Amount of Permissions

[alexmuir]

Hello

One of our larger clients is concerned about the number of permissions requested on the workstations of a 20 user application we have developed.

As I understand it we need workstations to be machine administrators or the Windows 7 equivalent as Alpha writes to the registry on start up.

Is there any way around this?

I also understand that users also need full access (not special permissions) to the mapped server drive to read, write, copy, edit, modify, create and delete files.

Again how do you assure IT Directors in this ultra important area.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.


Kind regards

Alex

[Clunes]

Re: Amount of Permissions

Not sure what you mean by read, write, copy, edit, modify, create and delete files. user really only needs read/write. deleting would be a function built into the db which would be considered read write is this case. If users are allowed to delete tables and modify design, then I would question the structure of the program.

IT should be happy with this concept. If they were not, what is the point of a server sharing files with everyone. If they don't allow user to create/delete/modify files and folders etc in a controlled environment, they really are not earning their money.

Alpha only writes to the registry of the user pc where runtime is installed and this is on install. I am not aware of any need to edit registry during operation of a DB

[DaveM]

Re: Amount of Permissions

edited - my earlier piost got missing.

To the best of my knowledge, alpha only uses the registry when the runtime is installed. It does have to read from it on occasion, but not write to it. Some one correct me if I am wrong.

Programmer can lock the app down to prevent all but a true hacker from messing around inside it. The methods are all over the forum and vary from programmer to programmer.

the it can determine what is needed. They only need red and write(usually). If they are creating pdf files or other on the server drive, that can change things. Most created files are only on the workstations, but not always.

Users should almost never be allowed to mess with tables, reports, form, etc. except in the use they were designed for.

Get away from mapped drives like h:\servefolder\my.adb and go to \\servername\folder\my.adb. A mapped drive may be good for creating the pdf, sls, etc files as needed.

end edit:

I also understand that users also need full access (not special permissions) to the mapped server drive to read, write, copy, edit, modify, create and delete files.

This is not true. IT can give only permissions that are needed. Again - get away from from mapped drives. unaware users can make mistakes.

[metadyne]

Re: Amount of Permissions

1
If I install AND run an Alpha shadow on a workstation where the user does not have machine administrator rights, I get a number of errors on startup like "Failed to Save Document" or unable to start XXX addin etc. So what is the alternative to having machine administrator rights?

2
What is wrong with mapped drives? I use them all the time for storing copying deleting attached files e.g. pdfs, docs, xls etc (not Alpha files). Alpha cannot handle such files stored with UNC paths instead.

[alexmuir]

Re: Amount of Permissions

I should clarify.

We would never allow users to change or amend any tables or anything to do with the application.

However, as part of the application users will be creating records, changing and deleting records.
Also they will be copying records i.e. quotations, customer orders etc.
They will be creating PDFs and they will be linking through to Outlook.

The idea that a user would be able to change tables, forms or reports sounds like a nightmare, unless you are mentoring someone.
But in mission critical business applications???

The old actors' dictum of never work with animals or children springs to mind.

[DaveM]

Re: Amount of Permissions

Back to it.

I have installs all over the country and many of them are shadowed on a lan. I don't use mapped drives for clients. My choice from experience. I do have mapped drives that I use in my own endeavors. There should be no speed difference between them. It has come to my attention that people find their way to a drive, but not as likely will go to a server name.

a shadowed app in alpha is basically a copy of everything in the data folder except the tables. The tables one sees in a shadow copy are basically a path file to the dbf table on the server. The idea being, most files can operate from the workstation and takes a bit of load off the network.

When You set a network up, You allow sharing with read and write on the server folder that holds the data. Include all subfolders and you can then have a place for the pdf and other files you need to create. They all stay in the same main folder. You can alternately share another folder for file creation if needed. You do not have to open up the whole drive on the server or anything like that.

[DaveM]

Re: Amount of Permissions

Zipped video of a shared folder: it is a .swf file made with jing
sharing is simple

I send one similar to this with my apps if they are to be shared on a lan.

[aschone]

Re: Amount of Permissions

To the best of my knowledge, alpha only uses the registry when the runtime is installed. It does have to read from it on occasion, but not write to it. Some one correct me if I am wrong.

Alpha will write to the registry during the course of using the application.

Items written to the registry include..
1) Recent File List - list of most recent databases opened
2) Temporary Indexes - just the location of the index file and type of index
3) Last Login name
4) Query Genie Or/And preference
5) Find by Key settings

This list may not be all inclusive, these are just some of items I have noticed.


The user does not need to be administrator for the workstation. Only need to add write permission to the registry parent folders for Alpha5.

[DaveM]

Re: Amount of Permissions

Thanks Andrew. I did not remember that.

[Allen Klimeck]

Re: Amount of Permissions

Look at -NOASSOC in:

http://wiki.alphasoftware.com/Starti...d+Line+Options