Front Page Extensions

how to limit folder access for FP users

[idiotgirl]

Some clients wish to update parts of their web site, and of course they rely on something like Front Page. The problem is- they download the whole site, including parts that should NOT be edited and changed on their home computer. These may include code snippets or database created files that reside in a sub-folder from their base directory. Front Page LOVES to corrupt these.

I asked tech support about this. Less than helpful is an understatement.

Is there a way to prevent them from accessing and downloading these file folders? Can or should these particular folders be set up as another "web" with its own FTP password or?? (I don't want to blow up the site dinking with FP extensions, obviously) I think there has to be some kind of workaround for this. I can't be the first person challenged with this scenario.

Sometimes I think: God deliver me from FP and the trouble it's caused.

[Marshall]

idiotgirl,

I've downloaded several sites using FP and never got the extensions. But if you want to hide something, put whatever in a folder labeled _whatever, but don't forget to include the underscore first. This will hide it from the user unless they know enough to reset their web setting to view hidden folders.

[idiotgirl]

Hi Marshall!

I did - I added the underscore to the beginning of the file folder names. Is that all there is to it?

I gotta test this and see if it works. It's driving me mad - them taking the files and screwing them up when it re-uploads using FP.

[Woz]

idiotgirl, (although I am sure you are not)

tell them not to upload via FP but use an FTP program and only upload the files they change.

I know, educating the client and all but one must live in hope.

Onya
Woz

[idiotgirl]

Woz-

Unfortunately, some of these clients can't spell FTP, let alone use it. That's the problem: FP makes it so easy, literally anyone can do it. They don't need to know anything, other than churning out masterpieces with bloated code using Front Page.

Therefore, literally anyone can screw it up :(

[Marshall]

Woz,

Idiotgirl is right on that. It makes it easy to publish, but also easy to screw up. Besides, mixing FTP and FP is not a good idea. When you load to a FP site using FTP, FP won't always see the changes. You may end up with something changed that you don't want changed.

And Idiotgirl (couldn't have picked a better moniker) there's no method is fool-proof. The only hidden file that FP displays by default is _private. If the user doesn't know how to reveal the other hidden folders, it's a method of protecting something through ignorance.

Look at it as job security. If they screw up, who they gonna call - not ghost busters :)

[Crazy_Fool]

idiotgirl, you have my sympathy. i provide web hosting and about 5% of my customers use frontpage extensions. however, they are responsible for about 40% of my support enquiries. i think i'll ban frontpage hosting from now on - i can live with 5% less income from hosting ...