Exporting pages to different folders for Password Protecting with HTACCESS

**MichaelZ** · 25 August 2020, 05:07 PM

Hi

Under Web Designer Premium 17, I am looking at doing a members only section for a site and have read the following link: https://help.xara.com/article/81-how...ord-protection

I prefer to use my own host rather than splitting into 2 websites and hosting half with my host and half the site password protected with Magix Online.

The document above mentions that I can use the HTACCESS file for this purpose but I can only protect complete folders, not individual pages, and need to post my password protected pages into a separate folder. How do I go about doing this when exporting? I cannot see where I can assign specific pages to specific folders. When Xara exports the site, all pages are placed into the same folder, If I move pages within the exported folder to new folders or sub folders, I'm sure links to these pages will be broken.

TIA
Mike

**Egg Bramhill** · 25 August 2020, 10:45 PM

I prefer to use my own host rather than splitting into 2 websites and hosting half with my host and half the site password protected with Magix Online.

Hi Mike, that's not necessary. You can do it all in your no-Xara hosted web site. ( I assume your hosting allows you to create password protected directories, most good hosts should.)

I'll try to further explain this later tomorrow evening

**MichaelZ** · 25 August 2020, 10:55 PM

Thank you for the reply. Yes I see my host has a "security" option where I can place users with passwords on directories. Looking at what is stored at the host, I see all my files are in the public folder along with the index_htm_files folder. I assume if I can separate my "members only" pages into its own folder, I would be able to simply protect those. Just not sure how to do that. Unless you have another solution... Have a good evening and thanks again.

**lex** · 26 August 2020, 06:43 AM

Hello,

In Xara, you could just make two separate sites, and put links between them. This is perhaps the easiest way.

Htaccess files are very versatile, search https://www.askapache.com/htaccess/ for "Password Protect single file" and "Password Protect multiple files".

Personally, I have used a very affordable membership application to protect part of a site (https://www.withinweb.com/phpsecurearea/). It has many options for paid (Paypal) and members-only sites and password management.

Originally Posted by MichaelZ

I prefer to use my own host rather than splitting into 2 websites and hosting half with my host and half the site password protected with Magix Online.

The document above mentions that I can use the HTACCESS file for this purpose but I can only protect complete folders, not individual pages, and need to post my password protected pages into a separate folder. How do I go about doing this when exporting?

**Acorn** · 26 August 2020, 10:46 AM

Password protecting using .htaccess is a part-way house as you have one password to protect a file or files.
Through an error or malicious intent and that password can be compromised and you have the headache of securely advising others of the change.

Far better to use something like WordPress (WP) that readily allows proper password management, payments, change of membership and communication. You can then launch into your protected files/area more easily.

Originally Posted by lex

Htaccess files are very versatile, search https://www.askapache.com/htaccess/ for "Password Protect single file" and "Password Protect multiple files".
Personally, I have used a very affordable membership application to protect part of a site (https://www.withinweb.com/phpsecurearea/). It has many options for paid (Paypal) and members-only sites and password management.

@Lex, thank you for the useful .htaccess link. WP can achieve what you have for free if your Service Provider offers it.

Acorn

**lex** · 26 August 2020, 11:39 AM

Hi Acorn,

A single password may not indeed be the solution (if you really want to protect something). Wordpress is not for everyone, and actually there are CMS's that are much easier to manage. Dotclear is one of them (https://dotclear.org). The admin section is much more straightforward. Dotclear's Agora plugin can create a password-protected forum. Phpsecurearea, on the other hand, can be made to work with all kinds of web pages. Phpsecurearea is an option to consider if your site has different elements like traditional HTML, Xara, Dotclear or some other lightweight blog or CMS solutions. Wordpress is a monolith that more or less excludes the use Xara and other solutions. The solution depends on what you want accomplish: a small area for social encounters or a paid membership site.

Originally Posted by Acorn

Password protecting using .htaccess is a part-way house as you have one password to protect a file or files.
Through an error or malicious intent and that password can be compromised and you have the headache of securely advising others of the change.

Far better to use something like WordPress (WP) that readily allows proper password management, payments, change of membership and communication. You can then launch into your protected files/area more easily.

@Lex, thank you for the useful .htaccess link. WP can achieve what you have for free if your Service Provider offers it.

Acorn

**RKissane** · 26 August 2020, 04:11 PM

One of my company's web sites has a login for it. The site was hosted on a Windows server so we set the login through Windows like you would do for different users on a computer. When the person goes to the website the server asks for the login and then lets the page load.

We have since moved over to a Unix server and they were able to set up the server the same way.

So you may want to look at your hosting control panel and see if that will let you enable a login for the site. I did not do this portion for our site but that was how it was explained to me by the host service.

Ray

**MichaelZ** · 26 August 2020, 04:29 PM

Thank you for the reply Lex. For making 2 sites, Would they be completely separate with a different domain name? In that case I could use the Magix site as the secondary site. Unfortunately only 1 password unless I use the .htpasswd file with multiple users.

I am also interested in seeing what Egg has as a solution.

**lex** · 27 August 2020, 09:13 AM

Hello MichaelZ,

One domain is all your need. Let's assume your domain is www.mydomain.com, then you could place the protected part in a subfolder (www.mydomain.com/private). In Xara, make two sites (separate projects), one for the main site, the other for the subsite. Change the upload target for the subsite to www.mydomain.com/private. Then, if you want, you can put a link (a fully qualified address) to point to one or the other site. Or just tell your friends the other address.

Depending on your provider and the control panel they offer, you may be also able to make a subdomain (e.g. private.mydomain.com) quite easily. This is no different from the above subfolder example. You just have to observe carefully the target folder within your domain that is used for the subdomain (should be shown in the control panel if that option is available). In Xara, point to the correct upload folder or use an FTP program to upload files there.

Originally Posted by MichaelZ

Thank you for the reply Lex. For making 2 sites, Would they be completely separate with a different domain name? In that case I could use the Magix site as the secondary site. Unfortunately only 1 password unless I use the .htpasswd file with multiple users.

**MichaelZ** · 27 August 2020, 02:44 PM

Thank you Lex. That would do it. I didn't realize you can upload say 2 index.htm files to the same domain but i guess the only one thing that goes out to the www is what is in public? ie. if someone googles something, the pages under private will not be in the search results? Thanks again Lex.