SecureLogin Scripting Techniques

Novell Cool Solutions: Feature

Digg This - Slashdot This Posted: 5 May 2005

Note: This article is based on BrainShare TUT248.

About SecureLogin Scripting

SecureLogin automatically logs a user in to an application. A SecureLogin script can be used to define the Login dialog for an application, including the insertion of the user ID and password. Scripting determines the rules behind what to type in, where and when. Basically, it provides a set of logical commands for putting the ID and Password into an application.

Here's the basic script scenario:

• First, the script looks for an application.
• When the application starts, it looks for a login page.
• The script must pass the ID and Password into the application's login page.

So, SecureLogin needs to be able to detect the following fields on a typical login screen:

• Title
• Text
• Username
• Password
• OK
• Cancel

Figure 1 - Login Screen dialog

Basic Scripting Techniques

Using the WinSSO Window Finder tool we can see the following:

• Title - Log in
• Username - Ctrl 1001
• Password - Ctrl 1002
• OK - Ctrl #1
• Cancel - Ctrl #2
• Window Class - #32770

A sample script for the log in dialog would be as follows:

      Dialog
          Class "#32770"
          Title "Log in"
          Ctrl #1
          Ctrl #2
      EndDialog

Now we have identified the screen we need to insert the username, insert the password, and click OK. We already know the Field identifiers for Username, Password and OK, so the script would be expanded with:

Type $Username #1001
          Type $Password #1002
          Click #1

Note that the "$" symbol indicates that the value is stored within eDirectory.

More Scripting Techniques

Each NSL script should contain a number of standard sections:

• Win32
• Emulator
• Web
• Java

Each section should contain the following elements:

1. Script Header
2. Login Dialog
3. Change Password Dialog
4. Password Expiration
5. Log In Failure
6. Login success - mostly in Terminal Emulation
7. Other Message Detection

1. Script Header

At the start of each script, include a header such as this one:

   #############################################
   #
   # Application : 
   #
   # Application Description   : 
   #
   # Initial Script created on : 
   #                        by : 
   #
   #############################################
   #
   # Modification Log
   #
   # Modified By - Date (yyyymmdd) - Description
   #
   # e.g. David Guest - 20040302 - Initial Script Creation
   #
   #############################################

2. Login Dialog

The script needs to respond to the Login Dialog by detecting Login Screen, completing the details, and submitting them. For example:

#Begin Login In Dialog Recognition and response
Dialog
   Class "#32770"
   Title "Log in"
EndDialog
Setprompt "Username:"
Type $Username #1001
Setprompt "Password:"
Type $Password #1002
SetPrompt ?Please enter credentials for Application?
Click #1

3. Change Password

Change Passwords must be managed in the script. Here is an sample Change Password section:

   Dialog
   Class "#32770"
   Title "Change Password"
EndDialog
Type "$Username" #1015\
Type "$password" #1004
ChangePassword ?NewPassword
Type ?NewPassword #1005
Type ?NewPassword #1006
Click #1
Set $Password ?NewPassword

Figure 2 - Change Password dialog

4. Password Expiry

If the application supports password expiry, there are two typical approaches: a single Message Box with Old Password, New Password, and Confirmation; or Dual Message Boxes (Old Password and New Password) and the Confirmation. The script routine to change the password should be similar to the change password section. Remember each Dialog must be handled separately.

5. Login Failure

What happens if the login attempt fails? An error dialog appears, and then control passes either to the original window, with no update, or a new login window. Each must be handled differently. For example:

    Dialog
       Class ?#32770?
       Title ?Logon Failure?
    EndDialog
    DisplayVariables ?Your login attempt has failed. Please confirm your Username and Password.? $Username $Password
    Click #2
    Type -Raw $Username
    Type -Raw \T
    Type -Raw $Password
    Type -Raw \N

To catch repeated failures, make sure that the script does not loop. Determine how many attempts the user should be allowed, count the failures, and keep the user informed. Eventually the application should be closed after repeated login failures. For example:

Dialog
    Class ?#32770?
    Title ?Logon Failure?
EndDialog
Increment ?FailCount
If ?FailCount lt 3
  DisplayVariables ?Your logon attempt has failed. Please confirm
your Username and Password.? $Username $Password
    Click #2
Else
  MessageBox ?The Username and password are still incorrect. 
Please contact the help desk for more details.?
    KillApp ?AppTester.exe?
    EndScript
EndIf

6. Login Success

Tracking login success is used extensively with Terminal Emulation, including Generic or Advanced Emulators. Once you detect when the user has succesfully logged in, you can reset counters and break out of Repeat/EndRepeat loops.

7. Detecting Other Messages

The other types of messages that the script may need to detect include:

• Application Messages
• Foreign Language
• Future Password Expiry
• Advisory Technical Messages
• Standard Information Dialog

For example:

Dialog
    Class ?#32770?
    Title ?Information?
EndDialog
ReadText #65535 ?Message
If ?Message eq ?Welcome to the application?
    Click #1
EndIf
If ?Your password will expire in? -In ?Message
    Click #2
Endif
If ?The system is going down for maintenance in 5 minutes?
    MessageBox ?Watch out the system is going down very soon?
EndIf

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