[ic] Group User Help?

[Paul Jordan]

interchange-users-bounces at icdevgroup.org wrote:
> I am trying to setup groups with specific users on the customer side.
> I would like to set it up to when the user logs in, the system knows
> they are in a assigned group that is only allowed to see certain
> products that I assign. Can this be done and if so, how?
>
> Thanks,
> Randy


This can be done many ways. You can add a field (if necessary) to the products
table and put the group value in it, then have the same group value in userdb
accordingly (add a field or recycle one).

That is very limiting. I would suggest a middle (link) table that would look
something like:

code  username  prod_group
12    joe       334
13    joe       100

this way you can assign a user to see multiple groups of products, instead of
just one. This is based on product groupings BTW.

This is based on user groupings, per sku:

code  user_group  sku
12    east_coast  0134
13    east_coast  0432
14    west_coast  23444

Then, there would be product groups linked to user groups:

code  user_group  prod_group
12    east_coast  prozac
13    east_coast  knives
14    west_coast  botox
15    west_coast  mirrors


Either way from what I remember about foundation, you will need some table
alteration at the very least. Either to link product groups to users or vice
versa. However a middle table as suggested above would be the most extensible.

The idea is to say Select products where the logged in users user_group matches
the products prod_group(s). Again, you can do this in a limited way without the
middle table.

With all ways though, you will need to alter all you product searches on your
pages. You will need to be able to alter your Db, and alter/add ITL to
accomplish your project.

A competent consultant could (re)arrange you tables in less than a half hour,
but the altering of your searches would vary based on the size/customization of
foundation on which I assume this shop is based.

--note
For those of you that utilize foundation, a solution to this type of thing may
be some sort of pre/post search limit, like in catalog.cfg. Where one could
define certain search defaults. So before foundation submits a search, it is
first run through the default query, then the original query works on its
resultset only. So, it would bring further customization to those that are non
developers.

Anyways, it would be inefficient, so if you need help I would just hire a
consultant 8-)
--


HTH
Paul