Use of external-user

[burnsmarty]

I am having some trouble getting external-user to work.

I have created a task list project and created a group of external users that include external-user.

I have enabled public access and read and write access for that group for that project.

When I try to log in as external-user it says that the account has not been activated and to see the administrator. I look in the users list and there is no mechanism to activate it.

Any ideas? Is there an faq that walks me through this?

Thanks,
Marty

[mskrobul]

You can't log in as the external-user and perform Dragnet operations. The external user isn't a "real" login and it doesn't take up a license.

The "external-user" user is there for the external submission feature. If you enable the "allow external submissions" option for the project users that do not have Dragnet licenses can add items via the external add page. When an outside user adds a Dragnet item the reporter shows up as "external-user".

You should be able to log in with the other users in the public group though.

[burnsmarty]

So how does the external user make a submission or view the task and comment information?

[mskrobul]

Don't think of the "external-user" as even a user because it really isn't. Many of our users wanted a way for their customers to add items to Dragnet without a Dragnet login. That is why we have the allow external submission option for projects. If you turn on external submissions for the project the external add page is available in the side menu. You would make the link to the external add page available to users and those users would add items using the external add page.

Users must have a Dragnet login/license (external-user is not a login and does not take up a license) to view tasks and comments and do other Dragnet tasks. If you want to allow users to do other things in Dragnet other than add items as described above those users would need a login. You can, however, create a guest account that all your outside users could use to login and view tasks etc. If you make the guest account a member of a public only access group the guest account will only have access to items marked "public".

[mlqc]

mskrobul,

can you advise me as to how to create the "guest account" you mention? I have a one-user account right now and am seemingly unable to create a guest account.

I'd like my outside users to be able to login and view postings as well... any help would be much appreciated.

thanks,
mlqc

[lbauer]

one-user account right now

Are you using the single-user (free) edition? Or do you have one user license already configured?

You'd need a license for the user "Guest." If you're using the single-user edition, you'd need two licenses, one for yourself and one for Guest. If you have more than one user, it's no longer the single-user edition.

[mlqc]

I understand the product is free for a single user, so when I bought the Dragnet one-user ($129) version, I'd hoped it meant that I'd be able to essentially have 2 licenses (the free single license and the paid license).

I guess what I really need to know is how to set up two accounts:

- the admin account which gives me full access and
- the guest account which allows a person to submit and view bugs.

I appreciate any help with this. Thanks!

[lbauer]

I suppose this is a little confusing.

The "free license" exists only if just one named user is using Dragnet (in addition to Admin). If you add licenses/users the "free license" goes away.

If you install Dragnet and do not enter any serial numbers at all Dragnet behaves as if there is exactly one user license.

Note that the Admin account can always access Dragnet without a license. So you will have Admin plus the one user account.

There's nothing special in Dragnet about a "Guest" account. It's just a username shared by other users. In your case, whether you have your license configured or not, you could have "Guest" and "Admin."

If you want to keep the Admin account just for Admin functions, and you want a "Guest' account and a "MLQC" account, you would need another license, as you would then have two named users (besides Admin).