TWiki Access Control

netfrag.org allows you to define restrictions of who is allowed to view a netfrag.org web, make changes to topics or attach files.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Think twice before restricting read or write access to a web or a topic, because an open system where everybody can contribute is the essence of the WikiCulture. Experience shows that unrestricted write access works very well because:

Users and Groups

Access control is based on users and groups.

Users are defined by the user topics in the Main web, i.e. TWikiGuest?

Groups are defined by group topics in the Main web, i.e. TWikiAdminGroup

Write Access Restriction for Individual Topics

You can define restrictions of who is allowed to make changes to a topic or attach files to it.

Define one or both of these variables in a topic, preferably at the end of the topic:

DENYTOPICCHANGE defines users or groups that are not allowed to make changes to the topic. It is a comma delimited list of users and groups. Example:
    * Set DENYTOPICCHANGE = Main.SomeBadBoy, Main.SomeBadGirl, Main.SomeHackerGroup

ALLOWTOPICCHANGE defines users or groups that are allowed to make changes to the topic. It is a comma delimited list of users and groups. Example:
    * Set ALLOWTOPICCHANGE = Main.SomeGoodGuy, Main.SomeGoodGirl, Main.TWikiAdminGroup

DENYTOPICCHANGE is evaluated before ALLOWTOPICCHANGE. Access is denied if the authenticated person is in the DENYTOPICCHANGE list, or not in the ALLOWTOPICCHANGE list. Access is granted in case DENYTOPICCHANGE and ALLOWTOPICCHANGE is not defined.

Write Access Restriction for a Whole netfrag.org Web

You can define restrictions of who is allowed to make changes to a netfrag.org web. This includes creating new topics, changing topics or attaching files.

Define one or both of these variable in the WebPreferences topic:

The same rules apply like the one for Access Control for Individual Topics; with these additions:

Read Access Restriction for a Whole netfrag.org Web

You can define restrictions of who is allowed to view a netfrag.org web.

Define one or both of these variable in the WebPreferences topic:

Notes for read access restriction:

Related topics: TWikiPreferences, WebPreferences (in every web), TWikiAdminGroup, TWikiGroups?

-- PeterThoeny - 16 Mar 2001