Encoding images in a db?

[furious5]

I was wondering if someone can advise me about encoding images within a database.

I understand this comes at an overhead and normally I would normally just provide a link to the image directory.

I'm doing some work with a photographer who wants to enforce a user sign up to view any of his images. He is concerned that if someone finds out the directory structure they could download all his images.

I don't know whether encoding the images in the db is overkill, or whether it would be simpler and more effective for the images to be hidden outside of the public html directory?

Any advice would be great.

[AstroTeg]

Hide outside the public HTML directory. Create 1 PHP file which its task is to do two things. One, validate the user (in which ever way you wish to enforce the user can access the image). Two, feed the file to the user (assuming the user has met the validation criteria).

Actually, the process to do this would be almost exactly the same if you were to put the images in the database. The only difference is where the file is stored. Personally, I'd let the file system do what it does best which is file storage - so I'd recommend storing the images with the file system.

[furious5]

Thanks it was as I thought then.

I was just wondering whether it would be anymore secure encoding it in a db.