Spawn the child from the template, add you login fields to a form on your
page, add your server behaviors for user authentication. Save the page.
What's the problem?

Aye, that's eksactly the way I thought it would work - in fact that was allI
needet to know, that this is the right way to do it.
My problem probally came because I started making the site with a fully
funktional login - then learned about templates - then changed the site on the
basis of the template and then nothing worked.
The main thing for me to know was: can I (DW) attach php code in the top of a
page which is built on the basis of a template, where the top of the page is in
fact outside the defined editable area.
The answer is YES so now I'll remake my homepage - based on a template - well
thought through - and I'll leave SSI out this time but it might be usefull
another time.

Thanks for you patience and I'm glad that templates work the way I hoped they
would.
;0)
Lisbeth