Get a list of users, user_name(), currently connected to a database

[Ronald Anusiewicz]

I’ve been trying to do this for a couple of years now. I know that: A5_REGISTRATION_LICENSE_INUSE() function counts the number of users in .MUF and .RMUF files.

I’m using Security. What I’m trying to do is to see the name of each user. I come close but my code keeps failing and what I see isn’t always correct. I try writing to a table, but if users exits the application without using the Exit button, their name isn’t removed from the table.

The other issue is if a user roams and logs in from two different computers during the day, I really have 2 different logins for the same person.

Anyone ever tried this before?

[Ted Giles]

http://msgboard.alphasoftware.com/al...s-by-same-user

Don't know if the video is still available, but someone will have it - or similar, Ron

[Ronald Anusiewicz]

Ted, that was Dr Peter Wayne's site which unfortunately is no longer running. I want to know the name of the user currently logged in. This is written to a table.
If the user logs off using my shut down method, the exit key, they are removed from the list.

My problem is that the users go home at night and never exit from their Alpha apps. This makes it difficult when maintaining the application. So I do a forced automatic shut down every night of those application left running. I specify the shut down time after which I have explicit access to the application.

What I'm trying to figure out is how to update the table with the names of those who logged in. As all the apps are closing at the exact same time, the current time of the server, the table appears to be locked by the first user to update the table with the others failing to update the table. The apps are shut down, just the table is not being updated from the second user on.

[Ted Giles]

Difficult one, Ron.

Is there any way to attach a Timer to the open application - by user - and trigger A5.CLOSE() after a specified time?

Example;
Say the users stay until 18:00 hours. At 21:00 hours this fires and shuts their instance down.
You could shut ALL instances down I imagine without actually stopping Alpha.

If you are using A5_ForceCloseTables() then any open form with a table will prevent that happening to every table.

Edit, try this as a code block somewhere it won't mess anything up.

'Date Created: 11-Jan-2023 01:12:02 PM
'Last Updated: 11-Jan-2023 01:13:06 PM
'Created By : Ted
'Updated By : Ted
dim cnt as N
cnt = 1
ui_modeless_dlg_box("{INTERVAL}",<<%dlg%
{timer=increment}
{interval=.05}
{progress=50cnt}
<close>;
%dlg%,<<%code%
if a_dlg_button = "increment" then
cnt = cnt + 1
if cnt = 100 then
cnt = 1
a5.Close()
end if
end if

if a_dlg_button = "close" then
ui_modeless_dlg_close("{INTERVAL}")
end if
%code%)

[Ronald Anusiewicz]

The auto close is not the problem. I'm using script_schedule() to run my script which closes Alpha 5. My issue was to remove the user from the login table. I think I figured it out. I'll know better in a couple of days.

[Ted Giles]

Then I really don't understand.
If you close all open instances - and I'm presuming Shadow here - can you not just clear the login table?

[Ronald Anusiewicz]

Well, that's the easy way. I want to do it the hard way by having each instance log out. Damn your good!

That's what happens when focus on a singular solution.

[Al Buchholz]

I do something similar using a specific directory to put a text file in for each user/session.
That way I can see the list without using Alpha tables.

I do assign a GUID to a global variable for each session so I can separately track multiple sign ins for a single user name.

Tracks as many options as possible for normal disconnects.

Set the status when logging in and record date time in the text.
The file name gets a little long with username - GUID - Datetime - machine name - status, but is usable to id the user by only looking at the filename.
Change the status when logging out and record date time in the text.

Show open sessions using the file directory list showing open logins by filtering the list.

As far as abends, I move the files to a saved directory to do the 'clean up'
In your case, you could move the records to an archive table for 'clean up'

Files that need to be cleaned up indicate that something may be wrong with the user disconnecting properly.

And yes Ted is damn good...

[gkeramidas]

i do a couple things. i have an app version script that writes to the table when the use logs in. i use it to record the alpha version, program version, pc name, the folder the app is run from, log in date and time, logout date and time. it runs in the Autoexec and OnDatabasecCose scripts.
if they haven't logged out, i know who it is.


i also use the on timer event in a form to check between certain times of day and if they haven't accessed the form in 30 minutes, I close it
i also use the xdialog timer and interval commands to close and xdialog or exit alpha

[Mike Wilson]

Maybe I'm not on track but I look at 1) Remote Desktop Server Manager to show the users logged into the server and 2) Task Manager to show users that have alpha open.

[Ronald Anusiewicz]

I don't have access to the server hence I wanted something that I as administrator could view from within the application.
What I have works most of the time. When my autoclose script runs, it does shut down all the instances of Alpha. The issue
is the code that updates the log has not been reliable and I can't figure out why. I'm writing to a table and it appears to be a problem.
I think Al recommended to write to a text file and that may be my next step if I decide to pursue this further. I've spent far to much time
on this.

[gkeramidas]

i've never had an issue with my method. writing to my app version table when they log in and then writing to it on database close when they log out or just close it. if i have no logout timestamp, i know they never logged out, or the pc hung or restarted abnormally. i have the user name, the pc name , the alpha version, the app version, the folder the app was started from. everything i need. sometimes i see a user somehow ran the live version and not the shadow.

[Ronald Anusiewicz]

if i have no logout timestamp, i know they never logged out,

Well that's what's happening to me, but only if the workstation was left connected and my auto shutdown code shuts down Alpha. Actually, there is usually one time stamp for a work station that was automatically shut down. The others have no time stamp. That's the part that baffles me. Why does the script only write to the table only one workstation when it should cover all connected work stations.

Below is my latest attempt. I Will upload this to the server tonight and try it Wednesday evening.

'Date Created: 22-Sep-2022 08:19:00 PM
'Last Updated: 14-Jan-2023 05:09:27 PM
'Created By  : Ron
'Updated By  : Ron

'this script is called from the Function "Script_Schedule()"

'vgAuto_Shut_Down_Delay is a global numeric value created when each workstation is logged in.
'This value is used to stagger the shutdown of each workstation by 5 seconds.

sleep(vgAuto_Shut_Down_Delay)

if Empty_Logged_in() = .T. then
    xbasic_wait_for_idle(1)    
end if

title = "Shutting Down Application"
ui_modeless_dlg_box(title,<<%dlg%
{xmargin=8,8}
{ymargin=2}
{font=Calibri,14}
Running Nightly Auto Shut Down Now
%dlg%)

sleep(5)

ui_modeless_dlg_close(title)

'allow exit
vl_Can_Exit = .T.
:A5.close()

END    '********************************************************


FUNCTION Empty_Logged_in as L ()
    'changes the value of the field "active" from .T. to .F.
    'enter the current date and time in the field "out"
    Empty_Logged_in = .F.
    dim et as P
    et = table.open("logged_in",FILE_RW_SHARED)
    query.order = "Active"
    query.filter = "Active=.T."
    query.options = "I"
    et.query_create()
    update.fields = 2
    update.field1 = "ACTIVE"
    update.expr1 = ".F."
    update.field2 = "OUT"
    update.expr2 = "time(\"MM/dd/yy 0h:0m\",now())"
    et.update()
    et.close()
    Empty_Logged_in = .T.    
END FUNCTION  ​

[Ted Giles]

Are you looping to see the status of which workstations are logged on/off somewhere else, Ron?
You may need to revisit the order in which you are running stuff.