Applies To
	Product(s):	gINT Professional
	Version(s):	N/A
	Environment:	N/A
	Area:	Library Database
	Subarea:
	Original Author:	Kathleen Holcomb, Bentley Technical Support Group

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A gINT library can be secured against user modification except by authorized users. This is also called locking the library. A locked library can be distributed within the organization and used without the risk of your organization’s standard library objects such as reports, blocks, user data items and library tables being modified. However, users can utilize those objects in input and output activities as they would normally.

Locking and unlocking involves the creation and referencing of a library lock file. This file is an empty text file in a specified location (ideally on your computer’s hard drive) with a specified name. Any computer with a file of the specified name in the specified location will have full editing rights to the locked library. Computers lacking this file will not.

Locking the gINT Library

To demonstrate the locking feature, do the following:

1. Go to UTILITIES -> Lib Merge/Copy.

2. Select File -> Secure Library. The SELECT OR CREATE FILE dialog box appears.

   

3. Click the Expand button to the right of the File Path field and specify a filename of gintlock.txt in C:\Users\Public\Documents\Bentley\gINT.  (Note that this particular name is not required—you could call it anything). You are prompted to create the file. Click Yes.

   

   This populates the File Path field with the path and name you specified.

4. The Contact Information field is for optional name and contact information that will appear when a user attempts to access the locked library. This is so that the user will know who to contact if he or she needs changes made to the library. We will leave this blank.

5. Check the Hide Associated Applications checkbox. This hides the application and application group tabs for unauthorized applications in a locked library, including REPORT DESIGN, SYMBOL DESIGN, Lib Merge/Copy, and all DATA DESIGN applications other than Project Database and Correspondence Files.

6. Click OK. You see the following warning:

   

7. Click Continue. The library is now locked. You can continue to make modifications to the library because it references gintlock.txt, and that file is present in the specified location on your computer.

   If the library were to be distributed to another user, or if you deleted gintlock.txt from your computer, the next time this library was opened, the following would appear:

   

8. While still in UTILITIES -> Lib Merge/Copy, select File -> Secure Library. Delete the contents of the File Path field, and then click OK. This unlocks the library. It can be edited by all users to whom it is distributed.

Note the following additional points about library locking:

• A lock file with the same name and path must exist on each computer that will have access to edit the library.

• There is a charge for gINT to recover your access if you forget the necessary filename and location. For this reason, more than one person should have access to edit the library, and you should place a copy of the instructions for library editing access on more than one computer.

• Users will not be able to add data to library tables if the library is locked.

• Programming in gINT Rules provides the means to restrict access to specific tabs based on the user’s system logon, if the library lock system does not meet your needs. Refer to the Introduction to gINT Rules tutorial.

See Also