In order to be able to speed up user logging times for our product we are trying to implement a preloaded user session scheme. In order to be able to migrate browsing preferences from the preloaded user to the real one we need to be able to edit the contents of the C:\Documents and Settings\User1\Cookies folder: cookie files + index.dat.
In order to achieve this we tried to replace all occurrences of “User1” with say “User2” for cookie files and index.dat. Since both user names have the same character length this change should no break the binary integrity of index.dat file. However after performing this change the cookies no longer work .. Any suggestion would be appreciated.
Editing index.dat seems hopless. The format has never been made public. Trying to reverse engineer it has only resulted in limited sucess: http://www.latenighthacking.com/projects/2003/reIndexDat/
However there are the Microsoft APIs: FindFirstUrlCacheEntry, FindNextUrlCacheEntry, InternetGetCookie, InternetSetCookie that can be used to export and import cookie data.
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Log data from a test is uploaded to a web service, and the processed CSV is downloaded back into Excel for viewing in charts. At the moment, this is done via copy and paste for short CSV files and the Data > From Text feature for larger CSV files. Unfortunately, this takes a bunch of time for every test, and I need to make the process very simple for someone else to update the Excel spreadsheet.
The Excel spreadsheet contains 5 raw-data pages which are used to store the CSV from the server. I have no issues selecting Data > From Text, entering the website URL, and completing the format to import. This process can be repeated (same as the Copy and Paste) for all 5 pages to import the data.
This process only allows me to put in one filename, so I am using the same URL for the data, and having PHP return the CSV of the latest (or a specifically configured) test whenever the website is accessed. I've verified that this process is working correctly.
Unfortunately, when I do 'Refresh All', it prompts for a filename unless I go to Data > Connections > Properties, and uncheck 'Prompt for file name on refresh'.
However, even when I do that, I'm getting mixed results. Sometimes only one of the pages will update. (Seems to be the last one I set up.) Sometimes none of them do. I need a solution which updates all 5 pages based on the current CSV from the server without having to set up the connections again every time. Ideally I'd like to just hide these raw data sheets so we can have an Excel file that's just the final charts.
Surely this is a common function and I am doing something wrong, yet all the guides I try on the Internet don't seem to work. For example, this one:
http://www.kimgentes.com/worshiptech-web-tools-page/2010/8/18/web-connecting-csv-files-as-external-data-to-excel-spreadshe.html [URL is corrected]
Seems like they only set up one connection. I can get one working to refresh, but not more than one.
I have seen this happen and finally figured it out. There are actually 3 things that can happen to give this result, and a separate solution for each:
First, Excel software uses the IE 11 web object to when it does web
retrieval of data. This means it will be "sticky" to sessions using
IE11 to access the data. Most websites these days are run by cloud
servers, which generate sessions on the server with the most load.
This normally has no impact on users on web browsers since they
login and can visually enter their credentials etc. But when a
program accesses a website and must use a specific web browser, it
must use the properties of that browser and how it works. I ran into
this a lot when I would generate and be able to download my CSV
files on the website in Chrome, then try to use Excel to import the
same files wouldn't work (it would say they weren't there). The
solution to this, at least for now, is to use IE 11, login to the
website, generate the CSV files and test that they can be
downloaded. Then use Excel to run the web import and it should pick
up the same sticky session to get the CSV files.
Second, password entry is a different thing, but also has to do with the stickiness
of the data. For some reason Excel will not cache your credential
responses for logging into a website without you entering them 3
times. This experience may change for you, but I found that I must
enter a new credential set (for a new web import of a CSV) 3 times
before it becomes permanently cached by Excel. After this, I don't
have the problem.
Third, most complex Excel programs that require
web import may also require that you either import local data you
downloaded from a website, import data from a website into a sheet
or run more complex objects like Macros. All of these need proper
permissions. You may need to set your Trust Center settings to allow
you to use your Excel program on your computer in this way. That is
part of MS office. You can set add and update those as per MS info
here:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/add-remove-or-change-a-trusted-location-7ee1cdc2-483e-4cbb-bcb3-4e7c67147fb4
I am working off of a great solution created by #MattHall from 2011 to a question that I also shared about importing a dynamic range from Excel into Access.
Specific to that--though in general for future VBA's--my question is whether there is an additional way to be able to point to the Excel source file if it is moved without having to go into the VBA editor every time?
For my specific needs, I am trying to work on these Access and Excel files with others through a shared BOX that has a different file path for whoever is working on it.
USER 1 may be: C:\Users\USER1\Box Sync\filename.xlsx
USER 2 may be: C:\Users\USER2\Box Sync\filename.xlsx
...and so forth for any other users. I am curious how we can all work off this when the file path used in the VBA created and used by USER1 is not accessible by USER2? Could there be some code that allows for the every user to locate the file each time through their own filepath?
It would be a pain to do that but I also do not know a better option as we are not working off a shared server and this is unfortunately limited to Box share at the moment.
EDIT: If anyone could also suggest how to integrate their recommendation into the 'Dynamic Range' code in solution from #MattHall in the linked Stackoverflow, that would particularly helpful to my request.
I am trying to find out if it is possible to lock an rptdesign file.
The idea is to run a report as a service, but without being able to change the default parameters. I know I could just hide the parameter window but still the user could edit the rptdesign file and hard code new values.
Does anyone has any previous experience with this?
Is it possible to make an rptdesign file non-editable?
If you want to prevent users by modifying rptdesign file, you should do it on OS level to enable it only for certain users.
If you want to ensure that the report is not modified, you can add hidden field storing md5 sum from report file. I mean that this field can store md5sum from your report file on the disk. Then you can compare it with your original sum.
Anyway your problem is slightly different - you are expecting certain data from your customers and you want to be cheated by them. You can use the method with md5sum but it is rather the matter of trust to them here or any other possibility to access to their database than through the report (e.g. they can give you the direct access to the database or you can agree to store this data in your company, not theirs).
Let me know if this answer helps you better.
I have a code on the server-side(application) that links with the client-side(application).
The user signs-up to download the exe(client-side application).
There must be a unique way to identify the user(client app exe) with the info got from sign-up.
So, one of the information must be attached to exe file during the download.
One of the ways I found is using "Portable Executable".
Is it possible to add string data to exe and later retrieve it?
Is there any other possible way to make the exe user-specific? Or is it possible to add the user information along with the downloaded exe?
Yes, it is potentially possible to modify the exe at runtime to put your own stream. You might put the User Specific information in an existing Resource prepared for this "update". This would be the easiest way to avoid to take care about changing other parameter like size, etc.. Another option would be to put the User Specific information in the overlay of the Exe.
I tested it by assigning an excel a password. This excel was kept in dropbox, and as I assigned a password to the excel, it was entirely downloaded on every comp that it was shared with. Is there a way that I assign the password and the whole file does not get modified? I am sure that it is not an issue with Dropbox as this is what happened with SugarSync as well.
Without deeper knowledge of the internals I still would say NO - Excel has to store your password for this file SOMEHOW, so I'll guess it will be encrypted and stored within your file, hence binary changing it.
Just so you can check this for yourself:
Make a new Workbook and save it.
Open it, just password protect it, and save it as another Workbook (like the first time)
Now compare those with any HEX or Binary-Comparing tool.
Password protection means that the file is encrypted. There is no point in password protecting a file if it is not encrypted. The only other way to prevent people from viewing a file without encrypting it is to restrict access to it. This can be accomplished by:
1) Modifying the permissions on your computer so that it can only be seen using your password protected account.
2) Not sharing the file with other dropbox users (or share it only with the people you want to see it).
Neither of these is a terribly good security method on it's own. File encryption is always more secure, ideally when used with the above.