file.

This is assuming they have Access on their machines so that they can run the database, and assumes you have some reports or queries built into the database (or that they know how to use Access to create these items on their own).

Does this help?

If what you have is currently a "publication" that you mail out, then why not periodically publish it as an Adobe Acrobat document and let people download it? Just plop it into a password protected directory and email people the link and the password.

If you decide to go this route, you could "republish" the document once a month to keep things more current.

If you want to go the full route and make your database truly interactive, look into great programming languages such as ColdFusion and ASP to develop interactive user interfaces and really make things dynamic.

If you're on an linux server, here's how to create the protected folder.

Step 1: Create the directory area and set permissions to read the area

Step 2: Create a file called .htaccess in the directory you want to protect.In that file, type in these lines (ingore the - - ):

- - - - - - - - - - - -

AuthUserFile /your/directory/here/.htpasswd
AuthGroupFile /dev/null
AuthName "Secure Document"
AuthType Basic


require user username


- - - - - - - - - - - - -

For example, if you were going to protect the /usr4/test/private/ directory and you want the required name to be class239, then your file would look like this:

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

AuthUserFile /usr4/test/private/.htpasswd
AuthGroupFile /dev/null
AuthName "Secure Document"
AuthType Basic


require user class239


Read the rest...
- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Take a look here too. http://www.javascriptkit.com/howto/htaccess3.shtml


hth,

.

Hello Everyone! My name is Derek and I'm currently volunteering for the Maine Youth Action Network. We just unveiled our site, and we're trying to make it more user friendly with a searchable/sortable database.

We are looking for a program or a system where we could easily make a searchable database for presenters and other youth-driven groups that have the same focus. For example, if someone is working in substance abuse, they could go to our website and search for other youth groups in their area or in the state of Maine that work towards the same goal. Does anyone have any ideas on software or free-downloadable programs that we could make use of to acheive this goal?

# for example: something like the database found on the NYC CAH website: http://www.nyccah.org/maps/index.php


thanks!

best
derek