- Overview
- How does User Groupware work?
- User level
- Supervisor level
- Implementing the User Groupware
- Adding the User Groupware to a site
- User Groupware options (standard and BaaS mode)
- Options specific to the standard User Groupware
- Options specific to the BaaS User Groupware
- Testing the site (Standard User Groupware)
- Installing a site that uses the standard User Groupware
- Configuring a site that uses the standard User Groupware
- Managing users
- Managing rights
- Displaying statistics
- Migrating data
- Tips for a site that uses the User Groupware
- Using groups of controls
- Visibility of controls
- Defining rights
5. User Groupware in practice
In an Intranet or Internet site, it is necessary to define the role of the different contributors. Several access levels can be defined according to the user. All users have different responsibilities and requirements. Their field of action must therefore be more or less limited. Let's take a simple example: a sales management application that offers the following features: - View prices,
- Modify prices,
- Enter orders,
- Enter customers.
Access may vary according to the user. For example: - administrative assistants can see the price list and create orders.
- sales representatives can see the price list, place orders and create new customers.
- sales directors have access to all options.
To manage these access levels in your WEBDEV sites, all you have to do is include the User Groupware in your site. In just a few clicks, a standard application can be transformed into an application that manages several access levels. This feature can be easily implemented. When running the site, the manager will be able to create users (identified by their username and password) and give them access to some of the site features. Remark: The User Groupware is available in dynamic WEBDEV sites running on Windows or Linux. The User Groupware is not available in static, PHP, AWP or Ajax sites. How does User Groupware work? A site that uses the User Groupware has two levels of use: - user level.
- supervisor level.
User level The user logs in to the application via a login page and only has access to some features. Remark: You can also log in using an LDAP directory. Supervisor level The supervisor logs in to the application via a login page and accesses an advanced menu to configure users and their rights, or to start the application. The advanced menu allows the supervisor to: - start the site.
- configure the groupware.
Configuring the groupware consists in creating and associating users and groups, and managing the rights granted to each user (or group) on each page of the site. Rights can be defined for menu options, groups of controls and controls. The supervisor can gray out these elements, make them inactive or invisible. These configurations take precedence over any configuration defined in the program. Remark: All user information and rights are stored in HFSQL data files. Implementing the User Groupware Adding the User Groupware to a site To implement the User Groupware in a WEBDEV site: - On the "Project" tab, in the "Project" group, click "User Groupware".
- In the description window of the current project configuration, in "User Groupware: Disabled", click "Change".
- The User Groupware settings window allows you to enable the User Groupware and define:
- The type and start mode of the User Groupware.
- The type of customization.
- The type of database and the location of the User Groupware data files (Standard User Groupware).
- The user authentication mode (Standard User Groupware).
- The use of a specific connection service (Standard User Groupware).
- The BaaS mode settings.
Type of User Groupware There are various types of groupware:
- Standard User Groupware: The User Groupware will be integrated in its "Standard" version: the User Groupware will be associated only to your site, and the rights will be defined from the site.
If this option is selected, two specific tabs are displayed: - the "Files" tab, which allows you to specify the type of database and authentication used.
- the "OAuth" tab, which allows you to specify the connection services available to users.
- BaaS User Groupware: This option allows you to integrate a BaaS (Backend as a Service) User Groupware and manage rights via a server.
If this option is selected, two specific tabs are displayed: - the "BaaS" tab, which allows you specify the characteristics of the BaaS server, the user accounts and the URLs of the administration sites.
- the "Email" tab, which allows you to customize the messages to be sent to users (registration validation or password reset emails).
BaaS User Groupware: Required configuration:
Two cases may occur: - If you are using a PCSCloud platform: the required elements are installed by default on your platform.
Reminder: PCSCloud is a paid, turnkey solution. For more details, see PCSCloud. - If you are not using a PCSCloud platform: install the following elements:
- an HFSQL server,
- the reserved server, including the modules for the Mobile User Groupware (WDBaaS).
For more details, see Configuring a BaaS server (User Groupware and Private Store).
Starting the User Groupware Several start modes are available:
- The "Automatic start" option indicates that the User Groupware is started at the same time as the site.
The User Groupware login page is started before any other page of the site. The project initialization code is executed once the login page is opened and validated. - The "Manual start (programmatically)" option allows you to define when the User Groupware should be started.
The login page will only be opened if gpwOpen (or gpwLogin) is used. This option can be used to execute the project initialization code before opening the login page. This option is useful for a multilingual project, for example: a page can be displayed to choose the language of the application. - The "Manual start via a control template" option is used to integrate the User Groupware login page in the site. This allows you to work with the automatic User Groupware (and to benefit from its updates) while being able to customize the login page.
If this option is selected, the WDGPU_WB_CNX internal component is added to your project. This component includes the "TPLC_GPU_Connection" control template that manages the connection. To add this control template, simply drag and drop it onto the desired pages (or templates).
Once it has been added, you can customize it: - by overloading the controls and/or the processes for small changes,
- by directly modifying the control template for more important changes.
User Groupware options (standard and BaaS mode) There are multiple User Groupware customization modes:
- No customization: all User Groupware programming is automatically integrated into your site. No customization can be done. The project skin is automatically applied to all pages used by the User Groupware.
This integration mode automatically follows future changes in the User Groupware. - Customize login UI (log in, register): all User Groupware programming is automatically integrated into your site. The login UI can be modified.
The WDGPU_WB internal component is added to the project. This component contains all the pages, page templates, control templates and procedures necessary for user authentication. This allows you to fully customize all the login pages used by the User Groupware.
This integration mode automatically follows future changes in the User Groupware. - Full customization (only in Standard User Groupware mode): the entire programming of the User Groupware is automatically included in your site via an internal component. The WDGPU_WB internal component is added to the project. This component contains an analysis as well as all the pages, queries, classes and procedures required to manage the User Groupware. This allows you to customize all the pages used by the User Groupware.
The "Allow opening windows, pages and reports by default" option allows all users to open windows, pages and reports by default. In this case, simply specify which elements will not be accessible when configuring the rights. The option "Automatic login for test mode" allows you to specify the username and password to be used when testing a page or project (in GO mode or in "Automated test" mode). This information will be used if an automated test is run on the project. By default: - data files are in English. To use data in French, simply check "Data files in French".
- User Groupware data files have a specific password. This password is: "PCSGPW2001".
To change this password, enter the new password in the "Options" tab of the User Groupware description window. Characters are shown as bullets.
Remark: This password is used when re-indexing or opening data files with WDMAP for example.
For more details, see the online help. Options specific to the standard User Groupware If you use the standard User Groupware, the "Files" tab allows you to configure: - the type of database used (these options are available in "Automatic start" mode only).
- the type of authentication:
- Authentication managed by the WEBDEV User Groupware.
- Authentication from an LDAP directory.
Database type In "Standard User Groupware" mode, the User Groupware uses several specific data files. These data files are mainly used to manage users, groups, rights and elements in the site. The standard User Groupware can be used: - with HFSQL Classic data files. In this case, you can specify the location of the data files via the "Default directory" link.
- with HFSQL Client/Server data files. In this case, you can define the parameters for accessing the HFSQL Client/Server database as well as the file directory by selecting "Click here to enter the server parameters".
Type of authentication The standard User Groupware includes several user authentication modes: - Authentication entirely managed by the User Groupware:
The username and password are saved in the User Groupware data files. - Authentication from an LDAP directory or Active Directory:
If the company of your customer uses an LDAP directory, you can enable the User Groupware on this directory. Simply click the link "Click here to enter the server parameters" to specify the characteristics of the LDAP directory (server, port, base DN, etc.). Therefore, the account and the password in the LDAP directory will be automatically requested to the user.
In this mode, an additional option is available: Login window only (no management of rights). - If this option is checked, no groupware data file will be created. If the application is started in automatic mode, the user will need to log in. If the user is saved in the LDAP directory, the application will start; otherwise, it will be closed. A supervisor cannot configure the rights on the windows.
- If this option is not checked, only the users in the LDAP directory will be able to log in. You can set the rights on the windows.
For more details, see the online help.
The "OAuth" tab allows you to authorize the use of a specific connection service. For the specified service, it is necessary to specify the corresponding identifiers (provided when registering the application with the selected service). Options specific to the BaaS User Groupware When using a BaaS User Groupware, the "BaaS" and "Email" tabs allow defining specific options. The "BaaS" tab allows you to define: - the location of the User Groupware application server. You can select a PCSCloud platform or a Network or Internet server,
- the user account management mode,
- the URLs of the administration sites.
The "Email" tab allows you to write the messages for registration confirmation or password recovery. Testing the site (Standard User Groupware) When a site that uses the standard User Groupware is tested, the first page that appears is the login page (regardless of the first page defined in your site). A single user is created by default: the supervisor. To log in as supervisor, simply enter the following information in the login page: - Name: SUPERVISOR
- Password: SUPERVISOR
You can test your site, or configure the User Groupware. Remarks: - To set a first page other than the login page in your site, select "Manual start (programmatically)" in the "General" tab of the User Groupware options. Simply use gpwOpen to open the login page.
- The User Groupware management pages are executed before the project initialization code.
- The first page of your site defined in the project will be started after the login page (when the user is not the supervisor).
- To avoid starting the User Groupware when testing the site, select "Disabled" in the "General" tab of the User Groupware options.
If you re-enable the User Groupware again, the data files previously used by the User Groupware will not be deleted.
Installing a site that uses the standard User Groupware Sites that use the standard User Groupware are installed in the same way as any other site : on the "Project" tab, in the "Generation" group, simply click "Deploy site". A screen specific to the standard user groupware allows you to set the location of user groupware data files. Remarks: - If the User Groupware data files have been configured for your client, they must be selected when preparing the setup. Therefore, the list of setup files must be customized.
- If the groupware data files have not been configured, the Supervisor will be the only user in the site the first time it is started.
Tip: if you do not configure the different User Groupware use levels for your clients, we recommend that you provide them with a document listing all the controls used in your pages in order to get an optimized configuration. Configuring a site that uses the standard User Groupware When the site is deployed, the standard User Groupware is configured by the site supervisor. This configuration consists in creating users and groups of users, and granting them specific rights for each control in each page of the site. These rights are used to gray controls, groups of controls or menu options, and to make them visible or invisible. To configure the User Groupware, simply: - Start the site and log in as supervisor:
- Name: SUPERVISOR
- Password: SUPERVISOR
- Select "Configure groupware".
- The User Groupware management page appears. This page is used to:
- manage users and groups.
- manage rights.
- display statistics.
- migrate data coming from a User Groupware version 18 and earlier.
Managing users The user management consists in: - creating users,
- creating groups,
- associating users with groups.
To create a new user, you must specify: - the user's last name (mandatory)
- the user's first name
- the username. This username is the identifier used to log in to the application.
- the user's password. This password is optional and can be entered by the user the first time they log in (check the corresponding option).
The user can be defined as supervisor of the site. You can also modify or delete users. When you delete a user, you can delete the entire user or their rights only. Users can be grouped. A user can be associated with several groups. Remarks: - It is recommended to change the supervisor's password the first time you use the application.
- If you use an LDAP directory, you can import the users form the directory to manage their rights.
Managing rights The supervisor can manage the rights granted to each user (or group of users) on the elements of the project pages. A specific state can be defined for all the elements of a page associated with a user. The following elements can be handled in pages, internal pages and page templates: - controls, groups of controls,
- menu options.
The following states are available for each element: - Default: the element behavior corresponds to the default behavior, defined in the application.
- Inactive: the element is displayed but no input can be performed.
- Grayed: the element is grayed. No input can be performed.
- Invisible: the element is not displayed.
Displaying statistics You can get site usage statistics by user for a specific period. Migrating data From version 19, the User Groupware has been optimized. The data files used by the User Groupware have changed. The User Groupware administrator can migrate the existing data to the new format and therefore automatically retrieve the data used in the earlier versions. This migration can be performed regardless of the data format: HFSQL Classic, HFSQL Client/Server or Native Connector. Tips for a site that uses the User Groupware Using groups of controls To simplify the configuration of the groupware management according to the users, it is recommended to use groups of controls. You can create groups of controls in your pages according to the controls to be displayed for a specific user. The ability to associate a control with several groups of controls increases the number of possible combinations. These groups of controls can be created in your site only for managing the groupware, no specific programming is required. Visibility of controls When developing your application, you can define the visibility options of the different elements in your pages: - in the element description (7-tab window),
- through programming (State or Visible properties).
When configuring the User Groupware, the supervisor can define different visibility options. The options defined by the supervisor have priority. For example, a button is used to make a control active. This control was grayed out by the supervisor. Your code will be ignored and the control will not be active. Defining rights To define the rights corresponding to the features of the site, it is recommended to: - set the rights according to the site manager's requirements before creating the setup procedure . Simply add the groupware data files when you create the site setup.
- provide a technical documentation that includes the names of controls, groups of controls and options that must be configured according to the usage level defined for the site.
|
|
|