You can create a .htaccess file offline and then upload it via ftp (as ASCII) into the directory you want to protect. However,
DO NOT do this if you have no ability to create a .htpasswd file on your system. You cannot create a .htpasswd file offline without some type of script to do it. The passwords in that file are encrypted by the operating system -- they cannot be plain text. You could end up locking yourself out of the system.
What I suggest you do is visit the CGI Resource under the Password Protection category at
www.cgi-resources.com/Programs_and_Scripts/Perl/Password_Protection/ . There you will find a few scripts that allow you to manage both the .htaccess and .htpasswd files for your system. Be aware, though, that not all are free scripts and, in fact, most are not.
Also, be sure to check with your ISP to ensure that you can add the .htaccess/.htpasswd files to begin with. Some ISPs do not allow this function by customers. Who knows, your ISP might already have a way for you to do this without using telnet (they may already have scripts to do it installed).
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Bob Connors
bobsie@orphanage.com www.orphanage.com/goodstuff/ goodstufflists.home.ml.org/ [This message has been edited by Bobsie (edited January 27, 1999).]
