UserName as password?

[elipsett]

We have an inhouse network running FMpro on Win and Mac systems, and instead of having each user type in his or her password when opening a file, it would be much easier to just have the host use the login username directly as the password. It would eliminate all visible password processing, and users could just open files normally without worrying about it.

I've been wandering through the manuals and help files for some time and haven't found a way to do it yet...

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[WBlanchard]

The problem with using a user name password is the maintenance headache it creates. The users' password must be in every database that user might access, so adding a new user is a pain.

What I do is to create passwords and access based on roles. Then I have a database which maintains user information. I then send users a file launch utility which was their appropriate role password as a default. When they launch the utility file it validates against the user info database (if they aren't there or turned off, the access scripts stop and tells them they don't have access), and then opens the appropriate file with the right password. That password is now set throughout the current session, and the user never sees it.

It alot easier to create a new user in the user database, and email a utility file, then to take down an entire solution to add new passwords.

HTH

[elipsett]

OK, I can see how that would be a good solution for public DB, or in-house DB with large access rosters.

We have a private DB, with only about 10 people, and it would easiest to just hardcode it, I had been thinking.

Lumme think about an interface DB as you suggest... it does have its merits.

Thanks

[WBlanchard]

If it's a small group of users and a small number of database files to maintain, then hardcoding the password might be a little easier. However, I don't know of a way to have FileMaker automatically use the user name as a password. The utility file idea could work here though. Once you've created the new passord, dup the utility file and have it use the new password as a default. Then script the utility file to open the appropriate file, and close itself. This will still set the password access for the current session. The only security problem would be that anyone who had access to the user's machine, would also have access to the database files. But, this would be a problem also if you could have the login name used and a password.

HTH