Secure Download Area

[Tim158]

Hello,

How can I create a secure download area in which only logged in members can access downloads?

I thought of using BLOB in a mySQL database (but will that hold files that are a few megabytes?).

What I am really looking for is a tutorial on how to do it, but you know what it is like when searching for a "secure download tutorial" on the net - you get everything that is not related because the word 'download' is so common.

Many thanks for any input,

Tim

Edit:
Oh... and if it helps, I am building my website around the login system that comes with phpBB. I know how basic login systems work but I don't want someone to just type in the URL to access a download.

[Genixdeae]

use sessions or cookies, and form submissions with hidden fields. for example have the user select the file to download from a form(which has a hidden field) then on the next page have it check to make sure that the user is logged on and that the user submitted the form(which can be done thro the hidden field).