Using the NDS browser

Overview

An extension NLM residing on the Web Server allows clients to browse the NDS (Novell Directory Services) tree using an HTML browser, like Netscape Navigator, and view the objects and their attributes within the tree. Object types are represented by an icon and the object name.

To enable users to run the NDS browser extension, you must map a URL to the NDS browser. Once the extension is mapped, users start the NDS Browser by requesting this URL. When the Web Server receives the request, it calls the NDS browser extension, which creates an HTML page display of the NDS tree. From this page, users use their mouse to click on the icons and browse through the tree.

When an object is clicked for display, a default "home page" for the object is dynamically created, listing its objects and attributes. For user objects, a special home page can be created using an HTML authoring tool. This page is then associated with the user object. A link to the special home page displays on the dynamically-created default home page. You associate a special home page with a user object via a new NDS attribute, the Home Page attribute. Another new NDS attribute, the Photo attribute, associates a graphics file with a user object. This graphics file is displayed above the home page of a user object.

A NWADMN3X or NWADMN95 snap-in module is used to modify the NDS schema to create the home page and photo attributes. To modify the schema, you must enable the snap-in module. Once the snap-in module is enabled, you can associate a home page or photo with a user object and remove a home page or photo association.

Enabling the NDS browser

The NDS browser is disabled by default. You should enable the NDS browser only if you want external users from the Internet to read public information stored in your NDS trees. You can limit the amount of information that is visible from the NDS browser. For example, if you would like only the e-mail address property to be visible, set up the [PUBLIC] trustee to have read rights to this property of user objects.

The executable file for the NDS browser, (NDSOBJ.NLM) is copied to the SYS:WEB/DOCS/CGI/NDSOBJ directory during Web Server installation. When the Web Server receives an HTTP request for the NDS browser, it consults a table in the /WEB/CONFIG/SRM.CFG file to map the URL the NDS browser extension. To add this mapping and enable the NDS browser, perform the following using the WEBMGR administration utility:

  1. Click File.
  2.  
  3. Click Select Server.
  4.  
  5. Select the \WEB directory on the drive that is mapped to the server and click OK.
  6.  
  7. Click on the Enable NDS browsing check box.
  8.  
  9. Click OK.
  10.  
  11. Click Save and Restart.
  12.  
  13. Type the Web Server password and click OK.
  14.  

The WEBMGR utility inserts a LoadableModule directive in the SRM.CFG file that maps to SYS:WEB/DOCS/CGI/NDSOBJ/NDSOBJ.NLM. This mapping allows for URLs in the following formats:

http://dns_name/nds/

http://dns_name/nds/nds_object_name

where dns_name is the DNS host name for the Web Server and nds_object_name is the name of the NDS object for the extension to display.

If you move the NDSOBJ.NLM extension file, you must manually edit the mapping of the LoadableModule directive in the SRM.CFG file. Refer to the Web Server Dynamic Web Page Programmer's Guide for details on mapping a request to an extension NLM.

Starting the NDS browser

Before users can start the NDS browser, you must have enabled the NDS browser. If you are using the mapping suggested in this document, your users can use the following URL to start the NDS browser.

http://hostname/nds/

where hostname is the DNS name for the host running the Web Server.

This URL displays a dynamically-created page containing all the trees available for the user to browse.

When users want information on a particular object and know the NDS object name for that object, they can specify the URL in the following format:

http://hostname/nds/nds_object_name

where nds_object_name is the Federated Name, starting with the Tree name.

Browsing NDS

To browse the NDS tree the user starts the NDS browser and then clicks on the object icons on the HTML pages to see the information within that object.

A previous button is available to browse up the NDS tree structure.

The browser displays the following icons:


Root
Tree
Country
Organizational Unit

Group
Volume
Printer
Queue

User
Alias

Computer

Directory Map

Distribution List

Device

BTRIEVE Server
Communications Server

Bindery Object

Local

Message Group

Message Server

NetWare Server

Organizational Role

Organization

Organizational Person

Profile

Print Server

Unknown

Understanding the NDS Browser Access

The NDS browser is a powerful tool which allows clients to fully browse NDS (Novell Directory Services) using an HTML browser and view the objects and their attributes within the tree. Once a user has access to this tool, he/she can browse all available trees in NDS and all the public object information contained within each tree. If you need to you can restrict access to the NDS browser to a select group of users. Refer to Controlling Access to LCGI NLMs and User Access Control in the RELEASE.HTM file.

Enabling the NWADMN3X or NWADMN95 snap-in module

A NetWare NWADMN3X or NWADMN95 snap-in module allows the NDS schema to be modified so that "Home Page" and "Photo" attributes can be added to and associated with a user object.

For Windows 3.X systems running NWADMN3X.EXE, the DLL file for this module (WEBSNP3X.DLL) is copied to the SYS:\PUBLIC directory of the server during Web Server install.

To enable the use of this module on Windows 3.X systems, you must modify the NWADMN3X.INI file as follows:

  1. Using a text editor, open the \WINDOWS\NWADMN3X.INI file on your workstation.
  2.  
  3. Add the following line below the [Snapin Object DLLs WIN3X] heading

    WEBSNP3X.DLL=WEBSNP3X.DLL

  4. Save the file.

For Windows 95 systems running NWADMN95.EXE, the DLL file for this module is copied to the SYS:\PUBLIC\WIN95 directory.

To enable the use of this module on Windows 95 systems, perform the following:

  1. Run the NWADMN95.EXE utility.
  2. Click on a user object, and check to see if the Home Page and Photo Attribute button exists for the user.
  3. If the button does not exist, exit NWADMN95.
  4. Run the Registry Editor in the \WINDOWS directory on your workstation. (C:\WINDOWS\REGEDIT.EXE.)
  5. Select Registry/Import Registry File...
  6. Choose the WEBREGED.REG file located in the \PUBLIC\WIN95 directory of the server's SYS volume.
  7. Click OK.
  8. Run the NWADMN95.EXE utility again. When you start the utility, the Home Page and Photo Attribute button will automatically be added to all user objects.

Associating a home page or photo with a user object

To associate a home page or photo with a user object, perform the following:

  1. If you have not already done so, enable the NWADMN3X or NWADMN95 snap-in module.
  2. For home pages, use an HTML authoring tool to create the home page.
  3. For photos, save the file in GIF format.
  4. Start NWADMN3X or NWADMN95.

    The following prompt appears the first time you run the NWADMN utility after enabling the snap-in module:

    The DS Tree does not have the schema extensions to support WEB attributes. Do you wish to extend it?

  5. Click OK.
  6. From NWADMN3X or NWADMN95, select the user object with which to associate a Home or Photo Page.

    The following screen appears.

  7. Click the Home Page and Photo Attribute button.

    The following screen appears.

  8. To associate a home page, click Select HTML File.

    A Windows File Open selection box appears.

  9. To associate a photo, click Select Photo.

    A Windows File Open selection box appears.

  10. Browse to the HTML or GIF file or type the full path to the file in the Command Line.
  11. Click OK to save the change.

Removing a home page or photo association with a user object

To remove a home or photo association with a user object, perform the following:

  1. Start NWADMN3X or NWADMN95.
  2.  
  3. From NWADMN3X or NWADMN95, select the user object from which to remove the association.

    The following screen appears.

  4. Click the Home Page and Photo Attribute button.

    The following screen appears.

  5. To remove a home page, click Remove HTML file.

    If there is no home page associated with the user object, this button is greyed out.

  6. To remove a photo, click Remove Photo.

    If there is no photo associated with the user object, this button is greyed out.

  7. Click OK to save the change.

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