PHP Login and search bots

how to let bots through login

[adamwhiles]

I have a site that uses a custom login script with php. Basically, you goto the site and the main pages just have general information, but all the real content is protected by login. How do i let search engines crawl the pages behind the login? The only reason I want them too is because that is where the heart of my content is. When someone would click on a search result it would bring them to login page keeping the actual content protected. So how can i allow the bots past my login?

Thanks

[mikhaill]

Number of possible solutions:

a) Check User Agents, if its a crawler serve the real content instead of the login page.

b) If you use Google Webmaster tools they provide information on how to provide Google with the login information for its crawler. Then just make sure your script supports the way Google, etc pass the login credentials.