Preventing users from logging in during backup

[Sooty57]

I have managed to use a modified version of the excellent info given in the article by Dr. Peter Wayne in Shut Down Your Alpha Five Network to make use of Alpha's inbuilt security.

This successfully logs out all users except those belonging to a group called Super_Admin (one person). My problem is that users could still attempt to log back in while a backup is being carried out.

My thought was that I could add a logical field into the sys_control table called prevent_login. I could then call a script from the autoexec.bat file that checks if this is true and the user does not belong the the Super_Admin group. If so, a message box is displayed and the database closed.

My concern is that I do not know what order Alpha executes the scripts. I do not want the script to execute before the login screen or I will effectively log the Super_Admin out of the database as well, and there will be no way to get back in.

At present the main form (opened first by all users) is linked to a dummy table that is not used when making a backup, so I think the act of logging in does not access any of the tables used by the backup.

Any help would be much appreciated. :)

[Ed Barley]

Re: Preventing users from logging in during backup

Hi Paul,

I have used Dr. Wayne's scripts for a long time for my situation. The same article as you used.

If a user attempts to log in, they will be kicked out. So if all the users are either timed out or loged out and then attempt to log in, you have no problem.

I altered the article a little bit to work with the build in Alpha security.

Do a little testing on your part. Just make a copy the data base and put it in a test folder, and play with your settings, to make sure you have it right.

Ed

[Sooty57]

Re: Preventing users from logging in during backup

Thanks Ed.

Once again I am trying to make things more complicated than they really are ;)

My problem is that I work on a standalone machine, and don't have the opportunity to test something like this before updating the version on the client's server - I therefor always look for the worst case scenario in the belief that "anything that can go wrong, will go wrong"

[Ed Barley]

Re: Preventing users from logging in during backup

I know the feeling. (Must be a TV show ..Fear Factor..).

You want it to be right.

Best thing lots of backups. I had a fortune cookie one time "Expect the best, but be prepare for the worst".

Ed

[Sooty57]

Re: Preventing users from logging in during backup

I found that if users tried to log back in they would receive the message about system shutting down in 10 mins (time set in sys_config table), but would still be able to log in.

Also, any new user could log in, and would be shown the same message.

I added a logical field to the sys_config table called "prevent_logon".

I created a group called "Super_Admin" and placed one user in it.

The form below is only accessible to the "Super_Admin" group......


I placed an "on change" event on the multi-state button that sets the time to shutdown - if the "Run" button is seleted "prevent_logon" is set to False, otherwise it is set to True.

I now run a script from the autoxec file that contains the following code:

DIM SHARED prevent_log AS L
prevent_log = .F.
t = table.open("sys_control",FILE_RO_SHARED)
t.fetch_first()
prevent_log = t.PREVENT_LOGON
t.close()

I then check if the user is in the "Super_Admin:" group. If they are, I exit the script and they are logged in, regardless of the value of the "prevent_log" variable. If not, and value of the "prevent_log" variable is True, Alpha5 closes.

There are probably more elegant ways of doing this, but my client is happy because it works for them.
:D

[nehru]

Re: Preventing users from logging in during backup

Copy :)

Tnx For Sharing Paul
It Helps A Lot