Web Wiz Forums - Existing member API setting

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Existing member API setting

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Category: Web Wiz Web App Support Forums
Forum Name: Web Wiz Forums
Forum Description: Support forum for Web Wiz Forums application.
URL: https://forums.webwiz.net/forum_posts.asp?TID=31809
Printed Date: 28 March 2026 at 2:21pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.08 - https://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: Existing member API setting

Posted By: ITN
Subject: Existing member API setting
Date Posted: 14 August 2024 at 3:02pm

Hello everyone,

I've tried this API to integrate a forum to my website, and it looks like it's working.

I need one modification though.

I read in the istructions that the API works with:

The ASP Session Variables need to contain the following:-

Session("USER") - This needs to hold the member's name as it will be shown in Web Wiz Forums
Session("PASSWORD") - This is the member's password, it must be in plain text
Session("EMAIL") - This is the member's email address

My system works differently though. Username in my website is only used for login, while the member's name shown on the site (and it should be in the forum as well) is a different database field called HANDLENAME.

Users can choose the name they are known by in the site, which can be different than the username.

Is there a way I can include this field as well, and instruct the forum to show that as users handle?

Thanks for help everyone.

Replies:

Posted By: WebWiz-Bruce
Date Posted: 14 August 2024 at 3:27pm

It would require too many changes to have a second username in Web Wiz Forums.

The simples way would be for you to use HANDLENAME for Session("USER"), the forum username will then use HANDLENAME for the username within Web Wiz Forums.

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Posted By: ITN
Date Posted: 14 August 2024 at 3:35pm

Makes sense, I'll try that thanks!!

Posted By: ITN
Date Posted: 20 August 2024 at 8:36am

Thanks a lot Bruce, that worked and the user with the right handle has been created.

After the first time though, if I visit the forum again it says:

Server Error in Forum Application
An error has occurred while writing to the database.
Please contact the Forum Administrator.

Support Error Code:- err_mySQL_existingMemberAPI()_update_pass
File Name:- functions_member_API.asp
Forum Version:- 12.07

Error details:-
Microsoft OLE DB Provider for ODBC Drivers
Multiple-step OLE DB operation generated errors. Check each OLE DB status value, if available. No work was done.

and if I refresh the page, the forum does load but without me being logged in.

Any idea what this could be?

Another issue I have is that the apps needed to upload and resize pictures are not available at my hosting plan, but that is an issue that doesn't apply to the forum... Cry

Posted By: WebWiz-Bruce
Date Posted: 20 August 2024 at 9:21am

This looks to be a database error when updating the password that you are passing across.

I see you are using MySQL which doesn't always work well with ASP. Are you able to use SQL Server instead?

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Posted By: ITN
Date Posted: 22 August 2024 at 3:43pm

Actually I guess I should rewrite my whole website plus the VB project so that would be huge to do... but that's funny as I never had such problem with mysql and my asp pages.

Could it be that it's something to do with the fact that in the same page user gets different values?

Or has it to do with database writing?

Posted By: WebWiz-Bruce
Date Posted: 22 August 2024 at 3:50pm

Web Wiz Forums can use a SQL Server database while your website uses a MySQL database.

As you are using the existing member API, your website and the forum don't need to be using the same database type.

MySQL doesn't always work well with ASP you may have better luck choosing a different MyODBC driver if you want to stick with MySQL, but Web Wiz Forums runs much better with SQL Server.

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Posted By: ITN
Date Posted: 23 August 2024 at 9:49am

WebWiz-Bruce wrote:

Web Wiz Forums can use a SQL Server database while your website uses a MySQL database.

Thank you Bruce,

I did as you suggested, but it gives the same error:

Server Error in Forum Application
An error has occurred while writing to the database.
Please contact the Forum Administrator.

Support Error Code:- err_SQLServer_existingMemberAPI()_update_pass
File Name:- functions_member_API.asp
Forum Version:- 12.07

Error details:-
Microsoft OLE DB Provider for SQL Server
Multiple-step OLE DB operation generated errors. Check each OLE DB status value, if available. No work was done.

I'm trying to troubleshoot, but keep thinking it might have to do with the fact that my page has the field username as user, and also the other field as user for webwiz.

Posted By: WebWiz-Bruce
Date Posted: 23 August 2024 at 1:17pm

The errors looks to relate to the password. It could be the password you are sending over is too long and needs to be shortened before being sent to Web Wiz Forums.

Web Wiz Forums only stores the password, so if you ever remove the integration with your own website your users can login directly to Web Wiz Forums. You could therefore send a short random string as the password for your users to the API. Just make sure that the random string is not the same for each user.

Posted By: ITN
Date Posted: 26 August 2024 at 9:07am

Thank you Bruce, your suggestion about password too long led me to the cause. For some reason the hashed password was sent through.

I've solved the issue. Thanks a lot.

Posted By: WebWiz-Bruce
Date Posted: 26 August 2024 at 11:40am

You're welcome.

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Posted By: ITN
Date Posted: 02 September 2024 at 11:45am

One last question Bruce if I may.

The forum now works ok, I see a lot of guest users connected, which I suppose are kind of robots as the forum is not yet even indicized.

I'd like to make sure they cannot access the site. Is there a way to stop registration without mod approval?

Or even better, I see there's the possibility to disallow new registrations. I actually wouldn't need new registrations, as only members of my main site can have a forum account, but if I block new registrations, does it also block them with the automated API registration?

Thanks for help.

Posted By: WebWiz-Bruce
Date Posted: 02 September 2024 at 11:56am

That's great to hear you have it working.

When using the Member API you should 'Suspend New Registrations' and set the 'Suspended Registration Redirect' pointing to the URL of your own member registration page. This is done through the 'Registration Settings' page in the forum admin area.

This way anyone coming across your forum who wants to become a member will need to signup to your own website and not directly to the forum.