Need Password Protection for Downloads

[Zapusto]

I have purchased the Downloads App and am simply stunned that it does not include something as rudimentary as password protecting specific downloads/files. Caveat Emptor and all that. Since IPB has a no refunds policy in place, we need to figure out a way if we can somehow use it and make it work for us.

The nature of our site has a clients area, but only certain people have purchased certain products. Our choice is to either create a usergroup / permissions for every download file we offer and then edit each member to assign permissions for that download. Obviously that would be pure nonsense to do it that way. Alternatively, we can add a Password field and issue passwords to those who have purchased access to the file.

Ideally, we're looking to do this:

• Upload a file via the Downloads Manager
• During the Uploads Process, assign an access password to it
• When someone purchases the product, they will receive the password to download it.

Does anyone know of an add-on or other method by which a password can be assigned to downloads, using the Downloads App?

Thanks.

PS: Not sure where this is to be posted, so mods should move it if in the wrong place. Apparently my user permissions are insufficient to ask this in the IPS Marketplace Topics.

[Lukeroge]

Well, if you want to sell things with downloads, IP Commerce allows for that functionality by default. It powers the paid marketplace here.

[Zapusto]

Luke, thanks for replying, but it does not address what I ask asking. I am familiar with Nexus and do not need it, and it is certainly overkill for my needs. I am not actually selling the products for download.

Let me further clarify so further responses can be more direct to the issue at hand versus . A company has stopped selling their products. These products are in wide use among various webmaster and affiliate sites. We have modified the company's products to work with later versions of PHP than what the originals were coded for (php 5.2.x). The agreement we have is that only licensed owners can access and download the specific products they originally purchased.

I purchased the add-on for "Downloads" from the client area here just assuming it would have, at the very least, a password protection option to access the file. I was absolutely shocked to learn it didn't after I installed it. "Product Assistance" has been little to no help at all with this beyond telling me the Downloads App can't do this, I can't get a refund for it, go ask in the Community and see if someone can help. While a refund would be the preferred method, ultimately I am stuck with it and, rather than let it collect dust, I am trying to make do with it.

A workaround I am doing now is uploading each piece of software to a password protected subforum, where each subforum has the access password for the each specific piece of software. This is ridiculously inefficient. Obviously having a downloads manager with such a rudimentary option as password protection per download file is a best case scenario.

Thus, what I need again is as follows:

• Upload a file via the Downloads Manager
• During the Uploads Process, assign an access password to it
• When someone purchases the product, they will receive the password to download it.

If anyone can advise on how to make the Downloads App workable with my needs, let me know please.

[Lukeroge]

Luke, thanks for replying, but it does not address what I ask asking. I am familiar with Nexus and do not need it, and it is certainly overkill for my needs. I am not actually selling the products for download.

Let me further clarify so further responses can be more direct to the issue at hand versus . A company has stopped selling their products. These products are in wide use among various webmaster and affiliate sites. We have modified the company's products to work with later versions of PHP than what the originals were coded for (php 5.2.x). The agreement we have is that only licensed owners can access and download the specific products they originally purchased.

I purchased the add-on for "Downloads" from the client area here just assuming it would have, at the very least, a password protection option to access the file. I was absolutely shocked to learn it didn't after I installed it. "Product Assistance" has been little to no help at all with this beyond telling me the Downloads App can't do this, I can't get a refund for it, go ask in the Community and see if someone can help. While a refund would be the preferred method, ultimately I am stuck with it and, rather than let it collect dust, I am trying to make do with it.

A workaround I am doing now is uploading each piece of software to a password protected subforum, where each subforum has the access password for the each specific piece of software. This is ridiculously inefficient. Obviously having a downloads manager with such a rudimentary option as password protection per download file is a best case scenario.

Thus, what I need again is as follows:

• Upload a file via the Downloads Manager
• During the Uploads Process, assign an access password to it
• When someone purchases the product, they will receive the password to download it.

If anyone can advise on how to make the Downloads App workable with my needs, let me know please.

Well, I agree that password-protecting downloads should probably be a default feature, yeah. Thankfully it should be fairly easy to add this functionality with a custom hook, but I don't know enough to do this myself. I really hope you find someone who can help!

[Zapusto]

Well, I agree that password-protecting downloads should probably be a default feature, yeah. Thankfully it should be fairly easy to add this functionality with a custom hook, but I don't know enough to do this myself. I really hope you find someone who can help!

Thanks, I too would assume it shouldn't be difficult to do. But I want the option in such a way that anytime IPB updates its software, the option won't be broken -- which is a reason I very much dislike relying on third party plugins and mods. I expect core functionality to provide essential functions.

Certainly I hope such basic functionality as a password protection option, on a per file basis, actually makes it into a future Downloads App version (and frankly, I can't believe it has not been include long before now since Password protection of just about everything else is included in the suite, including password protection of subforums.)

Anyway, thanks again.