Banning Log Spammers and Frontpage

If htaccess is uneditable with FP....

[walrus]

I have a freind who is getting fed up with log spammers, even though logs are'nt public it is an on going annoyance.
I said use htaccess and block em, but he says Front Page gets corrupted if he edits the htaccess. I am unfamiliar with FP so said i could'nt help him.

I found this post here, [webmasterworld.com ]
and have seen lots of posts about FP woes, so

Has anyone using Frontpage successfully created a deny list in htaccess?

[specter]

Why to edit .htaccess with FP instead of using a text editor?

[walrus]

The problem apparently is that adding basic commands like allow/deny, in an FP created htaccess, will cause problems with the site wether its edited in a text editor or not.

[Mokita]

Has anyone using Frontpage successfully created a deny list in htaccess?

Yes, and it involves editing the .htaccess files in three other hidden folders that FrontPage uses for authentication etc. You have to add this code

Options +FollowSymLinks

... to to all three of these directories:

_vti_bin
_vti_bin /_vti_adm
_vti_bin/ _vti_aut

... replacing Options None (if it exists)

I found the method I used here:

[frontpagewebmaster.com...]

NB: You have to be very careful to not disturb any of the code already placed in the .htaccess by FrontPage or you will be prevented from publishing. It is always best to make a backup of the original before changing it.

[walrus]

Thanks very much Mokita!
I guess the last possible variable may be the .htconf settings and the type of server. (Just to complicate it further :)
In my case, my server will not make changes to my .htconf which means i still cant impliment some of the great advice i got from JDMorgan here last year like the rewrite commands.
I use a popular host too, so i hate the thought of changing servers over it but am thinking about it now, unless i find out its common if you are not on a dedicated server.

[Wlauzon]

We use FP on 3 sites along with an .htaccess file and never had any problems. It is just a simple text file.

And never had to do anything with the _ type directories.