Use PHP to open existing PDF file

[habs20]

Does anyone know of a way to have php open a pdf file instead of displaying the file as a ahref?

Here is my problem. User id and passwd is validate through php/mysql user table.

web site, queries another table for a list of files the user is allowed to see. Reults as list to current page a an ahref . How ever anyone can see the files by putting in the url to the directory. Not Good! I would like to use .htacces to block this action but then the intended user cant retrieve the files. I was hoping to use .htaccess and have php code to spawn the pdf file.

Any thoughts or suggestions appreciated.

Thanks

[devinemke]

store the pdf's outside of the document root and serve them up using the [man]header[/man] function.