How can I set authentication controls for widgets I create?

When you create a Web-based widget, you can optionally specify that users authenticate in order to access the website that will be used by that widget. To require authentication, you must specify an existing account name, or create a new account, as you create the widget. This account will be used, or created if it does not already exist, on the user's client. Anyone who uses the widget must use their own existing or new account information.

About this task

When users act on the widget, for example by way of Live Text, for the first time they will either be prompted for a user name and password or be asked to give the widget permission to use the user name and password in an existing account. This step will create a new account if it does not already exist.

You can require authentication of widgets that you create from a Web page that requires form-based authentication.

Note: If you are using Notes®, use the embedded Web browser.
Note: You can view the accounts created for a widget by clicking File > Preferences > Accounts and double-clicking the account name. This lets you see which widgets have permission to access a certain account. In the Advanced Properties section, there is a Widgets IDs field. Clearing this field revokes the permission granted for existing widgets to use this account. If you do that, the next time a user engages any widget that uses this account, they will be asked for permission to use the account associated with the widget. Also note that editing an account allows you to modify the user name and password for that account.

If you enable the Authentication Required option on the Create a Widget from this website dialog, wizard instructions guide you through the authentication process as below.

Procedure

  1. Check Authentication Required on the Create a Widget from this website dialog and click Next.
  2. Navigate to the Web page that contains the authentication form, for example, a Google™ sign-in form prompting for a user name and password.
  3. Select the correct form from the Web page's form list and click Next to open the Account Management dialog.

    Colored highlighting helps you to determine which form on the Web page has focus.

    The Next button is only enabled if you select a form containing a password field.

    The wizard may attempt to place the in the user name field and HCL in the password field. You may need to enter the name and password field values manually if the wizard does not choose the correct fields.

  4. The Account management dialog allows you to either choose an existing account to use when authenticating to this site or to create a new account.

    Choose the account name carefully as all users who use this widget will have an account with this name created on their system, if it does not already exist. Consider using the same account name for all widgets that require the same user name and password, since multiple widgets can use the same account.

    • Choose an existing account

      If you already have an account with the correct user name and password, choose the account by name. The current user name and obscured password will be displayed. If these are the correct credentials press Next.

      If the user name and password are out of date, or nonexistent, you can change them by canceling the wizard, clicking Preferences > Accounts and selecting Edit Account.

    • Create a new account

      If you do not have an account with the correct credentials, create a new account name, user name and password now and click Next.

      The new account name must be unique; an error message appears if it is not.

  5. If authentication is successful, click Next to continue to the next page in the widget creation process. See the wizard-based widget creation topics for details.

    The account will be created at the end of the widget creation process when you click Finish on the final wizard screen.

    If authentication fails, it is likely for one of the following reasons:

    • The user name and password are incorrect. Click Back and enter the correct credentials.
    • JavaScript™ or other active code on the web page is preventing the widget from authenticating. Consider building the widget without authentication. Many sites, such as Google™, only require the user to log in once per session, giving access to all of their applications; so many non-authenticated widgets will function once the user has logged in manually.