Restrict access via URL parameter

ian_ep · 2008-10-08 05:41:08

Hi,

I’m making a small portfolio/gallery site to show my stuff to potential employers. I don’t want the site to be accessible to anyone else.

I’d prefer not to use password protection – it’s a bit of a turn-off I think.

I’d rather be able to send an email to a potential employer with a link to my site that allows access directly to the site without any password hindrances. Someone accessing the site from the email link would then preferably have a cookie set and would continue to be able to access the site.

Any suggestions how to do this – or if it is doable at all?

Thanks

colak · 2008-10-08 06:14:11

As far as I can understand it, no password=free entrance for all. If you do not want it to be listed by google (although other engines might not respect it) you can use meta tags such as

<meta name="revisit-after" content="60 days" />
<meta name="robots" content="noindex,nofollow" />

Login/password should be your safest bet but if there is a way for those to appear in the url, you may make a tinyurl of that address which you can post to your clients.

jakob · 2008-10-08 07:01:43

One option:
Set up your portfolio in another subdirectory and don’t link to it/request others not to link to it on the web. And switch off or password protect any publicly-reachable site logging/stats page that google might pick up.

Another option:
Try chs_if_urlvar or smd_if with urlvar attribute. chs_cookie may also be of interest to you. You can use these as conditionals to show or not show information by wrapping them around the relevant content.

Obviously neither is as secure as a password and once you’re site is linked to from elsewhere your ‘cover is blown’.

ian_ep · 2008-10-08 10:16:59

no password=free entrance for all.

Sorry for not explaining myself properly, but yes it’s fine that ‘uninvited guests’ get presented with a password challenge if they happen to drop by the site. I just don’t want invited visitors to have to enter a password.

If you do not want it to be listed by google [ … ] you can use meta tags …

Yes, I already have a robots.txt in place that disallows all robots.

Jakob’s suggestion of just putting the whole site in a subfolder may be adequate. I’ll take a look at chs_if_ulvar too. That looks promising.

Thanks for the suggestions.

colak · 2008-10-08 12:46:47

OK I get it now:)

Another option is to use the “rvm_privileged” plugin and make section(s) or part of them visible only to logged in users…

you can have something like

<txp:rvm_if_privileged>
your portfolio here
<txp:else />
something else here
</txp:rvm_if_privileged>

In this way, the page will show 2 contents depending on the visitor’s privileges. As this plugin is using txp cookies and user list, I think that it will be appropriate for what you are seeking. All you will need to do is give your clients accounts to your website…

Last edited by colak (2008-10-08 12:47:04)

ian_ep · 2008-10-08 16:49:20

Another option is to use the “rvm_privileged” plugin and make section(s) or part of them visible only to logged in users…

Yes, I’ve thought of that, but the visitor would still have to enter their password at least once to have the priveleged cookie on their machine, wouldn’t they? And that’s exactly what I’m trying to avoid … ;-}

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Textpattern CMS support forum

#1 2008-10-08 05:41:08

Restrict access via URL parameter

#2 2008-10-08 06:14:11

Re: Restrict access via URL parameter

#3 2008-10-08 07:01:43

Re: Restrict access via URL parameter

#4 2008-10-08 10:16:59

Re: Restrict access via URL parameter

#5 2008-10-08 12:46:47

Re: Restrict access via URL parameter

#6 2008-10-08 16:49:20

Re: Restrict access via URL parameter

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