Hierarchical User Groups

As the number of Synchronize users grows, a linear set of names becomes insufficient to allow quick access to users. To deal with this issue, the ability to display a hierarchy of user groups is provided. The db/groups subdirectory can contain files and directories that define the group structure. Files are used to designate group names and directories are used to designate group hierarchies. Group names must be unique within a particular database. This applies to both file and directory names. For example, you cannot have a group named "staff" under both Engineering and Administration (rather you could use "Engineering_staff" and "Administrative_staff"). Behavior is unpredictable if this rule is not met. Note that when using multiple databases you need only avoid identical group names within a single database. Groups with identical names in different databases will not conflict. The following example shows a possible layout for a groups hierarchy under db/groups:

Engineering (subdirectory)
• Development (file)
• Pubs (file)
• Manufacturing (file)
Building-2 (subdirectory)

• Administration (file)
• Marketing (file)
• Sales (file)

A group file lists either the Synchronize_alias or Synchronize_name of users in the group, one per line. For example, if Joe, Jim and Rhonda (as specified in the example db/users file above) work in the Manufacturing group in Building-1, then the file db/groups/Building-1/Manufacturing might contain the following entries:

Joe
Karlsen, Jim
Rhonda Jones

Note that it is not necessary to surround Jim’s name by double quotation marks as in the users file. Also, a group file entry will always refer to a matching Synchronize_alias before a matching Synchronize_name. For example, "Joe" in the above group file refers to the user whose login is "joe", not "jclark".



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