SoftwareCentral · Tools

Assign Tools to Security Roles

A custom tool is shown only to the security roles it is assigned to. Saving a tool assigns it to your own security role. To let other roles use it, add it to their roles in the security role editor, just like any other menu button.

Your own role Other roles Update role

1 Your own security role

When a tool has been created, it will automatically be assigned to your own Security Role.

The role is the one you are using when you click Save in the tool window. SoftwareCentral adds the tool to that role if it is not there already, so saving an existing tool again does the same.

The Manage Tools page lists only the tools that are assigned to the role you are using. A tool that is not assigned to your role does not appear there. See Manage Tools.

2 Other security roles

The tool can be assigned to other Security Roles, just as any other menu button.

  1. Open the security role you want to change. See Security roles.
  2. In the menu tree of the role, find the tool by its name. Tick it to give it to the role, or clear the tick to take it away.
  3. Click Update role, the last button of the wizard.
Dynamic menu buttons If the role uses dynamic menu buttons, the items under a top-level menu are ticked automatically and cannot be changed in the tree.

3 Best practice

  • Give a tool only to the roles that need it. Every tool you save is also assigned to your own role, so check that role as well.
  • Give Run Locally tools only to roles that should run them. The arguments of a Run Locally tool are passed to the client as clear text, as the tool window warns.
  • Give each tool a name that is unique, because a name that another tool already uses is refused when you save.

4 Troubleshooting

SymptomCauseWhat to do
“Name already exists” when you save a toolAnother tool already has this name.Choose a different name and save again.
“Failed to create menu button”The tool could not be saved to the database.Save again. If it keeps happening, check the SoftwareCentral log.
The tool is not in the Manage Tools listThe tool is not assigned to the role you are using.Ask an administrator to tick the tool in your role (see Other security roles above).
Another role does not see the toolThe tool is not ticked in that role.Open the role, tick the tool and click Update role.