Profusion Forums

12/27/2011 8:40:43 AM Donna Posts: 73	I thought I'd put this here since it may be useful to others at some point... We have a client that wants PDF files viewable by everyone but if they want to save or download them the want to be able to keep track of those users. I asked Nate about this a week or so ago and got a pretty good idea on how to go about this: "... an alternative idea is that you could have 2 versions of the PDF file, one that is not saveable(view only) and one that is. You would need to google adobe tools that prevent saving a PDF. Then have the view only pdf embedded in a page with a link at the top that reads "Need to save this? Register here" Once they register, you can place the saveable PDF in their secure user home page, for download." We have a couple more questions on this subject though... My understanding is that once a user is registered they have access to the secured pages where this pdf is posted. Our client wants to put several 'white papers' onto their site. Once a user is logged in, they would be able to download whatever is available on this page, correct? Is there a way to track which files the secured user downloads from this page? Or are we talking about something beyond the scope of the secured user functions and moving into the realm of the document management system? edited by Donna on 12/27/2011
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12/27/2011 11:55:00 AM reynoldsrj Administrator Posts: 30	Secure User function in the UIS was designed to provide access to users based on their username and password. Different levels of access can be provided to each user. But this is limited to accessing page(s) not for tracking user access to documents. If this is the desired we have to track each user's login and what pages/actions they take. You question about providing access to one or more pages based on user level and then allowing each user access to multiple PDF document links placed on that page is possible. However tracking which links a user has clicked to view is not possible without significant customization. This client might be better off using our ProFusion Document Management System which provides access to certain folders and/or files based on username and password. Depending on permissions the users can download only or download and upload revisions and there can be tracking of revisions. Customizing this application to allow tracking of which documents were downloaded by a specific user would require much less work than re-coding the Secure User module. Bob
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12/28/2011 7:30:18 AM Donna Posts: 73	That's what I thought, Bob... and pretty much what I told them. Since they already have the DMS I know they will ask a few more questions... From what I've gone over in the dms manual, accounts have to be manually created so client will need to gather information from users and create accounts before they can have access to dms. I just want to verify that I did not miss something as I went through the manual (or maybe there's a new version of the manual since the one I have is dated 2008)... like some button to automatically create accounts for new users so that those users can download the file they want without client intervention. Sorry if I keep going over basically the same stuff, I just want to be sure I have an answer for their questions. Thanks for being the answer man!
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12/28/2011 8:14:36 AM reynoldsrj Administrator Posts: 30	Yes, accounts in the DMS do need to be manually created, but that is true of the Secure Users as well. In order to assign a user to a specific folder, file or page, you have to set up that user with a username and password and then assign them to a folder, file, or page - regardless of whether you are using the Secure User module or setting up an account for them in the DMS this is a manual process for each user. In either application, you can have user's register themselves, but they still need to be assigned which page(s) in the case of the secure user module and/or which folders/files they have access to for the DMS by the Administrator. In either case, they could set up a single user account with specific access and provide the username and password to any/all users for access, but then there is no accountability or exclusivity for users. In the case of the DMS, you can set different permissions for different levels. We have a DMS installed on the PFSupport site that allows anyone who selects File Manager to be provided access to "public" folders without a login. You can only download files, you cannot modify them or upload a new file. Bob
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12/30/2011 7:18:05 AM Donna Posts: 73	Aha... see what happens when none of my clients use their secure user option? I don't feel obligated to learn anything about it. It honestly never occurred to me that a registered user wouldn't automatically be able to get into a secure area of the site. I think I just assumed based on the sites that I use day to day that I had to register for. I should have recited that Jr. High line about what happens when you assume. I'm very glad that I posted this here, I hope someone else just got enlightened as well. Sometimes it's hard for me to find answers in the documentation when I don't know what to look for and often I don't have time to spend doing a more thorough search. I appreciate you talking time to monitor the forum here. Even if I'm the only one here. Still.
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