Login App Help

[graysarge]

First I need to say, I am not an xBasic programmer. However, I have used A5 since A4 and can create the DB and applications. I am trying to put an application on A5-Online and have the basic db up there and it's working. It will be a simple membership database. Here is what I need help for now, from anyone who is willing to walk me through it...

I want to be able to have the individual member's record so that ONLY that member and an admin can change the record. Others can view the record and the complete "roster" (browse).

I assume the following:
I need a db that has user login and password.
That a lookup is required and a session variable set

I have read the "login_app" info in the help material, but it is confusing to me.

Can anyone point me to something I can "cut and paste" or walk me through the pieces that I need to plug into an existing example? I would be most appreciative. Once I see what needs to be done I can usually get a handle on it.

Thanks for helping the old guy!
Gary

[Imran Ahmad]

RE: Login App Help

Gary, try search within this forum first, there are many example and read it carefully ok, using dialog component u can create login page and please do attention at "validate" and "after validate".

[Steve Wood]

RE: Login App Help

I don't think you are going to be able to create one grid where UserA+Admin can update their record, but no one else, and then ditto for UserB, etc.

--------------
For a "demo" of what I am about to describe, go to http://support.attorneystrust.com:81. How I construct the DEMO vs a legitimate user is the same as this.
--------------

First your menu might look like this:

...
View Members
Update Your Member Record
...

View Members opens an A5W page that displays all members in a browse-style grid.

Update Your Member Record opens an A5W page with just one record, the member who logged in (whose ID you captured during login in a session variable). This grid has update properties.

That second menu item only lets the logged-in member update their record. The first menu item can be constructed so that Members can only view, but Admin can update. Here's how:

Create two Membership grids, one with view-only, one with update properties. I'll call them MembersView and MembersAdmin.

Create an A5W page that displays the appropriate Member grid depending on if that person is Admin or a common Member. For that, add this to your A5W page:

if session.IdAdmin = "yes" then
tmpl_membership = a5w_load_component("MembersAdmin"
else
tmpl_membership = a5w_load_component("MembersView")
end if

You'd have set the IsAdmin variable to "yes" via a lookup to the Membership table to see if this person is an Admin (however you want to do that).

[graysarge]

RE: Login App Help

Steve...
This looks extremely close to what I am looking for. I will have to study and then figure out the stuff behind the scenes as to what is happening. If I get into trouble, are you available on a fee basis for the coding questions? I have to have this done by 3/31/05. Thanks and I will be back to you. If you like, contact me offline at [email protected]

Gary

[Steve Wood]

RE: Login App Help

Gary;

Glad to help either way. Discussion here in the forum helps everyone. I might post some "solution" to you and someone else may show us both a better way.

[Imran Ahmad]

RE: Login App Help

heya there Steve Wood,

i already visit your sample website, its pretty good, i`m interesting about your login page and when user login can display "Logged in: ATS Demonstration (Steve Wood)", i thinking about session variable but i do not understand much about it, how do i create new session variable? base on login name can view thier name at the same table ie: usernames.dbf, i`m confused how to create new session? or just change current session? and every page of a5w must have it?

i already done with login and passwd page, and its ok, just want to know more about it.

Because you already have ur sample website with all what i need to know, i think u have the answer :) If u have time to reply me, i really appreciate it.

Regards.

[Steve Wood]

RE: Login App Help

Imran;

Here is the a5 code where it shows who is logged in:

IF eval_valid("session.FlagIsLoggedIn") THEN
? alltrim(lookup(""ADB_Path"\customers","Customer_id = \""+session.customer_id + chr(34),"Firm"))
END IF

Need the eval_valid() so that it does not show anything if the person is not logged in (and because the customer_id session variable does not exist if no one is logged in, which would cause an error).

Above, my Customers table is the same as your idea on username.dbf, and Firm is the company name.

On creating sessions - you don't need to worry about that at all, A5 will create/close sessions as needed.

[Imran Ahmad]

RE: Login App Help

Thanks Steve Wood,

Ooo... now i understand...

i`m appreciate that :)

regards.

[Imran Ahmad]

RE: Login App Help

Hi Steve Wood,

i`m trying using ur code to display user_name when login, i got this

500 Internal Server Error
Script Error
Error:Script: /it_menu.a5w line:8
? alltrim(lookup(""ADB_Path"\user_names","user_name = \""+session
session.user_name subelement not found.

my script like this:
IF eval_valid("session.FlagIsLoggedIn") THEN
? alltrim(lookup("(""ADB_Path"\user_names","user_name = \""+session.user_name + chr(30),"Namastaff"))
END IF

what is that mean by sublement not found?

Regards

[Steve Wood]

RE: Login App Help

session.user_name subelement not found.
is a fancy way of saying session.user_name does not exist at the moment that page is opened.

On the same page I have that lookup code, earlier I have

'-- set session vars --
session.user_name = ""

That code declares the variable and so it 'exists' when called by the lookup.

[Imran Ahmad]

RE: Login App Help

done.

and its working.

thanks Steve Wood

Regards

[Imran Ahmad]

RE: Login App Help

Steve Wood,

i got this error when adding that variable:

Script Error
Error:Script: /felda/menu.a5w line:10
? alltrim(lookup(""ADB_Path"\felda_user","user_name = \""+session
error: lookup("ADB_Path"\felda_user,user_name = "(,NAMASTAFF) Expected value

sory too many question :|

[Steve Wood]

RE: Login App Help

Difficult to debug parts of code; but it looks like you have an coma just before NAMASTAFF. Expected Value means some parameter is missing, or ill formed, within your function (in this case, the lookup function.)

[Imran Ahmad]

RE: Login App Help

hi Steve Wood,

let me explain my web page looks like

Page num:
1. login page(dialog) ----"
2. Main menu(dialog) ---"
3. menu1 (grid)
4. menu2 (grid)
5. menu3 (grid)


so i must insert your code within login page or all of them?
sry i`m little confused here on login page, let say login.a5w i have 2 validation, "validate" and "after validate"

"validate"
dim user_name as c
if user_name = "" .or. password = "" then
currentform.has_error = .t.
currentform.error_message = "User name or password cannot be blank."
else
dim correct_password as c
correct_password = lookup(""ADB path"\user_names","user_name="+quote(user_name),"password")
if correct_password "" password then
currentform.has_error = .t.
currentform.error_message = "Invalid user name or password."
end if
end if

"after validate"
if eval_valid("session.targetUrl") then
if session.targetURL "" "" then
Currentform.RedirectTarget = session.targetURL
else
currentform.redirectTarget = "main.a5w"
end if
else
currentform.redirectTarget = "main.a5w"
end if

session.FlagIsLoggedIn = .t.

i`ve confused to put ur code inside dialog validation properties or just put into .a5w page manually? each page or at login page?

I really want to understand this situation, because i want to create web app with user level and capture username at login page, so its possible that we can protect every .a5w page with permission level it can depends on username or userlevel. what u think?

can u paste sample code for your login page? so i can reveiew it for future use, i hope u dont mind to share with others :)

best regards.

[Steve Wood]

RE: Login App Help

If by 'my code' you mean that line from post 2050, not it would go on one page. I have that statement on my header.a5w page where it first has to use the variable in a lookup.

But lets take a look at something else first. From your example and various snippets of code, I see where you refer to a variable as 'session.abc' and later as just 'abc'. You need to be sure you have those correct. You need to look first at your login dialog and note if the controls are set as session or local variables. If session, then make sure everywhere you refer to that variable, it says 'session.abc', otherwise just 'abc'. I found that to be my problem 9/10th of the time. That and naming something my_var, but referring to it as myvar.
And don't foget, I'm not an expert, I just plug away at it and am learning along with you.