Button Security with groups and users

[datacaster]

Hello All,
Is there a way to assign a group allowed to click a button like delete?

I can assign group access to forms, but cannot see how to apply using xbasic to a button. I do not want to use password on a button function.
As it stands that means I have to create a delete form and assign the user group that can access that form with the delete button like user group managers or only the administrative user.

Due to this lack of knowledge I have had to create duplicate forms each with only the buttons I want that user group to have access to. Its not logical and would be simpler to use the user groups and have the group assigned to a button or buttons.

I have
view forms
edit forms
add forms

managers group have all access to all forms
data entry group have access to the add forms and view forms
employees only have access to the view forms

My form named "sites"uses a set called "sites set"

'Execute menu command: '!a5_sec_set_dialog("Sites@C:\myproject\sites set.set","Form")'.
a5_sec_set_dialog("Sites@C:\myproject\sites set.set","Form")

The button on that form I want to secure being "delete button" to delete a site has an object code of CONTROL_BUTTON8

If someone has an answer and if they could please provide a line of code that allows assigning to a button would be great!

Thank you,
Paul

[CharlesParker]

Re: Button Security with groups and users

In the properties of the button can't you just go to the Security Groups section and check the box for the corresponding group? Only members of that security group would be able to access and see it.
securitygroups.JPG

[armasoft]

Re: Button Security with groups and users

Paul,

a5_get_user_assignments("<master password", "user") will return a list of groups the user is in.
you could put this in the code behind the button to enable/disable the button functionality

see https://www.alphasoftware.com/docume...20Function.xml

[Stan Mathews]

Re: Button Security with groups and users

If you don't want to password protect buttons, and I can understand the awkwardness of that, there are a couple of alternatives.
You could create a global variable in the autoexec which used A5_GET_USER_ASSIGNMENTS() to populate it with the groups to which user_name() is assigned.
You could then start each button's code with

if "Administrator" !$ thatgolbalvariable 'or other group name
end
end if

so that the button does nothing if the user is not part of the proper group.

Alternatively you could have each "sensitive" button placed in a conditional object on a pane where the condition is

"Administrator" $ thatgolbalvariable

so that only those who are allowed to use the button ever see it.

[Stan Mathews]

Re: Button Security with groups and users

In the properties of the button can't you just go to the Security Groups section and check the box for the corresponding group? Only members of that security group would be able to access and see it.

I don't see the Security Groups option/section using the Desktop version. There is an Enabled and a Visible property that can be set dynamically.

[CharlesParker]

Re: Button Security with groups and users

dang it stan you caught me again answering in the desktop section with a web development reply - sorry!

[Ronald Anusiewicz]

Re: Button Security with groups and users

Another option which I do is to put something like this in the forms OnActivate event.
This code greys out and disables the button.

autoexec script:

DIM GLOBAL vcUser as C
vcUser = user_name()
'--vcUser is one of:  admin, billing, office, mechanic, parts

Form OnActivate event:

'-- Disable Delete button for user who is logged in as "Parts"

if inlist2(var->vcUser, "Parts") = .t. then
	control_button8.Border.Color  = "Gray-25"
	control_button8.Font.Color  = "Gray-25"
	control_button8.disable()
end if

[Stan Mathews]

Re: Button Security with groups and users

dang it stan you caught me again answering in the desktop section with a web development reply - sorry!

No blood, no foul.


Thanks for trying.

[datacaster]

Re: Button Security with groups and users

Another option which I do is to put something like this in the forms OnActivate event.
This code greys out and disables the button.

autoexec script:

DIM GLOBAL vcUser as C
vcUser = user_name()
'--vcUser is one of:  admin, billing, office, mechanic, parts

Form OnActivate event:

'-- Disable Delete button for user who is logged in as "Parts"

if inlist2(var->vcUser, "Parts") = .t. then
	control_button8.Border.Color  = "Gray-25"
	control_button8.Font.Color  = "Gray-25"
	control_button8.disable()
end if

So I could use transparent so they don't see anything I assume other than the form background?
VCuser is the security user groups created in alpha?
I have buttons where the owner of the software would define the groups and buttons to define access to forms as they see fit.

Everyone has given some food for thought here to try and play with I hope.

Thank you!

Paul

[Stan Mathews]

Re: Button Security with groups and users

If you don't want is seen

control_button8.hide()

[CharlesParker]

Re: Button Security with groups and users

VCuser is arbitrary as far as what the name of it is. In the Code Dim VCuser as c stan is simply namng a variable to hold whatever value is after the = sign.
If he wrote
Dim Vbarnyardanimal as c
Vbarnyardanimal = username()
then you could use that in the code
if inlist2(var->vcUser, "Parts") = .t. then to read
if inlist2(var->Vbarnyardanimal, "Parts") = .t. then
and it would result in the same.


At least that's what it appears to be to me code-wise in this case even though I do not do desktop applications, this looks like regular xbasic.

[datacaster]

Re: Button Security with groups and users

If you don't want to password protect buttons, and I can understand the awkwardness of that, there are a couple of alternatives.
You could create a global variable in the autoexec which used A5_GET_USER_ASSIGNMENTS() to populate it with the groups to which user_name() is assigned.
You could then start each button's code with

if "Administrator" !$ thatgolbalvariable 'or other group name
end
end if

so that the button does nothing if the user is not part of the proper group.

Alternatively you could have each "sensitive" button placed in a conditional object on a pane where the condition is

"Administrator" $ thatgolbalvariable

so that only those who are allowed to use the button ever see it.

Hi Stan,
So where I allow the owner to create user groups and users, how could I allow the owner to define what group gets access to a button like delete?
Under this I would want the owner to assign rights to a delete button, edit button, and save button. Everyone would have access to normal record navigation, just need to protect the major button.

Thank you,
Paul

[datacaster]

Re: Button Security with groups and users

VCuser is arbitrary as far as what the name of it is. In the Code Dim VCuser as c stan is simply namng a variable to hold whatever value is after the = sign.
If he wrote
Dim Vbarnyardanimal as c
Vbarnyardanimal = username()
then you could use that in the code
if inlist2(var->vcUser, "Parts") = .t. then to read
if inlist2(var->Vbarnyardanimal, "Parts") = .t. then
and it would result in the same.


At least that's what it appears to be to me code-wise in this case even though I do not do desktop applications, this looks like regular xbasic.

Dah, I see that now.
I need to use the actual user groups created inside alpha that the admin user creates

Thanks for pointing that out!

Paul

[Stan Mathews]

Re: Button Security with groups and users

My thinking was that the same security group process as used for the rest of the application would suffice for button access. They would set up groups (can_del, can_edit, and can_save) and assign users to those groups.

Then as suggested earlier

You could create a global variable in the autoexec which used A5_GET_USER_ASSIGNMENTS() to populate it with the groups to which user_name() is assigned.

dim global whch_bttns as C
whch_bttns = A5_GET_USER_ASSIGNMENTS("themasterpassword,user_name())

Then each button (delete, edit, or save) would be coded to check whether the current user was part of the can_del, can_edit, or can_save groups - either by xbasic or dymanic property.

[datacaster]

Re: Button Security with groups and users

Thanks Stan!
I'll give your approach a try and see if I can get that part working.

Thank you again as usual you come to the aid of the newcomers.

Paul