Defining Security Rule Elements (User, System Administrator, and Flexfields Help)


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Defining Security Rule Elements

You define a security rule element by specifying a value range that includes both a low and high value for your segment. A security rule element applies to all segment values included in the value range you specify.

You identify each security rule element as either Include or Exclude, where Include includes all values in the specified range, and Exclude excludes all values in the specified range. Every rule must have at least one Include rule element, since a rule automatically excludes all values unless you specifically include them. Exclude rule elements override Include rule elements.

You should always include any default values you use in your segments or dependent value sets. If the default value is secured, the flexfield window erases it from the segment as the window opens, and the user must enter a value manually.

If you want to specify a single value to include or exclude, enter the same value in both the Low and High fields.

Minimum and maximum possible values

The lowest and highest possible values in a range depend on the format type of your value set. For example, you might create a value set with format type of Number where the user can enter only the values between 0 and 100. Or, you might create a value set with format type of Date where the user can enter only dates for the current year (a range of 01-JAN-93 to 31-DEC-93, for example). For example, if your format type is Char, then 1000 is less than 110, but if your format type is Number, 110 is less than 1000. The lowest and highest possible values in a range are also operating system dependent. When you use a Char format type for most platforms (ASCII platforms), numeric characters are "less" than alphabetic characters (that is, 9 is less than A), but for some platforms (EBCDIC platforms) numeric characters are "greater" than alphabetic characters (that is, Z is less than 0). The window gives you an error message if you specify a larger minimum value than your maximum value for your platform.

If you leave the low segment blank, the minimum value for this range is automatically the smallest value possible for your segment's value set. For example, if the value set maximum size is 3 and Right-justify and Zero-fill Numbers is checked, the minimum value is 000. However, if the value set has a maximum size of 3, has Numbers Only checked and Right-justify and Zero-fill Numbers unchecked, the minimum value is 0.

If you leave the high segment blank, the maximum value for this range is automatically the largest value possible for your segment's value set. For example, if the value set maximum size is 3 and Numbers Only is checked, the maximum value is 999. However, if the value set maximum size is 5, and Numbers Only is checked, the maximum value is 99999.

Suggestion: Use blank segments to specify the minimum or maximum possible values for a range to avoid having operating system dependent rules.

Note that security rules do not check or affect a blank segment value (null value).

To define security rule elements:

1. In the Security Rule Elements block, select the type of security rule element. Valid types are:

Include	Your user can enter any segment value that falls in the following range.
Exclude	Your user cannot enter any segment value that falls in the following range.

2. Enter the low (From) and high (To) ends of this value range. Your value does not have to be a valid segment value.

Defining Security Rule Elements

Minimum and maximum possible values

To define security rule elements:

See Also