Hi Mike,

One way to do this would be to make your Download section a 'private' area which requires a username and password to access it.  You can use the Access Management features in X5 to set this up.

Then you would use the Email Object with the user's email as a 'required field' which must be submitted to you before you send login details by return.  X5 would include the date as standard in emails of this nature.

One disadvantage of this approach is that it requires your active intervention.  You could, however, look online for PHP code which would allow you to automate parts of the process.

Hi Paul M

Could I set it up so that downloads page buttons are greyed out until  an email form has been completed and sent?

Or when the user clicks the download link he/she is routed to an email form . They complete the form and get to the download page?

With a little external code here and there you can make X5 do almost anything, so both your suggestions are feasible in that sense.  However, they're not quite how X5 likes to operate 'out-of-the-box'.

By default, if a visitor clicked on one of your download links (all of which will be protected from unauthorised access) then they would be presented with a simple login screen requesting username and password.  If they are previous users then they will have these already, login, and download files as they wish.  If however they are new users then they will be able to click on a link which you create to direct them to your signup page.

It's the automation part which X5 is currently not set up for.  What I mean is that you as the website administrator have to physically read each signup email and assign usernames and passwords, all of which takes time of course.

It is possible to automate the whole process with a combination of PHP script and MySQL databases  -  however, this extra code needs to be 'plugged in' to X5, and is not a simple undertaking for most folks.

Having said that, there is no need to reinvent the wheel, and the web abounds with free code samples.

X5 will write to a MySQL database if you ask it to.  It's linking that MySQL database to your access management that is the harder part.

Hi Paul M

Where would I get these abundant free scripts. I seem to be putting the wrong words into google.

Regards

Mike

Hi Paul M

What is the best way to include a label in the delivered email which identifies which page sent the email. at www.valuespreadsheetfixer.co.uk I have set the links so that any visitor who clicks the free downlad menu bar will see two download pages which are email forms to verify the user. Each of these forms has the relevant download page set as their return to page.

Each form will serve one set of trial programs. I want to know which form I am receiving?

Re. free scripts...  just a very small selection...

http://www.zend.com/code/codex.php

http://www.hscripts.com/scripts/php/

http://php.about.com/od/readymadephp/qt/free_php_scripts.htm

http://www.phpjabbers.com/free-php-scripts.php

http://coding.smashingmagazine.com/2009/01/20/50-extremely-useful-php-tools/

http://140dev.com/twitter-api-programming-blog/simple-php-mysql-database-library-source-code/

This might give you a better idea of what to search for, but rest assured you are spoilt for choice!  

The simplest way to differentiate between your two separate download pages would be to have X5 deliver the submitted forms to differing email addresses.  Most webhosts allow you to create a sizeable number of free email accounts.

e.g.

***

***

No coding required 

Email addresses obscured above were:

simplymeasure at valuespreadsheetfixer dot co dot uk

dategenerator at valuespreadsheetfixer dot co dot uk