User Attributes

• The user attributes table supports user-specific query macros.
  • Allows for the implementation of session attributes without requiring the development of database- or application-specific extensions.

  • Session macros can then be used as search criteria values. Note: To set up permanent search criteria values, this must be done using the system user.

  • Automatically assigns the session attributes based on specific user attributes. Essentially, any user attribute that begins with "session." becomes a session attribute when the user logs into the system. For example:

    User Attribute		Session Attribute
    Key	Value	Key	Value
    session.org_list	A1, A2, A3	org_list	A1, A2, A3
    session.whse_list	W1, W2	whse_list	W1, W2
    my_setting	my_value	*

    * Does not become a session attribute due to the absence of "session." in the user attribute key specification.

  • Once a user attribute is defined, that user must log out of the system and then log back in for it to take effect.

• The user attributes table provides the ability to restrict a user to access one particular warehouse, as opposed to all warehouses. This is accomplished with the use of the ums.bind.environment attribute key. For example, if you create a user attribute record for which the key is ums.bind.environment and the value is prod_76_w1, the user for whom the attribute is created can only log in and use the metadata instance from an environment called prod_76_w1.

• This table provides the ability to synchronize a user's UMS permissions with Cognos. This is accomplished with the use of the cognos.search_path attribute key. The value to enter for this key can be found in the user's search path CAMID, which is located in the user's properties using Cognos Administration. An example of the value to enter would be something like this: CAMID("Tecsys:u:uid=stu2").

• This table provides to ability to allow applications to never time out when they are displayed in a browser window. Some scenarios where a user is tied to a machine are the following: an airline ticket kiosk or a nurse workstation. In these scenarios, it is not convenient for the users' applications to time out. This is accomplished with the use of the applications.stay.alive attribute key. The value to enter for this key is 1. When an application is open in the browser and this attribute key is set, the session will not time out and this will not force the user to reauthenticate. Note: Use this property sparingly. Users with this property will never free up system resources unless they specifically log out or close all applications. Additionally, the application that is left alive may be accessed by any user.

The following list defines every field available in the user attributes (md_user_att) table in alphabetical order:

• Attribute Key - the attribute's key.

• Attribute Value - the attribute's value.

• Created By - displays the name of the user who created the record you are viewing or maintaining. May not be overridden.

• Created On - displays the date on which the record that you are creating or maintaining was created. May not be overridden. May also represent the creation date of the records you are attempting to retrieve.

• Modification Counter - this field is not maintainable. The date and time a given record was last modified.

• Modified By - this field is not maintainable. The user or system process that last modified the record.

• Modified On - this field is not maintainable. The date on which the record was last modified.

• User Name - the foreign key to the user entry. Validated against the Users table.

For the functionality of each action (i.e. button) available on this view, refer to the About the Actions topic.