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| -rw-r--r-- | docs/running/admin_manual.md | 96 |
1 files changed, 72 insertions, 24 deletions
diff --git a/docs/running/admin_manual.md b/docs/running/admin_manual.md index be0bd9d36..0a63ea8dd 100644 --- a/docs/running/admin_manual.md +++ b/docs/running/admin_manual.md @@ -13,6 +13,35 @@ title: Administrator's guide href="https://www.whatdotheyknow.com">whatdotheyknow.com</a>. </p> +In this guide: + +<ul class="toc"> + <li><a href="#whats-involved">What's involved?</a></li> + <li><a href="#user-support">User support</a> + <ul> + <li><a href="#dealing-with-email-thats-not-getting-through-to-the-authority">Dealing with email that's not getting through to the authority</a></li> + <li><a href="#requests-to-take-down-information">Requests to take down information</a></li> + <li><a href="#incorrectly-addressed">Incorrectly addressed</a></li> + <li><a href="#wants-advice">Wants advice</a></li> + <li><a href="#general-assistance-required">General assistance required</a></li> + <li><a href="#vexatious-users">Vexatious users</a></li> + <li><a href="#mail-import-errors">Mail import errors</a></li> + </ul> + <li><a href="#maintenance">Maintenance</a></li> + <ul> + <li><a href="#administrator-privileges-and-accessing-the-admin-interface">Administrator privileges and accessing the admin interface</a></li> + <li><a href="#removing-a-message-from-the-holding-pen">Removing a message from the 'Holding Pen'</a></li> + <li><a href="#editing-and-uploading-public-body-email-addresses">Editing and uploading public body email addresses</a></li> + <li><a href="#banning-a-user">Banning a user</a></li> + <li><a href="#deleting-a-request">Deleting a request</a></li> + <li><a href="#hiding-a-request">Hiding a request</a></li> + <li><a href="#hiding-an-incoming-or-outgoing-message">Hiding an incoming or outgoing message</a></li> + <li><a href="#editing-an-outgoing-message">Editing an outgoing message</a></li> + <li><a href="#hiding-certain-text-from-a-request-using-censor-rules">Hiding certain text from a request</a></li> + </ul> + </li> +</ul> + ## What's involved? The overhead in managing a successful FOI website is quite high. Richard, a @@ -24,7 +53,7 @@ WhatDoTheyKnow usually has about 3 active volunteers at any one time managing the support, plus a few other less active people who help out at different times. -Administration tasks can be split into **maintenance** and **user support**. +Administration tasks can be split into [**maintenance**]({{ site.baseurl }}docs/running/admin_manual/#maintenance) and [**user support**]({{ site.baseurl }}docs/running/admin_manual/#user-support). The boundaries of these tasks is in fact quite blurred; the main distinction is that the former happen exclusively through the web admin interface, whereas the latter are mediated by email directly with end users (but often result in @@ -253,13 +282,13 @@ Can be for many reasons, e.g. themselves * A reply has been automatically filed under the wrong request -## Vexatious users +### Vexatious users Some users persistently misuse the website. An alaveteli site should have a policy on banning users, for example giving them a first warning, informing them about moderation policy, etc. -## Mail import errors +### Mail import errors These are currently occurring at a rate of about two a month. Sometimes the root cause seems to be blocking in the database when two mails are received for @@ -274,7 +303,46 @@ the error sent to the site support address) in a file without the first "From" line, and piping the contents of that file into the mail handling script. e.g. ```cat missing_mail.txt | script/mailin``` -## Censor rules + +## Maintenance + +### Administrator privileges and accessing the admin interface + +The administrative interface is at the URL `/admin`. + +Only users with the `super` admin level can access the admin interface. Users +create their own accounts in the usual way, and then administrators can give +them `super` privileges. + +There is an emergency user account which can be accessed via +`/admin?emergency=1`, using the credentials `ADMIN_USERNAME` and +`ADMIN_PASSWORD`, which are set in `general.yml`. To bootstrap the +first `super` level accounts, you will need to log in as the emergency +user. You can disable the emergency user account by setting `DISABLE_EMERGENCY_USER` to `true` in `general.yml`. + +Users with the superuser role also have extra privileges in the website +front end, such as being able to categorise any request, being able to view +items that have been hidden from the search, and being presented with "admin" +links next to individual requests and comments in the front end. + +It is possible completely to override the administrator authentication by +setting `SKIP_ADMIN_AUTH` to `true` in `general.yml`. + +### Removing a message from the 'Holding Pen' + +### Editing and uploading public body email addresses + +### Banning a user + +### Deleting a request + +### Hiding a request + +### Hiding an incoming or outgoing message + +### Editing an outgoing message + +### Hiding certain text from a request using censor rules Censor rules can be attached to a request or to a user and define bits of text to be removed (either from the request (and all associated files e.g. incoming @@ -301,24 +369,4 @@ hanging the application altogether), so please: * Restrict your use of them to cases that can't otherwise be easily covered. * Keep them as simple and specific as possible. -## Administrator privileges -The administrative interface is at the URL `/admin`. - -Only users with the `super` admin level can access the admin interface. Users -create their own accounts in the usual way, and then administrators can give -them `super` privileges. - -There is an emergency user account which can be accessed via -`/admin?emergency=1`, using the credentials `ADMIN_USERNAME` and -`ADMIN_PASSWORD`, which are set in `general.yml`. To bootstrap the -first `super` level accounts, you will need to log in as the emergency -user. You can disable the emergency user account by setting `DISABLE_EMERGENCY_USER` to `true` in `general.yml`. - -Users with the superuser role also have extra privileges in the website -front end, such as being able to categorise any request, being able to view -items that have been hidden from the search, and being presented with "admin" -links next to individual requests and comments in the front end. - -It is possible completely to override the administrator authentication by -setting `SKIP_ADMIN_AUTH` to `true` in `general.yml`. |