Mask Syntax

Syntax


Keyword	Description	Example
`MASK <id>`	Starts a mask definition, where `<id>` identifies the mask. Each file can have a single `MASK` keyword. When compiled, the name of the file will be `<id>.SecurityMask`.	`MASK DEFAULT`
`ENTITY <entity_ name> @inherits`	Starts the mask definition for a specific attribute, where: `<entity_name>` must be a value of the attribute “Name” of the tag “Class” or “Extension” in the metadata file. `@inherits` specifies that this entity inherits from its parent's mask.	`ENTITY VPMReference @inherits`
`ATTR <attribute> ;< mandatory>;< authorized_ required>;< default value>`	Defines the static access control information about an attribute of the entity, where: `<attribute>` is the value of the attribute "Name" of the tag "Simple" in the .metadata file. Only simple attributes are supported in masks: aggregates and relationships are excluded.	`ATTR PLM_ExternalID;Y;N;$`
`mandatory`	Specifies if the attribute is required or not. Values: `Y` if the attribute is required `N` otherwise If the attribute is mandatory in `.metadata`, it must also be set as mandatory in the mask.
`authorized_ required`	Specifies a constraint on the values of this attribute. Values: `Y` means the values are the only allowed values `N` means the user can set a value other than the ones in the list
`default_value`	Presets this attribute's value at creation time and can be any value, or $ if value is null. `<default_value>` cannot be $ if `<authorized required>` is set to Y. If authorized values are defined in the mask, the `<default_value>` MUST BELONG to this list.
`VALUE <value>`	Sets an authorized value for the current attribute. If a list of enumerated values exist in `.metadata`, the `<value>` must belong to it.	`VALUE Supplier A`
`FUNC <operation>`	Starts the access control information about a pre-defined `<operation>` for the current entity. Valid operations are: Create, Write, Read, EZQuery (simple query), Query (extended query), Tree (Tree node id), List.	`FUNC Create`
`FATTR <attribute>`	For the shown `<attribute>`, specifies if this attribute is modifiable or not. Values: `Y` means the attribute can be modified in this operation `N` means it is not modifiable. The attribute must be visible in the current operation, and must previously have been declared using the `ATTR` keyword. This property is mandatory for any `FATTR` declarations under any `FUNC` declarations. This property should be set to: `Y` for Create, Write, Query and Ezquery `N` for Read, Tree and List. The order of the `FATTR` declarations in the `FUNC` section specifies the order in which the referenced attributes appear in the current operation's view.	`FATTR PLMExternalID;Y`

Rules about IP Protection

The IP Protection declaration in the .metadata file determines if an attribute combination is authorized in a security mask. These rules are enforced by the VPLMPosMaskGenerator tools and any errors reported by the VPLMPosMaskCompiler tool. These are not fatal errors for the compilation process.


Parameter	Rule
`ATTR`	An attribute is authorized in a security mask if its Protection attribute is one of these values: ExternalRO External Free User
`ATTR`	The `<mandatory>` declaration in a mask must be `Y` if this attribute has Mandatory=Yes in the `.metadata` file.
`FATTR`	If Protection equals External or ExternalRO, do not make this attribute: Visible in FUNC Create Modifiable in FUNC Write You can specify either: No corresponding `FATTR` command `FATTR <attribute>;N`. If Protection equals Free or User and `<mandatory>` is Y, then this attribute MUST be visible in FUNC Create. The only valid case is: `FATTR < attribute >;Y`.

This table summarizes the rules for ATTR and FTTR


Metadata File		ATTR <mandatory>	FUNC Create		FUNC Create
Protection	Mandatory	ATTR <mandatory>	Visible	`<editable>`	Visible	`<editable>`
External	Yes	Y	Y		Y or N	N
External	No	Y/N	N		Y or N	N
Free, User	Yes	Y	Y	Y	Y or N	Y/N
Free, User	No	Y	Y	Y	Y or N	Y/N
Free, User	No	Y	Y	Y	Y or N	Y/N

Mask Concatenation

Mask concatenation provides a mask override mechanism. When a user logs on, only one mask is chosen (and loaded) according to the first mask found granted on the (in this order):

Person
Current credentials
Current collaborative space
Current role
Current organization

If more than one mask is granted to the same component, the first mask found in the list of available mask commands is taken. You can use this MQL command to determine the order of masks: list mask::*. You should only grant a single mask to a given object to avoid such side effects.

If no mask is found, the DEFAULT mask is applied. The system does not search any organization or collaborative space hierarchy for any masks.

All entities declared in the chosen mask are subject to access control. All of its attributes must be explicitly declared as accessible. Any attributes not declared are not accessible to that user. Any entities not defined in the mask have no access control applied.

Mask Definition Example

This example describes the effects of security masks. For reference, these samples come from the mask definition of the VPMReference entity in the PRODUCTCFG.mask file.


Mask Definition	Description
ENTITY VPMReference ATTR V_Name;N;N;$ ATTR PLM_ExternalID;Y;N;$ ATTR revision;N;N;$ ATTR V_version;N;N;$ ATTR minorrevision;N;N;$ ATTR V_usage;N;N;$ VALUE 3DPart ATTR V_versionComment;N;N;$ ATTR V_description;N;N;$ ATTR C_created;N;N;$ ATTR V_fromExternalID;N;N;$ ATTR V_Scale;N;N;$ ATTR policy;N;N;$ ATTR C_modified;N;N;$ ATTR V_maturity;N;N;$ ATTR LOCKUSER;N;N;$ ATTR V_user;Y;N;$ ATTR V_organization;N;N;$ ATTR V_project;N;N;$	The entity type is `VPMReference` Each `ATTR` line defines an attribute, if it is mandatory, if only authorized values can be entered, and a default value.
// ----------------------------------------------------------- FUNC Create // ----------------------------------------------------------- // // - ordered FATTR V_Name;Y FATTR PLM_ExternalID;N FATTR V_description;Y FATTR policy;N // - unordered	FUNC Create defines the available attributes for display for a create or edit operation.
// ----------------------------------------------------------- FUNC EZQuery // ----------------------------------------------------------- // - ordered //a) ident FATTR V_Name;Y FATTR PLM_ExternalID;Y FATTR revision;Y //b) description //FATTR V_discipline;Y //FATTR V_usage;Y //c) state of dev FATTR C_modified;Y //FATTR LOCKUSER;Y //d) owner //FATTR V_user;Y //FATTR V_organization;Y FATTR V_project;Y // - unordered	FUNC EZQuery defines the attributes in the "Easy" panel (the most-used list of attributes for query).
// ----------------------------------------------------------- FUNC Query // ----------------------------------------------------------- // - ordered //a) ident FATTR V_Name;Y FATTR PLM_ExternalID;Y FATTR revision;Y //b) description //FATTR V_discipline;Y FATTR V_usage;Y FATTR V_versionComment;Y FATTR V_description;Y FATTR C_created;Y FATTR V_fromExternalID;Y FATTR V_Scale;Y //c) state of dev FATTR policy;Y FATTR C_modified;Y FATTR V_maturity;Y FATTR LOCKUSER;Y //d) owner FATTR V_user;Y FATTR V_organization;Y FATTR V_project;Y // - unordered	FUNC Query defines the attributes for the "Extended" and "Expert" panels (all queryable attributes)
// ----------------------------------------------------------- FUNC Read // ----------------------------------------------------------- // - ordered //a) ident (used for Properties Read & List) Inacceptable as first in List Mode... so removed. FATTR V_Name;N FATTR PLM_ExternalID;N FATTR revision;N //b) description //FATTR V_discipline;N FATTR V_versionComment;N FATTR V_description;N FATTR C_created;N FATTR V_fromExternalID;N FATTR V_Scale;N //c) state of dev FATTR policy;N FATTR C_modified;N FATTR V_maturity;N FATTR LOCKUSER;N //d) owner FATTR V_user;N FATTR V_organization;N FATTR V_project;N // - unordered	FUNC Read controls the displayable attribute list for presenting the results of a search.
// ----------------------------------------------------------- FUNC Write // ----------------------------------------------------------- // - ordered //a) ident FATTR V_Name;Y FATTR PLM_ExternalID;N FATTR revision;N //b) description //FATTR V_discipline;N FATTR V_versionComment;Y FATTR V_description;Y FATTR C_created;N FATTR V_fromExternalID;N FATTR V_Scale;N //c) state of dev FATTR policy;N FATTR C_modified;N FATTR V_maturity;N //FATTR LOCKUSER;N //d) owner FATTR V_user;N FATTR V_organization;N FATTR V_project;N	FUNC Write controls the modifiable attribute list.

PLMCORE.CATNls and PLMABSTRACT.CATNls Files

The attribute names contained in the .mask file are different from the attribute names displayed in the panels. The attribute aliases are not contained in the mask definition, but are contained in CATNls files (on the native app client in the directory):

<os>/resources/msgcatalog

The CATNls files must be provided with the metadata and mask files. The aliases must conform to this format:

Modeler: <modeler name> = "<modeller alias>" = ;
Entities: <modeler name>.<PLM core type> = "<entity alias>";
Attributes: <modeller name>.<PLM core type>.<attribute name> = "<attribute alias>";

where <PLM core type> is one of these:

PLMReference
PLMCoreReference
PLMCoreRepInstance
PLMInstance,
PLMCoreInstance
PLMCoreRepInstance
PLMPort
PLMConnection