SubWeb Security

[Kelly]

Another question... I am using FP2000 and TRYING to create several
discussion webs for specific topics such as 'hard money', rental property,
etc. under my main site at www.streetsmartinvesting.net

I have created one subweb and converted the folder to a web folder, but how
do I set security permission so that people have to register in order to post
messages (I want to maintain these discussions in a professional manner).
The 'Security' feature under 'TOOLS' is grayed-out in both my main web as
well as the discussion web so that I cannot access it. I am hosting with
GoDaddy and the FP extensions are installed. I have contacted them and they
said it was something I needed to do in FP and not on their server-side.

I'm lost and developing a whole-new vocabulary of off-color mutterings...

 

[Jim Buyens]

If your server has ASP.NET and SQL Server installed, and you can do this
fairly easily using a free Microsoft program called Visual Web Developer
Express. For more info, browse:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/express/vwd/default.aspx

Otherwise, you have to program it yourself in ASP.NET or ASP. The FrontPage
2003 Inside Out book comes with sample code.

Jim Buyens
Microsoft MVP
http://www.interlacken.com
Author of:
o--> Microsoft Visual Web Developer 2005 Express Edition: Build a Web Site
Now!
o--> Microsoft Office FrontPage 2003 Inside Out
o--> Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services Inside Out
o--> Faster Smarter Beginning Programming

 

[Kelly]

Thanks for the information Jim... I thought that one of the highlights of
FrontPage is that it allowed you to do this within the program itself as part
of the package. Am I missing something? I guess I'm confused as to why I
have to downlaod another programs if FP is already supposed to allow
discussion webs. Not being argumentative - just confused.

 

[Thomas A. Rowe]

1. The FP self-registration component on works on Unix/Linux server and allows anyone to register.
2. If you are hosted under Windows IIS, the web host must allow you set unique permissions on
subwebs, may do not allow this.
3. The FP Discussion Web component is very limited, especially in management of users and post, so
it is better to look for a 3rd party alternative.

--
==============================================
Thomas A. Rowe (Microsoft MVP - FrontPage)
==============================================
If you feel your current issue is a results of installing
a Service Pack or security update, please contact
Microsoft Product Support Services:
http://support.microsoft.com
If the problem can be shown to have been caused by a
security update, then there is usually no charge for the call.
==============================================

 

[Jim Buyens]

FrontPage has a way of password-protecting folders, but it's old, old, old.
It dates back to the days before Microsoft bought the program from Vermier
Technologies Incorporated, and it only works on Unix servers.

The Microsoft approach to Web security is to set NTFS permissions on your
Web pages, so that visitors get the browser's username/password prompt.
However, that doesn't work very well outside intranets, because it doesn't
provide self-registration, and even if it did, you don't want just anyone
from the Internet creating Windows accounts on your computer.

The kind of security you see on the Internet, with self-registration and
e-mail address confirmation and forgotten password messages, is what
Microsoft calls "forms-based security". Historically, Microsoft has presumed
that sites only need this as part of a larger business system, and that those
developers will program the security features, too.

Just recently, however, Microsoft has added such features as a built-in
feature of ASP.NET 2.0. FrontPage 2003, however, knows nothing of ASP.NET
2.0, so you have to use a program that does.

FrontPage discussion boards are just as old and just as creaky. Chances are,
your host can provide something much better.

It's really best to think of FrontPage as an editor that creates Web pages
and Web sites, and not as a source of prepackaged applications.

Jim Buyens
Microsoft MVP
http://www.interlacken.com
Author of:
o--> Microsoft Visual Web Developer 2005 Express Edition: Build a Web Site
Now!
o--> Microsoft Office FrontPage 2003 Inside Out
o--> Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services Inside Out
o--> Faster Smarter Beginning Programming

 

[Kelly]

Jim,

Your reply was great! It explained things without the high-level
technobabble that many people use. I've spent a lot of money hiring web
developers to create my site only to find out they're useless - hence my own
trial by fire with Frontpage. Thanks again for explaining in dumbed-down
terms that I shouldn't use FP for these subwebs. The other gentleman (Mr.
Rowe) also explained that I should go third-party and I have spent all day
trying to learn visual basic. Thanks again to the both of you.