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URL Enryption

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    URL Enryption

    I am new to Alpha Software, so this may be simple, but I could not seem to find the answer in the help system or in searching the message boards...

    I want to be able to hide or encrypt the parameters I am passing. I have a grid with a link to a maintenance page. The URL looks like this:

    http://www.mycompany.com/student_maint.a5w?student_id=61360

    I would like to show:

    http://www.mycompany.com/student_maint.a5w?student_id=[encrypted value]

    Is this a built in configuration/function, or what is the best way to hide parameters?
    Jim Dusoe
    Net Data Design Innovations
    Alpha Software Senior System Architect

    #2
    Re: URL Enryption

    I used to try to encrypt values on the fly in Calculated field area using either encrypt_string() or base64encode(). This causes problems at runtime because the value keeps trying to re-encrypt (I guess). I also used to use some formula to highly obscure my ID values - but not any more. I find it much more effective to use the new UUID field type directly in my table.

    The formula remspecial(api_uuidcreate()) will create a guaranteed unique value for your record.

    So, in your case you would either a) use a UUID instead of your 5 digit incremental ID value or b) keep your 5 digit ID but also add a 32 character field named UUID to the table, populate it with a UUID (see below) and then use that field (rather than the ID) to create links.

    The situations where I use option (a) above is If I have a table where the ID is not something a human has to deal with (like they might with an Invioce ID, PO Number, etc.). In that case I used to use a incremental value, but now use a UUID. If a human has to write down or know the "ID", I still use the UUID for links, but create the 'friendly' shorter ID for human consumption.

    It's a little less convenient. In a desktop app, you can just put that formula above in to the Default for Field Rules and it will populate when the record is created. For a web app, you need to specfically create the value when you create the record, as in tbl.uuid = remspecial(api_uuidcreate()).

    The end result is your link looks like this:

    http://www.mycompany.com/student_mai...2e5b5dda2eef38

    If you do have to encrypt, I find the base64encode() to work the best for URLs, but the encrypt_string() is more secure because you can add your own passkey.
    Steve Wood
    See my profile on IADN

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