Dreamweaver CS3: The Missing Manual

Chapter 25. Advanced Dynamic Site Features

Dreamweaver’s basic database capabilities are impressive. But there may come a time when you need to dig deeper into the program to build successful Web applications. Dreamweaver’s advanced features let you, the mere mortal, do things that the pros do every day, like password-protect pages; display (or hide) content based on database results; and access information from forms, cookies, and URLs.

Password-Protecting Web Pages

Although Dreamweaver lets you create Web pages that can add, edit, and delete records from a database, your e-business wouldn’t last very long if just anyone could remove orders from your online ordering system or view credit card information stored in your customers’ records. And certainly your company’s executives wouldn’t be happy if someone accessed the staff directory database and changed the boss’s title from, for example, CEO to Chief Bozo. For these and other reasons, Dreamweaver provides a simple set of tools for locking your pages away from prying eyes.

The User Authentication server behaviors can password-protect any page on your site. With this feature, you can limit areas of your site to registered users only, allow customers to access and update their contact information, create maintenance pages accessible only to administrators, or personalize Web pages with customized messages (“Welcome back, Dave”).

Note

Note for ASP.NET Users: Dreamweaver doesn’t provide any User Authentication behaviors for ASP. NET. ...