[SOLVED] Check sub via Excel/VBA

I have an Excel application that I would like to restrict to users who have a current (paid) subscription.

Is this possible via CB and CBSubs? Thanks.

Post edited by: krileon, at: 2010/06/11 15:29

AppliedResearch wrote:

I have an Excel application that I would like to restrict to users who have a current (paid) subscription.

Is this possible via CB and CBSubs? Thanks.

You mean you have a file (excel) that you want only subscribers to be able to download?

If yes, then CBSubs can do this with DOCman.

No I need more than that; I want the Excel spreadsheet to ask for a username/password and check the sub each time the spreadsheet is opened.

I know how to code the form in XL, but I need a way to take the username/password that is entered and check it against the Joomla user database.

I could probably open an IE object and populate the Joomla login form, but I thought maybe CB would have a better solution than that.

Your could use CBSubs Folder Access and add htpasswd protection to a folder that contains your excel files. Users could then directly access the excel file and upon attempting to will be requested their username and password. Please note this is a complicated configuration and does require many trial and error until configured correctly. I do not recommend it to those who are less knowledgeable with web development and htaccess files. Otherwise your best alternative is as Nick has suggested. A user must be logged in to be subscribed. Therefor when attempting to access via Docman they'll already be logged in, why ask them to login again?

Sorry, I wasn't clear enough. The XL spreadsheets will be downloaded by the user who can change some of the data (but not the functionality). The user can even have multiple copies as the data will change regularly.

Since the XL files will be local, the user will not have to login to the website directly; that is why I need the XL file to be able to check login credentials.

I can write the VBA code that will open an IE object, navigate to the login page, load the username/password and wait for an accept/reject before allowing access to the spreadsheet.

I thought maybe CB would have a better method but this will probably work. Thanks.