About user authorizations

An individual user's access to and ability to use various forms and IDOs are controlled by these things (in order):

The license modules that the user is assigned to
The group or groups to which the user belongs
Individual user authorizations

License modules

Before a user can access any forms or other objects, that user must have the proper license modules assigned. For example, if the user is a form/application developer, that user would need to have the MG Developer license module assigned.

License modules are assigned to users on the User Modules form, which is accessed by clicking the User Modules button on the Users form.

User groups

Once license modules (which provide basic access) have been assigned, the most common—and most recommended—way of assigning permissions to a user is by means of one or more user groups. User groups allow system administrators to assign permissions for a whole set of forms to everyone assigned to that group, without having to assign the permissions individually to each user.

The system ships with several user authorization groups already defined. You can view a listing of these groups (as well as any user groups you might have created) on the Groups form. For each group, this same form also displays a list of all the users who are members of that group.

You can also add your own user groups, using the same Groups form.

Note: We recommend that, when creating your own groups, you use a naming convention that clearly identifies the group as one that you (or someone else in your organization) created. For example, if you worked for the Acme Company, you might create a name like this: Acme Sales.

To see what forms and other objects (IDOs and file servers) are associated with and controlled by a particular group, select that group in the Grid View and then click Group Authorizations. This launches the Object Authorization for Group form. This form displays all the forms and other objects that belong to that group.

Use the Object Authorization for Group form also to modify the list of forms or other objects that a group can access or to modify its access permissions for objects.

Individual user authorizations

A third way that you can set permissions for users is to set them for individual users. These are typically special cases, used when the user needs some permission not granted by group membership—OR needs a permission granted by group membership to be revoked. Individual user authorizations and permissions override group settings.

To set authorizations and permissions for individual users, use the Object Authorization for User form, which is accessible from both the Users form and the Groups form.

Other means to control access and grant permissions

The framework also provides a variety of other means you can use to control access to forms and other objects, including these:

Designating what basic type of user an individual user is when you create the user ID profile (whether Basic, Full User, Site Developer, or whatever).
Setting row authorizations, which are settings that are used to filter on IDOs, so that users or groups can see a restricted set of data from that IDO.
Using composite groups and subgroups to control multiple sets of users from a few settings.
Copying user settings from one user to another user who needs the same (or similar) permissions.
Creating authorizations for external "users" from web services. These web services "users" need to be granted authorization for any IDOs being called by the web service.