How to make a user/password database

[dej143]

I need a vi to maintain a simple database of user data (less than 20 users) where the users would be arranged in rows. User Passwords and user Type (i.e Operator or Manager) would be in two separate columns. Setting up a table in LabVIEW is easy. However, the following are my questions:

1. How do I set up each cell in the Password column to mask out the keyboard entry (i.e. Password Display)?

2. How do I set up each cell in the User Type column to act as a ring control so the manager (who sets up the passwords) will easily select the appropriate type?

3. If a table cannot be used to perform the above, how can it be done?

4. The data needs to be saved for later editing and needs to done so it's not easy to view th
e passwords with a text editor. I assume this can be done by saving in binary format?

The overall requirement for this project is that the manager will assign viewing and editing rights to specific personnel that will use test stand. The test stand is used to test rigging hardware and will print out formal test certificates. I will be making an executable of the project with Application Builder.

I am currently using v.6.0 full development.

Thanks in advance for your time...

[Jim_Kring]

You will probably need to use an array of clusters, where each cluster has a username, password, and group. I doubt that you really need the passwords, but rather a password hash. If you have a one way encryption function you can store the password hashes. When a user logs in, encrypt the password they entered and check it against the encrypted password in the database. It doesn't matter if the encrypted passwords are visible to the administrator, because they are encrypted.

Or you can not encrypt the passwords and set the password string in your cluster to password display (******).

-Jim Kring

[dej143]

Hi Jim, thanks for your prompt response.

If I understand, what I can do is have a number items in a cluster (i.e. 20 items, and I'll probably use less) called users, another cluster called passwords and a final third cluster for types. All three clusters will have an identical order scheme that is compared and saved to and from a file. I assume there will be a way to set up the 3 clusters as an array for the system to process when the user enters a password.

Unfortunately I'll be out of town for the next couple of weeks and will not be able to soon get back to it. I just wanted to respond sooner than later.

I'm surprised that with all the vi systems in the world, that this issue does not have a common resolution.

Thanks,

Dave J.
djpratec@ear
thlink.net

[Jim_Kring]

Yes, but it would be "better" to have a cluster with three items; name, group, and pw. Then create a 1D array of these. Then each element corresponds to a user. I guess it only really matters if access speed matters when the list gets very large and you are trying to do searches and listing.

Good luck,

Jim

[dej143]

After several interruptions and delays, I have finally gotten back to this issue. I made a cluster of five items, specifically: First Name, Last Name, Login Name, Password and Login Type. The password field is set to "Password Display." The Login Type is a ring control that allows the system manager to specify viewing and editing rights in the system. I then took this cluster and made an array of them within a cluster and have the system compare login entries for a match which ultimately verifies and allows entry into the system. This "cluster of clusters" is also saved into a datalog file for convenient saving and retrieving. It's easy to use and it works very nicely. There are two things that ought to be done to improve it. 1) When entering a passwor
d in the list, there ought to be a way to confirm the entry. 2) The passwords in the datalog file can be viewed. There ought to be at least a simple way to encrypt the data. Again thank you for your help and I appolgize it took so long comment on it.

[dej143]

After several interruptions and delays, I have finally gotten back to this issue. I made a cluster of five items, specifically: First Name, Last Name, Login Name, Password and Login Type. The password field is set to "Password Display." The Login Type is a ring control that allows the system manager to specify viewing and editing rights in the system. I then took this cluster and made an array of them within a cluster and have the system compare login entries for a match which ultimately verifies and allows entry into the system. This "cluster of clusters" is also saved into a datalog file for convenient saving and retrieving. It's easy to use and it works very nicely. There are two things that ought to be done to improve it. 1) When entering a passwor
d in the list, there ought to be a way to confirm the entry. 2) The passwords in the datalog file can be viewed. There ought to be at least a simple way to encrypt the data. Again thank you for your help and I appolgize it took so long comment on it.

[ian_fung]

Just a simple Password dialog for you to modify.
Use it if you need it.


Cheers
ian
_sg

[ian_fung]

Oops... please ignore the func_Snd.vi during loading. Delete it and you will be able to run this vi.

ian.