Chapter 15
(Continued)
Customization, Options, and Tools
Security (Passwords And Encryption)
To keep information secure, askSam provides multiple levels of password protection and the ability to encrypt your files. askSam lets you set up multiple access groups, define password for these groups, and define which askSam features each group can access. For example, you could set up a “Data Entry” group that is authorized to add and edit data, and a “Search” group that is restricted to read-only access. For each file there is a “Supervisor” group. This group has access to all functions and is able to create and edit privileges for other groups.
Even if a file is password protected, certain viewing programs are able to display information from the file. To prevent this, you can use encryption. Encryption encodes the information in the file and prevents anyone not using askSam from viewing it.
1. Choose FILE -> PROPERTIES.
The File Properties Dialog Box will appear.
2. Choose the SECURITY button.
The first time you select this button, the “Set Supervisor Password” Dialog Box will appear.
This dialog box asks you to enter and confirm a supervisor password for your askSam file. Please make sure you record this password in a secure place. You will be asked to enter this password whenever you access the Security options.
3. Enter your supervisor password and choose OK.
The File Security Dialog Box will appear.
By default, two Access Groups are set up for the file: “Supervisor” and “Default”. The default settings give both of these groups “All Privileges” in the file.
To add new access groups, choose the ADD button.
To edit an existing group, select the group and choose the EDIT button.
To password protect a file, you would select the “Default” access and set a password for default access to the file.
4. Select the “Default” access group and choose EDIT.
The Edit Access Group Dialog Box will appear.
5. Enter and confirm a password for the access group.
If there are functions you wish to restrict from this group, remove the check mark beside the function. The Read-Only check box will remove all the functions that modify the file.
6. Remove the check marks from any functions you wish to restrict for this access group.
7. Choose OK.
You will return to the File Security Dialog Box. You can repeat this procedure to add or edit other access groups.
8. Choose OK to exit the File Security Dialog Box.
Your password is now set. The next time you open the file, a Dialog Box will appear requesting a password before you can access the file.
Select an access group and enter the password to access the file. If no password has been set for the group, enter no password simply choose OK to access the file.
NOTES:
1. Passwords are case sensitive. To open a password protected file, the password you enter must exactly match the password defined for the file. Even the upper/lower case characters in the password must match.
2. Be sure to make a note of your Supervisor password.
3. When you open an askSam file, you will be asked for a password if you modify any privileges for the default access group… even if you've not set a password for the default access group. In this case, do not enter a password. Simply choose OK to access the file as a “Default” user.
1. Choose FILE -> PROPERTIES.
The File Properties Dialog Box will appear.
2. Choose the SECURITY button.
You'll be prompted for the Supervisor password.
3. Enter the Supervisor password and choose OK.
The File Security Dialog Box will appear.
4. Select the access group whose password you wish to remove.
5. Choose the EDIT button.
6. Delete the password from the “Password” and “Confirm Password” fields.
7. Choose OK.
The password will be removed, and you return to the File Security Dialog Box.
1. Choose FILE -> PROPERTIES.
The File Properties Dialog Box will appear.
2. Choose the SECURITY button.
3. Enter the Supervisor password and choose OK.
The File Security Dialog Box will appear.
4. Select the Access Group whose password you wish to change.
5. Choose the EDIT button.
6. Enter the new password in the “Password” and “Confirm Password” fields.
7. Choose OK.
The password will be saved and you return to the File Security Dialog Box.
1. Choose FILE -> PROPERTIES.
The File Properties Dialog Box will appear.
2. Choose the SECURITY button.
You'll be prompted for the Supervisor password.
3. Enter the Supervisor password and choose OK.
The File Security Dialog Box will appear.
4. Select the “Encrypt File” check box.
5. Choose OK.
The file will be encrypted.
Index Options (only available in the askSam Professional version)
There are several options that affect the size, speed, and contents of an index. The Index Options are set on a per file basis. You access these options by choosing FILE -> INDEX.
· Specify Numeric and Date Fields to Index This option lets you select numeric and date fields in your database so that they'll be specially indexed. As a default setting, no fields are specified as numeric or date.
· Index Single Character Words This option determines whether single character words (not defined as Noise Words) will be included in the index. As a default setting, single character words are not indexed.
· Index Field Names Determines whether the field names in your database are included in the index. Field names are any words ending with the field character (normally the opening square bracket [ or the colon :. Since field names normally appear in most documents, the default setting does not index field names.
· Punctuation Characters - The Punctuation Characters option defines characters to remove from words when a file is indexed. For example, normally you would not want the word Goodbye as one entry in your index and the word Goodbye! as another entry. Since the exclamation point ( ! ) is defined as a punctuation character, "Goodbye" in our previous example would appear as a single entry in the index.
The default punctuation characters are
!@%^&*()+=~`{}[]|\:;"<>?,./
You can insert new characters or delete existing ones from this list.
· Index Noise Words - The Noise Words option lets you enter words that you do not want included in the index. This is used for words such as "the", "an", and "in" - words that frequently appear in documents but would not be useful terms to search for.
You can insert new words or delete any of the existing words from this list.
· Search Order Determines the order in which askSam searches Documents in your file. You can choose to search Documents from “First to Last” or from “Last to First”. Since the newest data and Documents are frequently added to the end of a file, it often makes sense to search from “Last to First” so the newest Documents are listed at the top of the search. The default value is “First to Last”.
· Memory Allocated for Indexing a File - This option defines the buffer size for indexing. In general, a larger buffer increases performance during indexing. The buffer is only used while askSam is indexing a file. Once indexing is complete, the buffer memory is freed. The default 8192 KB (which is 8 MB).
Global Options (TOOLS OPTIONS)
The TOOLS -> OPTIONS command allows you to modify askSam's default system settings.
· AutoSave when adding with Entry Form This option controls whether the Current Document is automatically saved when you add another Document containing an Entry Form. This simplifies entering data. By default, this option is on.
· Automatically check for URLs when typing When this option is on, askSam will monitor text typed into the askSam Word Processor. If you type a URL, askSam will automatically turn this into a hypertext link. Clicking on this link will open your Web browser and access the URL. By default, this option is on.
· Background Repagination When this option is on, askSam will automatically paginate Documents. The page counter will be displayed in the Status Bar at the bottom of the screen. By default this option is on.
· Network default file access This option sets the default mode for accessing files in the network version of askSam. You can choose whether a file is opened in a “shared” or “exclusive” mode. If a file is opened exclusively, other users are not able to access the file until you exit. If a file is opened as “shared”, multiple users can add, edit, and search in the file. This option is only available in the askSam Network version.
· Show network dialog for recent files When opening a file using the recent file options in the File menu (1 through 8 commands), this option determines whether the Network Access dialog will appear when you choose these options. By default this option is on. This option is only available in the askSam Network version.
· Unit of Measure Sets the Ruler and all measurements in either Inches (English) or Centimeters (Metric). The default value is English.
· Show commands from dialogs The search requests generated by the dialog boxes in the Actions Menu can also be entered directly in the Search Line. If you wish to see the commands that the system generates, turn this option on. The requests generated by reports are also displayed before the report is run. By default this option is off.
· Warning Beep - Activates or deactivates the warning beep. The warning beep is heard in conjunction with various messages. By default this option is on.
· Show disable data entry mode message Data Entry mode simplifies entering data into an Entry Form. It ensures that the cursor remains inside your fields. If you click outside the fielded area, a message will appear asking if you wish to turn off Data Entry mode. This option lets you turn this message on or off. By default this option is on.
· Automatic save every: - Automatically saves all open files at a specified interval.
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