A client has dozens of custom Crystal Reports in a folder called REPORTS, which they access through PrintTools. Upper management is concerned that some of the reports contain sensitive information, and they want to restrict most users from running those reports.

The problem is that PrintTools has no security, so anyone who can launch PrintTools can run any report.

I tried moving the non-sensitive reports to \Softrak\OEWIN\CustomRP, but the results were unsatisfactory. They preview and then minimize a few reports at a time so that they are immediately available (refreshing occasionally throughout the day).

It turns out, as I just learned, that in PrintTools you can minimize a previewed report and then run another report without having to launch a second PrintTools instance. However, when you preview a CustomRP report, you can't minimize the report and still work in the module, or run a second report.

You can imagine the problem with having, for example, four instances of OE open, all of which look the same on the taskbar, but only one of which is available for working in OE.

Does anyone have any ideas that might get around this issue? It is crucial that upper management use PrintTools, so moving the sensitive reports out of the \REPORTS folder is not an option.

Thanks

Steve

Hi Steve:

I didn't know that capability of PrintTool. Another advantage of PrintTool is that it allows you to use the full features of Crystal 8.5 (you don't have to "dumb down" the report to suite Crystal 7).

I followed most of your explanation but I don't see why you can't move the sensitive reports out of the REPORTS folder. Why can't the sensitive reports be located in a folder where the operating system prevents anyone except management from seeing them? The report path can be defaulted on the command line.

Hi Steve,

If your client uses security groups to manage access to Adagio processes, and upper management users belong to security group(s) different than other users, you can place the customized RPT files into sub-directories of the CustomRP folder. Say for example there is a security group UMNGMT for upper management, you would place sensitive RPTs into the \softrak\{program}\CustomRP\UMNGMT folder. When a user belonging to that security group opens an Adagio program, they would see the reports listed in the CustomRP menu, but users in other security groups would not. And naturally that UMNGMT folder would have network access rights defined.

If the problem you are trying to solve is to prevent access to particular reports, then they need to be in a different folder and have network rights restricted, whether PrintTool or CustomRP is the desired route.

And FYI, the same logic works for GridView workspaces, where you could place sensitive workspaces into the \Softrak\{program}\Views\UMNGMT folder, and only users belonging to the UMNGMT security group would see the GV workspace on the Inquiry menu.

Opening multiple instances is a different issue, and once you can solve users not being able to see and open the reports in the first place, the other part seems moot.

Hi Bruce and Tech Support

This is a public forum, so I have to be tactful, but let me say that if I were to tell upper management that they would have to browse to a different folder than the one they've been browsing to for 15 years, or use something other than PrintTools, that would be the last change I would be allowed to make. They are more afraid of progress than North Korea.

I was hoping for an answer that doesn't involve the IT department; I never like to have Adagio security controlled outside of Adagio. But if it's the only option, I will involve them.

Since the whole issue would disappear if CustomRP worked as nicely as PrintTools with respect to minimizing previewed reports, let me make that suggestion for improvement to Adagio. In theory, they should have the same functionality.

Thanks

Steve

Hi Steve:

Good analogy You can put the new reports folder on the command line of their PrintTool icon so that it opens automatically. They won't likely notice the difference. In fact, if you select a folder in an obscure enough location, you don't need to get IT involved at all. Or management may already have a private sharename that you can use.

Hi Bruce

Your suggestion would be good if it worked. When I use the /r runtime parameter to specify the path of the reports, I must also provide a report name, and I can only run the report specified.

Is there a way to force PrintTool to open to a default report path, but let you select any report in that path?

Steve

Hi Steve:

You're right - I didn't read the help text closely enough. How many management reports are there? Would it be practical to have a separate icon on the desktops for each report?

Too many (see my first sentence of this posting).

So let me repeat my question to the rest of the world:

Is there a way to force PrintTool to open to a default report path, but let you select any report in that path?

Steve

Hi Steve,

From the Help file, on the File / Options tab, there is a Report Path section and a setting called 'Use Crystal Reports default report path':

Turn this checkbox on if you want to use the default report path that has been set in Crystal Reports for Adagio on your computer or network. Note that you can modify your report path at any time in the select reports dialog box, it may speed things up if you set your default report path to the drive and directory most commonly used. The Crystal Reports default path appears in the field below for your reference. If this is the Crystal Reports default path and you wish to use that path as your default, turn this option on. If not, select your default report path in the fields below.

NOTE: Crystal Reports must be installed on this workstation in order to select the Crystal Reports default path.
------
So I suspect you could open this screen and ensure that the checkbox is disabled, and choose the directory that you would like to see initially be used for the report file. And because File/Options are stored in the Windows Registry, each user/workstation can save a different value for security reasons. Is this what you are looking for?

I think it is.

I'll give it a try - thanks

Steve