Button Security with groups and users

[datacaster]

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.

Hi Stan,
I tried this and get error message user Administrator does not exist.
I tried Ronalds code and that worked, but it is using usernames, maybe I can create something owner creates what users get access, but groups is better way in my mind.
Any thoughts to error message that user administrator does not exist when it does?

Thank you,
Paul

[Stan Mathews]

Re: Button Security with groups and users

The "Administrator" user name is special and is, by definition, a member of all groups. Notice that it doesn't appear in the add users and groups dialog. The usual practice would be to have each user log in with their own name and password and one or more be part of the Administrators group.

[Ronald Anusiewicz]

Re: Button Security with groups and users

I used user_name() as it returns the name of the current user.
In my case the current user is the name of a group.

login_shot.PNG

I don't know how your application is handling the log in process. When someone logs in, are they
logging in as an individual or as a group member.

Alpha has a whole host of functions that handle security.
It's just a matter of setting a global variable to whatever you need from the log in process.
Then using that variable to manipulate the buttons on your forms.

This is a portion of my code on the main menu OnActivate event.
Depending in the result of the function user_name(), I grey out the appropriate buttons.

'--list of who has access to which buttons
'button1 - utilities			        :admin, billing
'button3 - maintenance invoice	:admin, billing, office
'button4 - inventory			:admin, billing, office, mechanic, parts
'button5 - mechanics			:admin, billing
'button6 - po's				:admin, billing, office, parts
'buttoncustomers				:admin, billing, office
'buttondefaults				:admin, billing
'buttonvendors				:admin, billing, parts
'exitbutton

''Exclude parts button list
if inlist2(var->vcUser, "Parts") = .t. then
	eList = <<%a%
button1
button3
button5
buttoncustomers
buttondefaults
%a%
	
	for each foo in eList
		eval("topparent:"+foo+".Border.Color")  = "Gray-25"
		eval("topparent:"+foo+".Font.Color")  = "Gray-25"
		eval("topparent:"+foo+".disable()")
	next
	goto moveOn
end if

''Exclude office button list
if inlist2(var->vcUser, "Office") = .t. then
	eList = <<%a%
button1
button5
buttondefaults
buttonvendors
%a%
	
	for each foo in eList
		eval("topparent:"+foo+".Border.Color") =  "Gray-25"
		eval("topparent:"+foo+".Font.Color")  = "Gray-25"
		eval("topparent:"+foo+".disable()")
	next
	goto moveOn
end if

[datacaster]

Re: Button Security with groups and users

Hi Stan,
I see now as I would be the only one to ever see the message.

So I did what you said and if I use statement ? a5_get_user_assignments("mpassword", "user_name") the user shows can_delete as a group.

Now I put for form events on activate the xbasic code below and it doesn't seem to work

'-Hide Delete button for users who are not in group can_delete
if var->whch_bttns <> "can_delete" then
control_button8.hide()
end if

Can you help wit what I am screwing up here?

Thank you,
Paul

[Stan Mathews]

Re: Button Security with groups and users

I never suggested

a5_get_user_assignments("mpassword", "user_name")

my suggestion was

A5_GET_USER_ASSIGNMENTS("themasterpassword,user_name()). This returns a list of groups to which the currently logged in user is assigned.

'-Hide Delete button for the current user if they are not in group can_delete
if "can_delete" !$ var->whch_bttns then
control_button8.hide()
end if

[datacaster]

Re: Button Security with groups and users

I used user_name() as it returns the name of the current user.
In my case the current user is the name of a group.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]45122[/ATTACH]

I don't know how your application is handling the log in process. When someone logs in, are they
logging in as an individual or as a group member.

Alpha has a whole host of functions that handle security.
It's just a matter of setting a global variable to whatever you need from the log in process.
Then using that variable to manipulate the buttons on your forms.

This is a portion of my code on the main menu OnActivate event.
Depending in the result of the function user_name(), I grey out the appropriate buttons.

'--list of who has access to which buttons
'button1 - utilities			        :admin, billing
'button3 - maintenance invoice	:admin, billing, office
'button4 - inventory			:admin, billing, office, mechanic, parts
'button5 - mechanics			:admin, billing
'button6 - po's				:admin, billing, office, parts
'buttoncustomers				:admin, billing, office
'buttondefaults				:admin, billing
'buttonvendors				:admin, billing, parts
'exitbutton

''Exclude parts button list
if inlist2(var->vcUser, "Parts") = .t. then
	eList = <<%a%
button1
button3
button5
buttoncustomers
buttondefaults
%a%
	
	for each foo in eList
		eval("topparent:"+foo+".Border.Color")  = "Gray-25"
		eval("topparent:"+foo+".Font.Color")  = "Gray-25"
		eval("topparent:"+foo+".disable()")
	next
	goto moveOn
end if

''Exclude office button list
if inlist2(var->vcUser, "Office") = .t. then
	eList = <<%a%
button1
button5
buttondefaults
buttonvendors
%a%
	
	for each foo in eList
		eval("topparent:"+foo+".Border.Color") =  "Gray-25"
		eval("topparent:"+foo+".Font.Color")  = "Gray-25"
		eval("topparent:"+foo+".disable()")
	next
	goto moveOn
end if

Hi Ronald,
I have owner as an administrator and they handle creating user groups and user names themselves and the assign initial password.
Once user logs in, they can change their password
So the owner creates a group called managers, employees, etc. and then creates users and associates each one to a group.
Now as owner I add a user named paul and assign him to managers group
So paul is a manager now in alpha.
So using Alphas login, I select from dropdown paul and enter pauls initial assigned password.
In Stans case it is groups can delete, can edit, and can save with users being assigned whatever level of privileges they want

If I understand what you are saying is you have users called parts, billing, admin, office, mechanic. The users are really departments (could be 3 individuals) with a common shared password for each individual department.
I might be able to adopt your code, but use groups in place of users, but I get a true or false logging in as different users, but I have not gotten it to work right as I really don't have much knowledge to this.

I assigned this little code to form and it doesn't seem to work right.
For autoexec script I put:
dim global whch_bttns as C
whch_bttns = A5_GET_USER_ASSIGNMENTS("themasterpassword,user_name())

on form I have on activate:
'-Hide Delete button for users who are not in group can_delete
if var->whch_bttns <> "can_delete" then
control_button8.hide()
end if

If you have any thoughts on this, it would be helpful and after I eat, I plan to looks yours over and maybe I will see what I am doing wrong.
I tried the other code you gave and that worked and I can hide the button I want.

Thank you for your assistance in this!

Paul

[datacaster]

Re: Button Security with groups and users

I never suggested

a5_get_user_assignments("mpassword", "user_name")

my suggestion was

A5_GET_USER_ASSIGNMENTS("themasterpassword,user_name()). This returns a list of groups to which the currently logged in user is assigned.

'-Hide Delete button for the current user if they are not in group can_delete
if "can_delete" !$ var->whch_bttns then
control_button8.hide()
end if

Hi Stan,

I used what you said for global variable, autoexec script
dim global whch_bttns as C
whch_bttns = A5_GET_USER_ASSIGNMENTS("themasterpassword,user_name())

I am simply saying after this if I log in as a user that is assigned can_delete and use the
a5_get_user_assignments("mpassword", "user_name") in the interactive window it shows I have can_delete group assignment and I used the code on form

'-Hide Delete button for users who are not in group can_delete
if var->whch_bttns <> "can_delete" then
control_button8.hide()
end if

and it does not seem to work when placed under form events onactivate

Thank you,
Paul

[Ronald Anusiewicz]

Re: Button Security with groups and users

Give this a try. Just run the autoexec.

If this doesn't get you over the hump, maybe you will need to put together a working example for us to look at.

[datacaster]

Re: Button Security with groups and users

I never suggested

a5_get_user_assignments("mpassword", "user_name")

my suggestion was

A5_GET_USER_ASSIGNMENTS("themasterpassword,user_name()). This returns a list of groups to which the currently logged in user is assigned.

'-Hide Delete button for the current user if they are not in group can_delete
if "can_delete" !$ var->whch_bttns then
control_button8.hide()
end if

Hi Stan,
As usual you had the answer to this.

Thank you so much. Now I can name the buttons for what they are and expand on your code and it should all work.

Thank you once again!

Paul

[datacaster]

Re: Button Security with groups and users

Give this a try. Just run the autoexec.

If this doesn't get you over the hump, maybe you will need to put together a working example for us to look at.

Thanks Ron!

I missed Stans little line of code and that did the trick. My line didn't work for multiple user groups just one.
I will look at what you did as I really need to learn this stuff, but I am at retirement and this is something I decided to learn and keep me busy for some time.
Its something I always wanted to learn, but never did.

I appreciate all of yours and Stans patience with me along with all the others that help me slowly learn, just hope short term memory doesn't take over!

Thanks everyone, I really appreciate all your help!!!!!!!!!

Paul