Securing help .HTM pages

[diamondes]

We have RH8-HTML.

We have a custom built application that is based on .aspx pages, which I've written the help for in RH8.

If you try to pull up a particular .aspx page in the custom built application without being logged into the system, the system requires you to log in.

The help pages generated by the HTML Help are accessible if you put in the URL into the web browser's address bar without being challenged for login credentials.  This is true whether or not you are currently logged into the custom build application or not.  I have the generated help files sitting on the web server as a sub directory of the custom built application, along side any of the other folders that hold the internals of the custom built application.

Is there a way to force the help pages to act like the .aspx pages by requiring log in credentials to the site to be used prior to being able to see the help pages?  We really only want to the authenticated users of the custom built application to see the help, as opposed to anybody on the planet that might guess what the help pages are named.

[Captiv8r]

Hi there

I beleive this is possible. I think you need to ask your Web admins about securing the folder where you place the WebHelp so that folks are required to log in to view them.

Cheers... Rick

Helpful and Handy Links RoboHelp Wish Form/Bug Reporting Form Begin learning RoboHelp HTML 7 or 8 within the day - $24.95! Adobe Certified RoboHelp HTML Training SorcerStone Blog RoboHelp eBooks

[diamondes]

I think I need to add a little more: the custom built application relies on

ASP.NET forms authentication to grant access to the aspx pages rendered by

the custom built application. The .htm pages of the help don't seem to have

this ability. You can simply get to them. Is there a way to hide them

behind a .aspx page that IS controlled by form authentication or is there a

way to configure ASP.NET in the IIS snap in to secure the .htm pages so that

forms authentication is required to access the .htm pages?

[diamondes]

I found the answer to this, but I'll have to get the web page link from my

PC at work tomorrow. So, consider this closed, and yes, the fix has

something to do with changing settings under IIS controls; as well as,

adding some XML nodes to the WebConfig.xml file in the root of the

application.

[diamondes]

This web page holds the answer to the question.

I implemented it and it worked.

It's from some guy's blog named Sanjay. It's easy to follow.

http://geekswithblogs.net/SanjayU/archive/2009/04/17/using-forms-authentication-with-html-pages-or-really-any-file-type.aspx

[RoboWizard]

Hi again

I'm very pleased to see you managed to sort it. Thanks for posting your solution. I'm sure it will help others.

However, it would seem the solution listed is exactly what I suggested in the beginning, no? By that, I mean that it's not something an average help developer would be exposed to and falls squarely in the lap of the Web Admin's responsibility. Then again, I suppose that it's likely that in your case you are both the help developer AND the Web Admin, no?

Cheers... Rick

Helpful and Handy Links RoboHelp Wish Form/Bug Reporting Form Begin learning RoboHelp HTML 7 or 8 within the day - $24.95! Adobe Certified RoboHelp HTML Training SorcerStone Blog RoboHelp eBooks

[diamondes]

I suppose in a nebulous sort of way, yes, it is what you suggested; however, in my case, a nebulous answer wouldn't cut it, I needed the clicky clicks to implement it.  And no, I'm not the web admin, but the person expected to find the answer and make it work.

I understand your statement, about the separation of Help Development and System Administration; and perhaps in a large organization with many people to draw a base of information from, that might apply.  Regardless of where the perceived responsibility lies, it's always good to know and understand the answer in its entirety so that the NEXT time you run into it, (because you WILL run into it again) you already know how to solve it; rather than, dumping into somebody else's lap for them to solve or not.  - Ed