I'm asking here because many people here have solid apache experience. As you know you can put this code in the .htaccess file:

AuthType Basic
AuthName "RelateBase Application Library"
AuthUserFile "/home/rbase/.htpasswds/lib/passwd"
require valid-user


and then the passwd file would look like this:

relbase:Ap.baxgseHgvJ


I am writing a php application and can read the files without ht access. However I want to simulate a login window and honor the login username and password. My question is, how do I read the password submitted by the user and encrypt it so I can compare it with "Ap.baxgseHgvJ" above? It is obviously not an md5() encryption.

Thank you for your response.
Samuel