User Groupware and LDAP

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User Groupware

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User Groupware and LDAP

Overview

How to?

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User Groupware and LDAP

Warning
From version 18, the User Groupware evolves. This help page corresponds to the User Groupware kept for backward compatibility. To get this help page for the new version of the User Groupware, see User Groupware and LDAP.

Overview

The LDAP protocol is increasingly used by the companies. The LDAP protocol is used to query and modify the directory services. For example, Active Directory of Microsoft provides LDAP access to its data.

In a company, an account and a password are assigned to the users by the "IT" manager.

This account and this password can be directly used by the User Groupware of WINDEV and WEBDEV, with ability to define specific rights.

Remark: The User Groupware works with Active Directory. It does not operate with openLDAP.

How to?

Branching the User Groupware on an LDP directory without management of rights

To branch the User Groupware on an LDAP directory without management of rights:

Configure the user groupware ("Workshop .. Configure the user groupware").
In the "General" tab, check the options:
- Use a LDAP directory to authenticate the users.
- No management of rights

In this case, the User Groupware will create no data file. A supervisor will not be able to define the rights for the windows and for the pages.

When the application is started, the login window or page prompts the user to authenticate. If the user is saved in the LDAP directory, the application will start ; otherwise, it will be closed.

Branching the User Groupware on an LDP directory with management of rights

To branch the User Groupware on an LDAP directory with management of rights:

Configure the user groupware ("Workshop .. Configure the user groupware").
In the "General" tab, check "Use a LDAP directory to authenticate the users".

In this case, the User Groupware creates the data files for managing the users and the rights. A supervisor can define the rights for the windows and for the pages.

Case 1: The database of the User Groupware is empty. The LDAP database exists

An additional configuration must be performed when implementing the application.

Connect to the application as Supervisor (Login: "Supervisor", Password: "Supervisor").
Choose "Configure the groupware".
Select "Import users from the LDAP directory". A window allows you to import all the users.
Remark: If you are not authenticated on the LDAP server (1st use for example), a login and password of an LDAP user will be requested. The selected LDAP user must have the rights to list the users of LDAP directory.
Click the "Import" button. The import is performed, all the LDAP users are displayed in the list of users.
Remark: We advise you to grant supervisor rights to a specific user and to delete the default "Supervisor" user.
You have the ability to assign rights to the imported users.

Case 2: The database of the User Groupware already exists. The application connects to an LDAP database

Only the users found in the database of user groupware and in the LDAP database will be able to connect to the application (same logins for the users). The password to use is the LDAP password. The users not found in the LDAP database will not be able to start the application.

The rights can be managed by the users found both in the database of the groupware and in the LDAP database.

Note: Using an LDAP directory withe management of rights allows you to easily switch from the LDAP mode to the mode without LDAP. Simply check "Use an LDAP directory".

Starting the application

In automatic run mode:
The characteristics of the LDAP server must be entered in the "LDAP" tab of the window for configuring the user groupware.

To get the name of the user, simply call gpwGetUserInfo:

Info("Hello "+ gpwGetUserInfo(gpwInfoLogin))

In manual start mode:
To use the LDAP directory, an LDAP session must be started with gpwOpenLDAPSession before the calling gpwOpen:

gpwOpenLDAPSession("xx.mycompany.com", 389, 3, False)
gpwOpen()

To identify a user without opening the login window, use the following code:

gpwOpenLDAPSession("xx.mycompany.com", 389, 3, False)
IF gpwLogin("FP", "Password")<>gpwOk THEN
Error("Invalid user or password")
EndProgram()
END

Installing the application that uses an LDAP directory

The parameters of the LDAP directory can be entered by the user when installing the application.

To do so, when creating the setup program of the application that uses the user groupware, ("Workshop .. Create the setup procedure"), check "Customize the path of the groupware files during setup"; in the "Parameters of databases" screen.

In this case, a screen specific to the User Groupware will be displayed when the application is installed. This screen allows the person who installs the application to:

configure the location of the data files specific to the User Groupware. For more details, see Data files of user groupware.
enable the history of connections.
enable user authentication via an LDAP directory. In this case, you will have to enter the address of the server, the port number and the LDAP version used.