Multiple Username and Password Protection and User Groups Introduction The mgiAuthenticate and mgiAuthenticateDB tags password-protect individual pages of your web site. When a visitor accesses a page with an mgiAuthenticate or mgiAuthenticateDB tag, the web browser displays a dialogue box and prompts the user to enter a username and password. If the correct username and password are entered, the page displays. If either an incorrect username or password is entered, an error page displays. Use the mgiAuthenticate tag to password-protect a page with one static username and password. Use the mgiAuthenticateDB tag to password-protect a page with multiple usernames and passwords. The mgiAuthenticateDB tag can also be used to provide levels of access via groups. The authentication tags can only be used to password-protected individual pages. The authentication tags cannot be used to password-protect entire directories (folders) unless all pages in the directory contain the mgiAuthenticate or mgiAuthenticateDB tag. In this example, password protection is based on two groups, admin and staff. If a group parameter is not included in the mgiAuthenticateDB tag, users from any group with a valid username and password may access the page. MGI Tags mgiAuthenticateDB Steps Create an authentication administration page. Insert the mgiAuthenticateDB tag in Admin mode. Save the authentication administration page. FTP the authentication administration page to the web server running MGI. View the authentication administration page. Add users. Open pages to password protect in a text editor. Insert the mgiAuthenticateDB tag and group parameter. Save the pages. FTP the pages to the web server running MGI. View the pages in a browser. Step 1: Create an authentication administration page. Create a page named "authadmin.mgi" to display the web-based authentication interface. Open the page in a text editing program that allows you to view and modify the HTML and code of the page. Step 2: Insert the mgiAuthenticateDB tag in Admin mode. Enter the mgiAuthenticateDB tag and mode parameter. In the mode parameter enter "Admin". The admin interface will display at the location of the mgiAuthenticateDB tag. <mgiAuthenticateDB mode="Admin"> Step 3: Save the authentication administration page. Save the changes you have made to the authentication administration page. Step 4: FTP the authentication administration page to the web server running MGI. Upload the authentication administration page from your local computer to the web server using an FTP program. Step 5: View the authentication administration page. The first screen of the authentication administration interface allows you to add or import users (or search for users if they already exist). See instruction for importing in the advanced tutorials. Step 6: Add users. To create a new user, click the "New" button. Enter the new user information in the form that displays.   The username and password fields are required. In the Username field, enter the user's unique, case-sensitive login identification. Usernames must be unique, even across groups. Since the username is case-sensitive, the same name with different capitalization qualifies as a unique username. In the Password field, enter the user's case-sensitive security code.   In the Email Address field, enter the user's email address. The email address can be used to send the user's password if it is forgotten.   In the Groups field, enter the group name that the user belongs to. For multiple groups, enter a comma-delimited list in the Groups field.   In the start date fields, enter the numeric month, day and 4-digit year when the user's username and password become valid. In the end date fields, enter the numeric month, day and 4-digit year when the user's username and password are no longer valid. To give a user access for all dates, leave the start and end date fields blank - they will default automatically.   In the start time fields, enter the time that the user's username and password become valid on the start date. In the end time fields, enter the time that the user's username and password are no longer valid on the end date. To give a user access for all times, leave the start and end time fields blank - they will default automatically.   Click "Submit Record" to add the user. The message "Record successfully added." and a blank form for adding additional users displays when the addition is complete. Step 7: Open pages to password protect in a text editor. Open any page you wish too password protect in a text editing program that allows you to view and modify the HTML and code of the page. Step 8: Insert the mgiAuthenticateDB tag and group parameter. Enter the mgiAuthenticateDB tag and group parameter. In the group parameter, enter the name of the group that is allowed to access the page. You may enter only one group name. If the group parameter is not included, a user from any group with a valid username and password may access the page. <mgiAuthenticateDB group="staff"> Step 9: Save the pages. Save the changes you have added to password protected pages. Step 10: FTP the pages to the web server running MGI. Upload the password protected pages from your local computer to the web server using an FTP program. Step 11: View the pages in a browser. View a password protected page in a browser. A dialogue box prompts you for your username and password. If you enter a valid username and password, the page displays. If you enter a valid username and password, but you are not a member of the specified group, an error displays. If you enter an invalid username or password, an error displays. Comments and Notes Usernames and passwords are both case-sensitive. When you distribute a username and password, note the importance of capitalization to the recipient.