Restrict Data for a user without VPD

Question

I have read some posts, and maybe there are no better solutions, but I will try.
For a particular user (User_A) I have to limit the data the user can see by Data_ID.
Data_ID avialbe to User_A is 1, 2, 3.
I know I can create a View for each Table and create a folder based on that for this purpose.
Howevere I am wondering if there is something I can do through Discoverer Admin to accomplish this, so that I won't have to duplicate the folders.
What I want to do is create a set of Folders in the main Business are and create "Filtered Folders" in a different Business Area.
Any suggestions except VPD would be appreciated.

Answer 1

Hi
To follow up on what Rod has said, yes this solution will work.
When I do it I add a mandatory condition to my folder which restricts the data to only what the user can see.
Here's a workflow for Row-level security without a VPD:
1. Create a security table
2. Create a security index
3. Grant the select rights
4. Populate the table
5. Create a function
6. Import the function into Discoverer
7. Create mandatory condition using embedded calculation
8. Test
Here's a simple table script:
CREATE TABLE GEN_SECR(
USERNAME VARCHAR2(8) NOT NULL,
SEC_TYPE VARCHAR2(32) NOT NULL,
SEC_IND INTEGER NOT NULL);
In the above table, the three columns are used as follows:
USERNAME     Oracle username
SEC_TYPE     An identifier for the item to secure.
SEC_IND     Use 0 for no access, 1 for access
Create an index:
CREATE UNIQUE INDEX GEN_SECR_PK ON GEN_SECR(USERNAME, SEC_TYPE);
Grant access
GRANT SELECT ON GEN_SECR TO PUBLIC;
Populate the table:
INSERT INTO GEN_SECR VALUES
('DRAKE', SALES', 1);
INSERT INTO GEN_SECR VALUES
('MSMITH', ‘SALES', 0);
Here's my function:
CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION F_GEN_SEC
(SEC_TYPE_IN VARCHAR2)
RETURN NUMBER IS
GEN_ACCESS NUMBER := 0;
BEGIN
USER is a system variable and contains the Oracle user id of the currently logged in user
SELECT SEC_IND INTO GEN_ACCESS
FROM
GEN_SECR A
WHERE
A.USERNAME = USER
AND A.SEC_TYPE = SEC_TYPE_IN;
RETURN (GEN_ACCESS);
EXCEPTION
WHEN NO_DATA_FOUND THEN
RETURN (GEN_ACCESS);
WHEN OTHERS THEN
RETURN (GEN_ACCESS);
END F_GEN_SEC;
Here's a workflow to import function into Discoverer Admin:
1. Use Tools | Import PL/SQL functions
2. Click the Import button
3. Locate the function to be imported
4. Click the OK button
5. Click the Validate button – the function should be valid
6. Check the Arguments button - all should be fine
7. Click the OK button
Use this workflow to create a mandatory condition using embedded calculation
1. Navigate to folder to be protected
2. Right-click in folder, on any item, and from pop-up select New Condition
3. Under Item: select Create Calculation
F_GEN_SEC('SALES') = 1
4. Click the OK button
5. Test using Discoverer Plus
Here's a methodology for Item-level security:
We will use the same table, but rather than secure a whole table, we will secure an individual item
Let’s secure the Credit column and prevent user MSMITH from seeing the content of that item
Populate the table:
INSERT INTO GEN_SECR VALUES
('DRAKE', CREDIT', 1);
INSERT INTO GEN_SECR VALUES
('MSMITH', ‘CREDIT', 0);
Here's the rest of the workflow:
1. Locate and right-click on the item you want to secure
2. From the pop-up menu select Properties
3. Rename the item by adding the characters OLD to the end of the name.
4. Change the Visible to user property to No
5. Click the OK button to close the Item Properties dialog box.
6. Right-click on the item again, and from the pop-up menu select New Item.
7. The New Item dialog box will open.
8. Give this new item exactly the same name as the item you renamed in step 3
9. Check the Functions radio button. The Show box will display a list of the function folders. Functions that have been imported into Discoverer are located in the Database folder.
10. Expand the Database folder and select the function you imported earlier
11. Click Paste. The function specification will be pasted into the Calculation.
12. Complete the calculation using DECODE:
DECODE(F_GEN_SEC('CREDIT'),1,
Credit OLD,NULL)
13. Click the OK button to close the New Item dialog box
14. Move the item to its correct location by placing it immediately above the original item
15. Test using Plus
I hope this helps
Regards
Michael