How do I reset http authentication w/o a browser shutdown?

grizzlyguru has asked for the wisdom of the Perl Monks concerning the following question:

I have an application where the user must login via a general HTTP authentication in order to create an account. I would then like them to login again with the new HTTP authentication info they created. How do I reset the authentication w/o forcing the user to quit out of the browser and restart it?

Comment on How do I reset http authentication w/o a browser shutdown?

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Re: How do I reset http authentication w/o a browser shutdown?
by crazyinsomniac (Prior) on Oct 20, 2002 at 16:32 UTC

http://search.cpan.org/author/LDS/HTTPD-User-Manage-1.6 might be worth checking out, as well as ftp://ftp.isi.edu/in-notes/rfc2617.txt

update:
After reading the RFC a little, sending an 'Unauthorized' header would also do you some good. You should really read the RFC.

______crazyinsomniac_____________________________
Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most.
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Re: How do I reset http authentication w/o a browser shutdown?
by Aristotle (Chancellor) on Oct 20, 2002 at 16:50 UTC

Like crazyinsomniac said - send a status 401 and the browser will prompt the user for a password.

Be aware that HTTP authentication basically sends a plaintext password. If it's not a HTTPS connection, your users' passwords are open for anyone who wants to pick them.

Makeshifts last the longest.

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Re: How do I reset http authentication w/o a browser shutdown?
by Arguile (Hermit) on Oct 20, 2002 at 18:05 UTC

If they don't need to see the rest of the site with the general login, another option is to simply isolate the account creation section in a subdir (or authenticate based on filename) and have different authentication parameters for it.

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