Shared Directories

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Shared Directories

A key component of BADGES & MORE is the Shared Directory concept.  A Shared Directory is a normal Windows folder that contains a Badges & More system database, a linked program database, and an audit database.  It can also include a user database and instruction files.

The system database contains definitions (screen definitions, badge designs, badge types, and so on) and security information,.  Instruction files are Rich Text Files (.rtf) that contain information about using BADGES & MORE, which you can modify and add to as necessary.

One of the most important benefits of Shared Directories is its portability.  Shared Directories make it easy for a central site or organization to setup a complete system (data maintenance, badges, form printing, data transmissions, and so on) and distribute the package to other installations.

You can create any number of Shared Directories, and each one lets you create multiple independent sets of definitions and security.  This gives you the capability to control what data and badge printing services each specific user can access.  This gives you tremendous flexibility in controlling and safeguarding your operation.  Examples of how you can use Shared Directories include:

·         You can create different Shared Directories for different divisions within your company, and prevent users from one division from accessing the data and badges of the other.

·         You can create one Shared Directory that contains screen definitions but no badges, and another that contains badge designs with read-only screen definitions.  This lets your user departments maintain the data, but prevent them from printing badges, while letting another department print the badges, but prevent them from changing the data.

·         You can easily create test Shared Directories for training users without corrupting live data.

·         You can create Shared Directories where a database definition selects a subset of a full table.  For example, one database definition could use a view of exempt employees, while another uses a view of hourly employees.

·         If you control visitor or vendor access, you can provide your lobby host with a visitor/vendor badge printing system, without granting access to employee data.

·         Each Shared Directory contains its own set of instruction files.  This lets you customize (add, edit, or delete) instruction files to meet the specific needs of a particular user or department.

Shared Directories are created in the Administration program by clicking the “Create New Shared Directory” button in the Security section.  Administrator security level is required to setup a new Shared Directory.  This step copies the contents of a "Template" Shared Directory stored in the App.Path\BamShare folder.  You can add files or modify existing files in this folder to suit your needs.