Dynamic Reports Menu?

[ericb1]

Not sure how to go about this. I have a little csp app running, basically copied the Xtreme sample. However, now we need to get a little fancier.

I'm going to integrate our CE10 with our WindowsNT security, so I assume I can get an account for each NT user. However, I need to create groups, so that each user is part of a group and then from there, be able to declare which reports are available to which groups. Basically, restricting lower level users from seeing the top management level reports.

This is what I'm not sure how to do. I need to create some kind of multi-layered menu for the right hand side of the web page, but how does the security integrate with this, so that each user only sees the reports they can view?

Does the user have to log on, or does it recognize who they are based on the NT authentication?

Any suggestions on how to go about setting this up are greatly appreciated! I don't know whether to try to integrate this with CE10, or just do it separately, like a menu based off an XML file or something, and then look up the users permissions in a different table.

Thanks for any help!!!

 

[chris777]

You can configure CE10 for SSO with NT. If you open the Administrators help file (admin.chm) and use the index tab to find "Single Sign On" it will take you right to the section you need.

As for the folder level security, CE can certainly handle that; there is no need to go to an external database. Once your users are imported from NT create your user groups and assign them rights to the appropriate folders. The CE security is a little tough the first time through but read throught the documentation thoroughly on Inheritance and you should be ok.



Chris
Data Intelligence Group

http://www.digus.com

 

[ericb1]

Thanks Chris, sounds good, pretty much what I was looking to do. One last question though: Is ther a way to integrate the available reports with the menu list on the right hand side?

Currently, when I need to edit the reports, I just go into the individual CSP pages and edit. But we're adding more reports each day and it's getting harder to keep up with. I didn't know if there's a way or some samples from BO or elsewhere where I can keep the report list in one place, like with an XML file, and then display them. That I can probably do on my own in CSP or ASP, but integrating the list of reports with only the ones the user is supposed to see is what I don't know how to do.

Any other thoughts? Thanks so much!

 

[chris777]

eric,

What you want to is certainly attainable through the CE SDK. You are correct, you can build the Tree View functionality in CSP or ASP pages. There is some nice stuff in JavaScript already available on the web to facilitate that.

However, restricting the reports the users see is inherant in the design of CE. As I mentioned in my last post, you design your security model (in CE) around users, user group and reports so that when the users logon to CE (whether they are using Enterprise authentication or NT authentication) they are only presented with the reports they are allowed to see.

It works the same through the SDK. If you design your own reporting page you will still want to pass the users authentication to the CMS which will then only return to you the folders/reports that particular user is allowed to see. This result set is then passed back to you and you display it in your custom interface.

If you haven't already, spend some time studying the CE security model in the Administrator Manual (.pdf) and this may make more sense.



Chris
Data Intelligence Group

http://www.digus.com

 

[MJRBIM]

Someone else may have already done the work for you...

APOS has some CE add-in freeware on their site.

NAME : ePortfolio Tree Menu freeware - Crystal Enterprise v.10

INFO : This freeware provides a set of csp pages that provides a tree style presentation of Crystal Enterprise folders, reports and instances. Viewing instances is supported while scheduling is not supported. Simply copy these csp pages into a separate folder, share the folder as a web site and try it out!

http://www.apos.on.ca/sections/07-SoftSol-Freeware.shtml

 

[ericb1]

Awesome, thanks!! That's basically what I'm looking for. Have you set this up? I can see the reports, but when I click on them, there's no link to anything. Not sure if this is something stupid I'm missing. Thanks again!

 

[MJRBIM]

I haven't implemented it...just new it existed.

Also we recently saw a demo of BO-XI and they have replaced ePortfolio/WebDesktop with a framed folder-tree structure for navigation called InfoView.

Don't know if the upgrade to BO-XI is on the horizon for your company...but that may also solve your problem (probably while creating a bunch more).

 

[mdwyer]

I played with this in my dev system, accessign it through a tree icon placed next to the Search box in webdesktop. The report names don't link to anything instances will produce an expansion icon (+). Clicking on the instance info brings up the DHTML viewer.