User Group access to certain TABS

[kumargroup]

Is it possible to limit access to certain TABS in a TABBED FORM. I have 6 tabs and I would to limit certain users to only 3 tabs based on the USER_GROUPS() function. i.e. if the USER_GROUPS() = "Other", then the can only access 3 tabls.

Kris

[Tom Cone Jr]

RE: User Group access to certain TABS

Kris,

look for ways to control navigation inside the tab control. Prevent users from moving to new tab pages unless they have the necessary credentials.

-- tom

[kumargroup]

RE: User Group access to certain TABS

Thanks Tom,

Any specific ideas before I go on an extensive R&D ?

Kris

[Jim Chapman]

RE: User Group access to certain TABS

Hello Kris,

Tom's ideas are good one. Continuing on from Tom's suggestions, you could encompass all the objects on a given tab in a conditional object, then only display the fields if certain users were logged in. The tab would then display, but it would appear blank.

You can use a tabbed objects events to do this also. A tabbed object only has two events, a CanTabChange and an OnTabChange. If you wanted to restrict certain users to only the first tab for instance, you could put something like the following on the CanTabChange event:

if conditions_not_meet = .t.
cancel()
end if

However if, as you indicate, want to allow access to several tabs, but not to others, the CanTabChange doesn't offer much help, as it does not tell you which tab the user is trying to access. But you can use the OnTabChange event thus:

frm = parentform.this
xbasic_wait_for_idle()
vtab = frm:tabbed1.Tab_Get()
if user_name() "jim" .and. vtab = 3
parentform:tabbed1.Tab_Set(1)
end if

The script check to see if 'jim' is logged in. If not and if the user is trying to access tab 3, it will immediately jump the tab back to tab 1.

The down side of this is that you will see a momentary flash of tab 3.

Good luck,
Jim

[Jim Chapman]

RE: User Group access to certain TABS

Kris,

Right after I posted my reply, I had an idea, and tried this out using the ui_freeze() function. It worked for me, and there is no brief flash of tab 3, it simply appears that you have remained on the previous tab. Try this:

ui_freeze(.t.)
frm = parentform.this
xbasic_wait_for_idle()
vtab = frm:tabbed1.Tab_Get()
if user_name() "jim" .and. vtab = 3
parentform:tabbed1.Tab_Set(1)
end if
ui_freeze(.f.)

[kumargroup]

RE: User Group access to certain TABS

Jim,

Thanks a lot. I will test out your code another day. It gave me a small problem and I am under the gun to debug it. I used some quick and dirty xbasic to do kinda the same thing... "onTabChange"

UserGroup = user_groups()
TabNo = tabbed1.tab_get()
If TabNo > 3 .AND. upper(rtrim(UserGroup)) = "OTHER" THEN
tabbed1.tab_set(2)
End if

When they select tabs #s > 3, it keeps going back to tab 2.

My problem is that it highlights the tab 3 thru 6 but keeps them in 2. I need to get rid of the highlight.

Kris

[whanigsberg]

RE: User Group access to certain TABS

Kris:

Were I in your situation I would use a conditional object instead of a tabbed object. (You can make a conditional object look very much like a tabbed object by creating a row of buttons or a multi_state push button above it.)

Since the conditional object changes in response to a variable which is under your control your task would become much simpler because you wouldn't have to get in to the esoteric details of tabbed objects.

Bill

[kumargroup]

RE: User Group access to certain TABS

That does like a good idea actually for more reasons than just the tabbed ones. Maybe within the form, use a conditional object to control user access.

Thx William

Kris

[JerryBrightbill]

RE: User Group access to certain TABS

Kris

Another possibility that is sometimes overlooked is to make multiple forms. Create one with access to everything and then copy it and removed restricted objects. This works best if there are only a few access levels. Each access level can only open certain forms. It also makes the forms simplier, but adds complexity to updating designs.

Jerry

[kumargroup]

RE: User Group access to certain TABS

Jerry,

Good idea. My theory has been to try and never duplicate anything within a system. One invariably fails to update a duplicate at some poing down the road...

Kris