> Hi Helen,
>
> > At 11:17 AM 12/06/2007, MRF wrote:
> >
> >>I must admit - it would be nice for us to be able to connect to a
> >> Firebird
> >>Server and ask "what database files do you know about that I have
> >>permission to use?" without a registration overhead - using the existing
> >>aliases.conf entries.
>
> Let me rephrase: "What database files do you know about - that I am
> allowed to know about" or "have permission to try and connect to".

I don't see any impendiment to you creating your own database on a server
which stores aliases in a table, with permission lists if you want.
Your app can query this table any time it likes.
Alan

>
> >
> > That information doesn't exist anywhere...given that user
> > authentication occurs at server level. Even if the server had some
> > utility routine whereby it could read through aliases.conf (which is
> > nothing but a text file), there's nothing about a database header
> > that the server could visit and read and say "UserX has (or has not)
> > permission to use this database".
>
> Since roles are kept at database level I assume it would complicate admin
> unduly to use roles for this - even though the engine should know the role
> that is connecting - similarly, I assume, basing it on user name only
> would straight-jacket functionality... Here I run out of knowledge - I'm
> at the level of a user-story - rather than a use-case - for a generic
> implementation.
>
> hth Max