mc-cgi and a database -- ideas, please

[kweto]

Hello List,

Sorry for the off-topic'ness -- and vagueness! -- of this bit of
self-indulgence but since this is the best and gentlest group to ask, I'll
fire away anyway.

I'm looking to put together a language-learning website that my students -- 
and my students *only* -- can access from their home pc's and which,
invisibly in the background, updates a database of student records (eg,
names, passwords, dates site was accessed, time spent on the various
language activities, grades). Of course, I want to involve mc-cgi in this as
much as possible. (I've already been relying successfully on mc-cgi for a
while now to help run my other internet-based doo-dahs.)

The following "model" is my stab-in-the-dark attempt at envisioning the
basic pieces of this puzzle and how to co-ordinate them:

1. on the web-server (a paid-for hosting service), I password-protect the
website's top-folder and then manually enter individual usernames and
passwords for each of my 100 or so students

2. place all my mc-cgi doo-dahs inside that password-protected folder

3. create a MySQL database using my web-hosting service's "SQL Database"
control panel

4. script some kind of mc-cgi doohickey that acts as an invisible
intermediary between that database and
   (a) (to keep track of who and when) the log-in window that pops up when a
student accesses that top-folder
   (b) (to keep track of what and how) the various language activities,
a.k.a, mc-cgi doo-dahs

Now, assuming that I'm not too far off-track with that "plan" -- and that
there aren't better alternative models -- what I don't understand is how to
do Step 3. Actually, as far as Step 3(b) goes, I guess that given enough
still-active brain cells and plenty of searches thru the List Archives I
might eventually churn out some kind of scripting solution all on my own;
however, I cannot fathom out at all how to go about scripting something for
Step 3(a), namely, getting mc to "talk" with whatever process underlies the
web-server calling up a log-in window for password-protected folders.

Again, if I'm missing the obvious in all of this or have turned left when I
ought to have turned right, I'd be very glad, not to mention grateful, for
whatever hand-holding comes my way.

Cheers,

Nicolas Cueto