Issues with filtering grid by user groups

[HRSue]

Hi all!

I am posting as a last resort, after spending 3 weeks researching and trying everything recommended that I've found through google, the alpha forum, searches, you name it, I am hoping someone here can help me. I hate to bother you guys except I really am tapped out and hope someone can help me with a little (somewhat more detailed) instruction.

Here is my issue today:
I have a grid that has a remote database accessed via AlphaDAO. There are about 4 linked grids included within this grid. I have containers, frames, etc. (just to give you an idea). The grid is a form with search part and no detail part. It has about 3000 employee records (salary, bonus information, merit, incentives, etc). As you can imagine, the information is very sensitive so we don't want people to have access to everyone but rather to people based on location. We have three levels of security that we need 1) By Country 2) By Region and 3) Administrators. We have a field in the grid that is "Work Country" and another field that is "Region".

My initial thought was to create each "Work Country" as a group and then give access to the Country that each person needs access to using the user groups. Then we can also give someone access to the countries that make up a region and lastly, to administrators who can see everyone. The problem is I've tried everything (creating a dialog, filtering, adding a5ws_get....to the index and a pass through page) and nothing seems to work. I'm not a programmer so I am not sure if I am using incorrect wording? or I am not following the instructions correctly? I didn't think it was this difficult to filter by user group or maybe it is my lack of knowledge (which I am sure it is)......

My last resort is going to be copying the current grid 2 more times for a total of 3 grids reading the same sql table. I will create a ulink value based on Country or Region depending on what the person needs access to. Then I will take the 1st table and filter that by ulink = country column. I'll take the 2nd grid and filter that on ulink = region column and the third grid will have everyone. I'll give the 1st table access to those that need 1 country only. The 2nd to those that need region only and the 3rd will only be seen by administrators. I'll have to give someone more than 1 user name if they have more than 1 country but less than 1 region needed. It is going to be a pain and ugly which is why I am hoping someone here can help!!

I am also up for hearing better ideas. Anything would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you so much!!!

[Keith Hubert]

Re: Issues with filtering grid by user groups

Hi Sue,

First off, dont wait 3 weeks before posting a question. That is three weeks out of your life, gone forever.

Have you tried using the Alpha web security. You can set up Users and User Groups. You can restrict users to each group as to what pages or data they can view.

[HRSue]

Re: Issues with filtering grid by user groups

Thanks Keith! I know I shouldn't wait except I try to exhaust all avenues before posting and bugging anyone since I am a definite beginner.....

.....If you mean Alpha web security as in a login component on a login page, I do have that. I also have a few users and groups set up on the security tab and I set up the component and page security. I have a ulink except that is a one to one relationship so if someone needs more than 1 Country access it won't let me do that. The problem is probably that I don't know where to put the wording for the login to know who the user is or what group the user is in so I'm stuck. I tried following directions and videos but nothing seems to be working. No matter what I do or how I log in (trying different test people within the various groups) it just doesn't work. It doesn't filter the grid records by row. I'm at my witts end so if you (or anyone) can tell me what I need to do to get the groups to work I would be so happy!

Thanks in advance!

[WendyWelton]

Re: Issues with filtering grid by user groups

Sue - believe Keith when he says don't wait. Take a good shot at it, definitely post what you've tried, where you've looked for solutions, etc - but don't wait three weeks. Everybody is here of their own free will. If someone doesn't want to answer a newbie question, they won't. If they do - they will. Don't be shy!

I think you should post some screen shots of what you've tried so far. It's hard sometimes to get it from just words.

[HRSue]

Re: Issues with filtering grid by user groups

Thanks Wendy! You are right!!

At this point I've undone everything and wouldn't be able to recreate it all for screen shots. I guess can someone (without taking too much of your own time) tell me the steps - i.e. set up login page, web security, add users, add groups, then go back to the login page and add x, y, z code under the second <head> or the first head where ever it goes and I am VERY good at following instructions as long as I have the wording and am told where to put it.

I've tried every search phrase under the forum ("grid security", "grid filter", "filter by group", group filter, many many more). I've googled everything under web security for alpha five, alpha five security, alpha five v11 security, alpha five web security, alpha five filteringgridbyloggedinuser, I've watched videos on the filter, building a users and groups dialog, ulink, security component, you name it, I've probably looked at it. Anything with security and alpha five that has come up in the search for google or the forum, I pretty much looked at and followed instructions for any of it that made sense.

Thanks again everyone!

[WendyWelton]

Re: Issues with filtering grid by user groups

Sue

Do you know how to do an Argument? This one is by web user.

session_variable.png

And then you can filter on that user

filter_by_session_variable.png

See what you can do with that, then post back with where you're stuck. To just do a complete set of instructions is more than I have time to do, especially without knowing what you've tried (which would tell me what you already know). I'm not an expert by any means, I'm less than a year into A5 myself. But I do filter on people and groups, so I'll try. And once you get the conversation started with more info than just words, other more experienced developers will probably jump in.

[WendyWelton]

Re: Issues with filtering grid by user groups

set up login page, web security, add users, add groups, then go back to the login page and add x, y, z code under the second <head> or the first head where ever it goes and I am VERY good at following instructions as long as I have the wording and am told where to put it.

I've tried every search phrase under the forum ("grid security", "grid filter", "filter by group", group filter, many many more).

Please post some screen shots of what you have right now for tables for users etc. I use Steve Wood's template, so I didn't have to start from scratch - so I don't know exactly what one does from scratch.

P.S. - just a thought - for the price of Steve's template, 95% of this would be done for you. http://www.alphatogo.com/productgps.a5w?gp=WT It says Version 10, but I'm using it on Version 11. There are 3 or 4 minor changes you make, all detailed on his message board (and probably in the install instructions as well). For an experienced developer, the template replaces weeks' of work. For a newbie like me - months (and I learned a lot by just examining it as well).

[WendyWelton]

Re: Issues with filtering grid by user groups

set up login page, web security, add users, add groups, then go back to the login page and add x, y, z code under the second <head> or the first head where ever it goes and I am VERY good at following instructions as long as I have the wording and am told where to put it.

I've tried every search phrase under the forum ("grid security", "grid filter", "filter by group", group filter, many many more).

Please post some screen shots of what you have right now for tables for users etc. I use Steve Wood's template, so I didn't have to start from scratch - so I don't know exactly what one does from scratch.

And - did you know about the Video Finder? There are some really good videos showing how to set up a web security user etc.

video_finder_-_web_security.png

P.S. - just a thought - for the price of Steve's template, 95% of this would be done for you. http://www.alphatogo.com/productgps.a5w?gp=WT It says Version 10, but I'm using it on Version 11. There are 3 or 4 minor changes you make, all detailed on his message board (and probably in the install instructions as well). For an experienced developer, the template replaces weeks' of work. For a newbie like me - months (and I learned a lot by just examining it as well).

[HRSue]

Re: Issues with filtering grid by user groups

I did the filter based on Country = :ulink and the problem is that I can only have a 1 to 1 comparison. So if I need to see US and Italy I can't because my ulink value only enables me to enter 1 value in that field. I need to add my userid to the US and Italy groups and then figure out a way at login to see what my groups are that I belong to and only give me access to those groups. Does that make sense? Then if someone has 3 or 4 countries, they will see people in all those countries. If someone is an admin they can see everyone. If I do the Country = :ulink then everyone will only be able to have 1 country (unless you know of a way to add a string to the ulink value for each person?)

Also, I did see Steve Wood's template and actually sent your link now to the person in charge of buying/ordering software to research and try to gain approval for ordering it. I'm keeping my fingers crossed! The only issue is that takes time and I only have another week because I waited so long :o( I do have my "last resort" which is doing the filter that you say but I really want the user groups grid filter to work. We usually do beginnger type web interface pages, nothing major fancy but this one that we are working on has a little more bells and whistles. I have a feeling more requests will come that need to have security based on group level access so if we can get this to work it will be better in the long run.

[WendyWelton]

Re: Issues with filtering grid by user groups

How many people?

How many countries?

[HRSue]

Re: Issues with filtering grid by user groups

There are only about 15 people that need access but each person will need access to about 1 to 10 different Countries OR possibly 1 or 2 regions.

[WendyWelton]

Re: Issues with filtering grid by user groups

I would filter on the person.

I would then have a table of countries.

I would then have a many to many table that link the persons to the countries. It needs to have only two fields:
person_id
country_id

You'll have a record for every link between person and country.

Do a View that has the person table as the primary and this linking table as a secondary. I'm dbf, and in dbf you do it in the grid. In SQL you do it in SQL. You do the same View type for any display, where the person is the primary (which lets you Ulink to them...)

So then to add a country, add a record. To remove a country, remove the record.

I don't doubt that there are far more sophisticated ways to do it. But I know this will work, and I know a newbie like me can make it work.

Here are some screen shots of things I've done that might help you get started (order of images may not be great, but this is how much time I have right now!):
linked_grid.png
view_type_grid.png
category_assignment.png
category_assign_grid.png
category_assign_grid_looks_like_this.png

[HRSue]

Re: Issues with filtering grid by user groups

Thank you so much Wendy! I'll be playing with this today to see if I can get it to work!! I appreciate you taking the time to try to help me especially with screen shots!!!! I'll keep you posted.

[WendyWelton]

Re: Issues with filtering grid by user groups

You're welcome. Notice how a picture is worth a thousand words?

I use Jing, which is free. We like free! (Well, I upgraded, for a whopping $15 a year). It will do both screen shots and 5 minute videos. And it's made my Tech Smith who has Screencast, that I think also has free video hosting. If you want to get the best help here, make it really really really easy for folks to understand what you're asking, what you've tried, or even just what you're starting with!

free_jing.png