PHP Password protected PHP Forum

[Seedy]

I have created a php form which submits data into an sql database and I have tried to protect the page using a simple php password login - which upon successfull login displays the database form using an include('');.
The database entry form and the login both work well independently but together, once logged in, the data form does not submit the data - presumably as there are then two forms present in the one page.

What might I need to do in order for the second form to submit the data to the database, while logged in? Would setting a cookie help? Should I rethink the log method?

Any advice appreciated.

page1.php

<?php 
if (isset($_POST["password"]) && ($_POST["password"]=="$password")) {
?>
<!-- START OF HIDDEN HTML -->
 <p align="center"><br><br><br>
 <b>Access Gained</b></p>
<?php
 include('page2.php');
?>
<!-- END OF HIDDEN HTML -->
<?php 
}
else
{
if (isset($_POST['password']) || $password == "") {
 print "<p align=\"center\"><font color=\"red\"><b>Incorrect Password</b></font></p>";}
 print "<form method=\"post\"><p align=\"center\">Enter password<br>";
 print "<input name=\"password\" type=\"password\" size=\"25\" maxlength=\"10\"><input value=\"Login\" type=\"submit\"></p></form>";
}
?>

page2.php

<?php
if (isset($_REQUEST['Submit'])) {
$sql = "INSERT INTO $db_table(data) values ('".stripslashes($_REQUEST['data'])."')";
if($result = mysql_query($sql ,$db)) {
echo 'Data Submitted';
} else {
echo "ERROR: ".mysql_error();
}
} else {
echo '<form method="post" action="">';
echo '<table width="100%">';
echo '<tr><td class="scores">Data:<br /><input type="text" name="data" value="" /></td></tr>';
echo '<tr><td class="scores"><input type="submit" name="Submit" value="Submit"><input type="reset" name="reset" value="Reset"></td></tr>';
echo '</table></form>';
}
?>

[cffrost2]

What if you set a session var upon success and not show the password form if the var is set. Then you'll only have one form show on the page. Just a thought.

<?php 
if (isset($_POST["password"]) && ($_POST["password"]=="$password")) {
$_SESSION['granted'] == 'grant';
}
elseif (isset($_POST['password']) || $password == "") {
print "<p align=\"center\"><font color=\"red\"><b>Incorrect Password</b></font></p>"; 
print "<form method=\"post\"><p align=\"center\">Enter password<br>";
print "<input name=\"password\" type=\"password\" size=\"25\" maxlength=\"10\"><input value=\"Login\" type=\"submit\"></p></form>";
}
if($_SESSION['granted'])
{
?>
<!-- START OF HIDDEN HTML -->
<p align="center"><br><br><br>
<b>Access Gained</b></p>
<?php
include('page2.php');
?>
<!-- END OF HIDDEN HTML -->
<?php 
}
else
{
print "<form method=\"post\"><p align=\"center\">Enter password<br>";
print "<input name=\"password\" type=\"password\" size=\"25\" maxlength=\"10\"><input value=\"Login\" type=\"submit\"></p></form>";
}
?>

Hope this helps.