Access a website via a connection key

When working with a website administered by someone else in Contribute, the web administrator may send you an email containing a key.

A key is really just a file that contains information about where the website is located, what activities you as a user can do on the website, and some setting information that controls how Contribute functions for you. This file is encrypted.

The administrator will also need to give you a password to connect to the site. This password decrypts the key. Without it, you cannot easily connect to the website.

To access the website from an emailed key:

1. Open the email from your web administrator
2. Save the attachment to your desktop (or another location where you can find it)
3. Double-click the file, which will start the program Contribute
4. Enter your name and email address, if prompted
5. Enter the password provided by your web administrator

The administrator may also get the key to you by putting it on a disk (either a floppy disk or a network drive).

To access the website from a file on a drive:

1. Copy the file to your desktop (or another location where you can find it)
2. Double-click the file, which will start the program Contribute
3. Enter your name and email address, if prompted
4. Enter the password provided by your web administrator

*** Finally, you may have the file stored on the webserver as a link. While we do not recommend this, it is the method we use in the workshop for convenience.

To access the website from a file on the webserver (linked):

1. Access the URL. For the workshop, it is this connection key
2. Right-click on the URL (Windows) or option-click (Mac)
3. Save the file to your desktop (or another location where you can find it - you may not be prompted for location)
4. Double-click the file, which will start the program Contribute
5. Enter your name and email address, if prompted
6. Enter the password provided by your web administrator

Note - You must have started the Contribute program at least once for it to recognize that the connection key is a Contribute file.