Locking Menus in QC-CALC
This security feature in QC-CALC lets anyone with the password to lock down any menu in QC-CALC
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written: 01/03/2008
last modified: 02/14/2024

Introduction

Password protection is provided to limit the functionality of QC-CALC to unauthorized employees. If you want to limit access to specific areas of QC-CALC simply lock the menu choice for each item. When a menu is locked, it appears “grayed out” in the menu list. To limit the functionality of QC-CALC Real-Time select the Tools > Password. The Tools menu and the Password menu within the Tools menu cannot be locked. This is to ensure access to the password protection at all times.

Establishing your Initial Password

When QC-CALC is first installed, Change Password is the only menu option available. The first time this menu option is selected a dialog box appears asking for a password. Enter the first 4 digits of the serial number for the copy of QC-CALC you are running. This number can be found by selecting the Help - About menu. For example, if the serial number displayed is 9125, enter 9125 as your initial password. Once you successfully enter the serial number you must establish your own password by following the normal change password procedure. Once a password is established the serial number no longer applies to any of the requests for a password. This procedure prevents inadvertent setting of the initial password by unauthorized personnel.

Lock/Unlock Menus

The Tools > Password > Lock Menus option toggles between “Lock Menus” and “Unlock Menus.” When this option is selected a dialog box appears asking for the password. Enter your password in the space provided and click OK. A message appears indicating the appropriate action happened. When you choose to Lock Menus, all menus you chose to lock out in the Configure Menus to Lock area still appear but are grayed out so they cannot be accessed. When you choose Unlock Menus, the entire QC-CALC program is available to all users no matter which menus were locked. It should be noted that if you activate the Lock Menus option and do not select individual menus to lock out, the entire program is still completely open.

Configure Menus to Lock

This menu option is used to establish which menus you want disabled when the Lock Menus option is chosen. In this example, the Modify Database, Delete File, and Lock Editing are locked.

This option is not available while the menus are locked. When you select Configure Menus to Lock a dialog box appears prompting you for a password. Enter the password and click the OK button. Next, a dialog box appears with a list of menus available to lock. Use the mouse to select the items you wish to be disabled by clicking on the items in the list. Multiple items are selected by holding down the control or shift keys while clicking. Once all the menus are selected click the Save button to commit your selection. Clicking the Cancel button will retain the previous selections.

One thing to remember when locking menus involves the Exit menu in both QC-CALC Real-Time and QC-CALC SPC. The File > Exit menu may be disabled to prevent an inadvertent exit, but the Windows Control Menu (The “x” in the upper right hand corner of the form) is still available. Clicking the “x” while the Exit menu is disabled causes QC-CALC to prompt for the password in order to exit.

Change Password

When this menu item is selected a dialog box appears prompting you for the existing password. Enter your password in the space provided and click the OK button. A second dialog box appears to confirm your new password. Enter your new password in both places and click the OK button. A message appears indicating you successfully changed your password. Clicking the Cancel button at any point in the procedure brings you back to the main QC-CALC screen and the old password remains in effect.

Note: to avoid being asked for the password multiple times as you move from the various password options, QC-CALC remember the password for approximately 20 seconds. For example, if you select Unlock the menus and enter the correct password and then immediately select Configure Menus, you are not asked for the password. If you wait too long you will be asked for the password at every step.

Attachments

Applies To

QC-CALC Real-Time v.4.1
QC-CALC Real-Time v.4.0
QC-CALC Real-Time v.3.4
QC-CALC SPC 4.1
QC-CALC SPC 4.0
QC-CALC SPC 3.4

Category

Display Settings
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