ACL Settings

[sapphireweb]

Ok, perhaps I am missing something somewhere... In version 1.9 there was a plugin to import the joomla Group settings.  It was then possible to set the rights so only that group had the ability to see it.  That does not seem possible in this version.  Is there anyway to set up a category, set the particular user as the 'created by' and restrict access to only that user?

[Arno]

Hi,

That does not seem possible in this version. 

Exactly since it is not more required. You can now define directly in the Joomla ACL this jD user groups.

[sapphireweb]

So whats the easiest way to restrict access to a single user.  We are using JDownloads to provide access to royalty reports to authors... so each author is a category in Jdownloads.  I saw another post on this, that has been closed "hiding categories for groups" which is what I am trying to do...  In 1.9  I created groups for each user.  However I don't see them in 3.2 - do I need to now create access levels for each group as well? (Thats just a lot of work) --  I do not see anyway in Joomla to restrict access to 'creator'.

It would be really helpful if there was a way to restrict a category to a specific user.

[Arno]

Hi.

So whats the easiest way to restrict access to a single user.

I think that you must create for every author a own user group. 

I saw another post on this, that has been closed "hiding categories for groups" which is what I am trying to do...

It would be really helpful if there was a way to restrict a category to a specific user.

I think also here must you define for every user a own 'Viewing Access Level'.
This is not the easiest way, but this is a Joomla issue, as Joomla has this ACL developed. jDownloads use this ACL in the same way as Joomla self.

I know that it exist download extensions which used not only the Joomla ACL but additional also a own way for category or download permissions. But jDownloads used only the official Joomla solution.
 

[ColinM]

Hi
It is perfectly possible to create a 'private' category that is only seen by those allowed.  From the comments I guess there is a lck of familiarity with the Joomla ACL and related.  So I am writing an article to explain -- Hopefully I will get some more time this evening

Colin

[ColinM]

Hi
Have finished the article entitled 'How to Create a Private Category'.  It is attached here as a pdf file but I will also put it in the Documentation FAQ.

Comments welcome.
Hope it helps

Colin

[gelöscht durch Administrator]

[Arno]

Hi Colin,
many thanks again for this excellent instructions. 

[ColinM]

Arno
Now in the documentation FAQ for j25 and j32
http://www.jdownloads.net/documentations/item/how-to-create-a-private-category

Colin

[sapphireweb]

Thank you, this is extremely helpful.

I would like to make a feature request.    When you create a category in jdownloads, there is a "created by" field.  I would like to be able to set the "created by" for a specific user, and allow only that user access to the category, or another option in JDownloads to restrict access to a category to a single user.  It would make my job easier...

[ColinM]

Hi
What is wrong with setting up your users into groups and then using view access?  It is much more powerful and flexible.  And when you have done it a few times it is very, very simple.  It is much longer to read the article than to do the work!

Think what you are suggesting is a menu type called say List My Categories, similar to the List My Downloads menu type.  Each user would need a top level category, and all the sub categories below that one would need the same owner.  I have no idea how much effort would be required to do that.  And would it be a worthwhile addition when there is a good way to do it with standard Joomla facilities?  It could take a few days work.

Colin

[sapphireweb]

So I am still having issues getting JDownloads to work, and it is possible that it just may not work for my situation.

I have about 85 users that each need access to their own directory, and have 85 defined Joomla groups, each with only one user.  In JDownloads, I have followed the directions provided in the PDF, however when a user logs in, and goes to the file area, they are unable to see their files.  In addition, it looks like it is trying to display all the categories, not just their files.

The author royalty reports, are in a category called "Royalty Reports", which is under a category "Back Office Files".  I need to be able to display, only their folder under "Royalty Reports"

I would be willing to allow someone to login as an admin.  I am not going to post that information in a public forum.

[ColinM]

Hi
I have just sent you a Private Message. When you login you should see Private messages on the tool bar with a (1) beside it.  If you reply with admin details it will come just to me and no one else. Before sending however try the following.

I have been setting up your needs on my test site when I thought of a simpler way using the List My Downloads menu item  This avoids having to create individual user groups.  Just ensure your users all belong to the same User Group.  In my case I selected the Registered Group, but it could be a named User Group such as colin-group with parent as say registered.  If you do set up a named group the also create a View Access level such as colin-view and that the only group member of that View Access is colin-group.   Access each Download from the backend and ensure that the creator was the particular user for that Download.  Also set Access to Registered or colin-view if using a named user group.

Now we create a menu item with a suitable Title such as  My Downloads and set the menu type to List My Downloads.  Set Access to Registered or colin-view as appropriate.  This is so that  the menu item is only shown to logged in users in Registered or colin-group.  This should work AOK   Apologies for not thinking of ths simpler method earlir

Colin

[ColinM]

Hi
Hmm! Thought it would be possible to set creator dynamically but creator is logged in user.
Obviously an update does need to set the file creator individually as otherwise there is no way of knowing which are that persons downloads.  But having to log on as that user each time is not a viable long term alternative when there are many different users.
Note that as of jD3.2.14 the View Level permissions now cascade down from the parent category if you do not set it explicitly. So perhaps you could stay with the View Access level method for the present.  Cascading of the ACL permissions is being worked on.

A desirable way in the longer term might be to have a set of defaults for each category.  In the same way that a download can have specific images, descriptions and the like then one can conceive of a 'default information file' that would contain the information that was to be used if not specified in the upload form, or if monitoring of uploads added via an ftp operation was used. Perhaps better if the 'info' file was in the immediate parent category. The 'info' file would have lines like "Creator = A. N. Other". Need to think this through a little more.  Will discuss with Arno. NB other people have also asked for a 'default answer' mechanism.  Any observations on such a mechanism would be welcome.

Colin

[sapphireweb]

Colin,

As I think about this, I can see that there are really several ways to resolve the issue. 

I had actually tried a different (paid) component, which allowed me to set the security for a category as EITHER an ACL View, -OR- A specific User.  It occurs to me, that the best way to handle this is to incorporate both the ACL and have a secondary (optional) "override" which allows you to specify a specific user, with an option for the category to apply the setting to all files and sub-folders.  This would prevent the user from deleting files from the server, when what they really is download access.  If the optional override is set, only the specified user has access to the category, regardless of their security level, provided they have access to the site. (I.E.  A locked account is still a locked account)

This would allow each of the individual user categories, to be set to allow only that user, which would address some other security concerns that were raised.  The paid component I tired, handled the security rights in this manner.  In the ACL list there was an option to select a specific user.  I have since uninstalled the component and received a refund for the other component in question.  

If JDownloads can address this critical issue, I would have no problem giving a donation to the project.  The component cost me $30.00, and I'd prefer to give that to Jdownloads if it can address this issue.  The next set of royalty reports are out the first week in November.  Now, I realize that 2 weeks is not time enough to get a solution together.  However, I do need to make some sort of determination if jdownloads will meet my needs.   I really don't want to have to move over 200 files and menus, and that is just for the free downloads.  

Thanks.

[ColinM]

Hi
The 'list my downloads' approach does work by user.  The challenge in any system is getting the 'creators name'. One possibility is perhaps to modify the 'list my downloads' to optionally list by author rather than by creator.  I will look into this. That means when you create the 'download' you would have to insure that the author name is correct, that is the same as the user name when the relevant person logs in.  My favourite solution remains having defaults but that would have to be on a user group basis but that would be a longer development cycle.

Please note that we are close to a stable version and that must remain our top priority.

Colin