IntroductionThe SmartAss™ Analyzer has been equipped with a connector to a LDAP directory. An LDAP directory is a database of all users in an organisation, generally including group definitions and a bit of organisational structure. One of the most common LDAP implementations is Microsoft’s Active Directory – AD.
Having this ability in the analyser means that reports can be generated based on the usage of SmartAss™ guides combined with more detailed user and organizational structure elements of the directory. Here are a few examples:
• See how users for a specific organisational unit or cost code is doing an taking a guide.
• Follow up overall usage on all guides for a specific business unit or subsidiary
• Create reports for managers to view the progress of the co-workers under their command only
RequirementsTo get this in place you need:
• A SmartAss™ server based on MySQL (database restriction will cease to apply later in 2010)
• An identification script to identify the user
• Have to configured the SmartAss™ system to log guide usage on individual level
• The SmartAss™ Analyzer installed on a PC with connection to both the SmartAss™ server and the LDAP/AD of the organization.
• An LDAP or AD server and the “binding string” needed to access this
• If you want to automatically batch process data periodically you need a server able to run a Windows 32-bit native service connected both to the directory and the SmartAss™ server.
Installing an Identification Script
The identification script is used by the SmartAss™ system to determine the username of the user currently accessing a guide. This script is normally a simple ASP page sitting on an IIS server. The sample identification script – which can normally be used without adaptation – can be downloaded from
http://smartass.se/downloads/smartass/software/server/UserLoginWindowsAutomatic.zipPlace the script on an IIS server in a new virtual directory and turn on Windows Integrated Login. Test-running the script should return the username of the accessing user in a basic web page.
Configuring SmartAss™ to Log Individual Guide Usage
In Config, you have to point the “Windows automatic login URL” under Login to the address of the identification script. Check the box “Let "Windows automatic login" automatically create users”.
For each of the player types (Guide Player, Course Player, Test Player) you also need check the box “Track guide statistics” and select the “Automatic” user login method.
Install the SmartAss™ Analyzer
Download and install the SmartAss™ Analyzer (making sure that you are licensed to use it first) from
http://smartass.se/downloads/smartass/software/Analyzer/SmartAssAnalyzerSetup.EXEInstalling instructions:
Checking That Reporting Works
The next step is to make sure that the SmartAss server really collects the individual usage data. To do this, first start a guide and play all through a couple of steps. Make sure to note the ID number of the guide used.
If the guide does not start you need to check that the identification script is available. If it is not, the guide will not be able to start.
Start up the Analyzer and click on the Individual Usage Report called All Progress For Guide, entering the ID number of the guide used for testing upon request. You should then get a report looking something like this:
As you can see the individual steps of the guide are shown as green or grey depending on whether the user has played through them or not. You can also see time spent, and the percentage completed.
If you cannot see any data here, the data collection setup for is not working. You need to go back and check the settings in Config and the identification script.
Connect the Analyzer to the Directory
To do this you need something called a "Bind" or "Binding String" for the directory server. This string oftenstarts with "ldap:" but may look differently in a windows domain. You also need to get a list for fields available in the directory to be used for the reporting. The "LDAP Lab Tool" under Tools in the Analyzer may be useful when testing these parameters.
When you gathered the information needed, go into the report "Process Reports..." under "Directory-Based Reports" and enter the data under "LDAP Options" and "LDAP Fields".
Creating a first report
In theory, things are all in place now. All you have to to is to create a first report and check that it works. How to do that is shown in the following guide:
Once the report is created, generate it as shown here:
If you do not get any useful information or if you get error messages, try the following:
- Check the LDAP Bind. Try it out using an LDAP browser or the lab tool
- Check that there is really data in the SmartAss part of the system using the "All progress" reports shown above.
- Make sure that the Analyzer has sufficient rights on the machine it is used
About Reports and Where They Are Stored
The reports always stored on the server and so are the report definitions. If you use the Analyzer on another machine you will therefore also be able to edit and create reports.
Once the reports are generated, they can be accessed via a web interface. The reader of the reports typically find the information at the URL <smartass-server>/media/apps/analyzer. Depending on what was entered in the "Viewers of this report" field in the report definition different users may see different lists of reports when accessing the web reports.
Sample Web ReportConfiguring Generation of Reports as a ServiceReports are only generated when performed by the Analyzer. This means that someone has to go in and manually generate the reports for them to be updated as web reports. It is however possible to set up a service calling the Analyzer periodically to generate the reports. This service needs to be an a server able of ruing the 32 bit windows native code.
To set this up, first install the SmartAss Analyzer on the server. Start the application and go into the Directory-Based reports dialog. Go into LDAP options and edit (if necessary) the "When running as service - get information every" option.
Then download an install the SmartAssAnalyzerService-helper and place it in the same folder. Get it from
here. Unpack the file and place the SmartAssAnalyzerService.EXE alongside the SmartAssAnalyzer.exe.
Finally, install the service by starting a admin-trusted command promt and call the SmartAssAnalyzerService.exe /INSTALL to install the service. The start it from the control panel.
To remove the service, use the /REMOVE command.
This information is provided "as is" to help anyone interested in trying out the features of SmartAss™ or to get an understanding. However for this component we recommend to get help as a service from InfoCaption or it's partners.
