Permissions

Each user in a WeBWorK course has a permission level that determines what actions that user is allowed to perform. The permission level for a user can be edited using the classlist editor.

Permission levels are given role names in global.conf. The default names and values are as follows:

# this hash maps a numeric permission level to the name of a role. the number
# assigned to a role is significant -- roles with higher numbers are considered
# "more privileged", and are included when that role is listed for a privilege
# below.
# 
%userRoles = (
        guest => -5,
        student => 0,
        login_proctor => 2,
        grade_proctor => 3,
        ta => 5,
        professor => 10,
);

Each WeBWorK operation is then given a minimum role that a user must have in order to perform the operation. The default operations are as follows:

# this hash maps operations to the roles that are allowed to perform those
# operations. the role listed and any role with a higher permission level (in
# the %userRoles hash) will be allowed to perform the operation. If the role
# is undefined, no users will be allowed to perform the operation.
# 
%permissionLevels = (
        login                          => "guest",
        report_bugs                    => "student",
        submit_feedback                => "student",
        change_password                => "student",
        change_email_address           => "student",
        
        proctor_quiz_login             => "login_proctor",
        proctor_quiz_grade             => "grade_proctor",
        view_proctored_tests           => "student",
        view_hidden_work               => "ta",
        
        view_multiple_sets             => "ta",
        view_unopened_sets             => "ta",
        view_unpublished_sets          => "ta",
        view_answers                   => "ta",
        view_ip_restricted_sets        => "ta",
        
        become_student                 => "professor",
        access_instructor_tools        => "ta",
        score_sets                     => "professor",
        send_mail                      => "professor",
        receive_feedback               => "ta",
        
        create_and_delete_problem_sets => "professor",
        assign_problem_sets            => "professor",
        modify_problem_sets            => "professor",
        modify_student_data            => "professor",
        modify_classlist_files         => "professor",
        modify_set_def_files           => "professor",
        modify_scoring_files           => "professor",
        modify_problem_template_files  => "professor",
        manage_course_files            => "professor",
        
        create_and_delete_courses      => "professor",
        fix_course_databases           => "professor",
        
        ##### Behavior of the interactive problem processor #####
        
        show_correct_answers_before_answer_date         => "ta",
        show_solutions_before_answer_date               => "ta",
        avoid_recording_answers                         => "ta",
        # Below this level, old answers are never initially shown
        can_show_old_answers_by_default                 => "student",
        # at this level, we look at showOldAnswers for default value
        # even after the due date
        can_always_use_show_old_answers_default         => "professor",
        check_answers_before_open_date                  => "ta",
        check_answers_after_open_date_with_attempts     => "ta",
        check_answers_after_open_date_without_attempts  => "guest",
        check_answers_after_due_date                    => "guest",
        check_answers_after_answer_date                 => "guest",
        record_answers_when_acting_as_student           => undef,
        # "record_answers_when_acting_as_student" takes precedence
        # over the following for professors acting as students:
        record_answers_before_open_date                 => undef,
        record_answers_after_open_date_with_attempts    => "student",
        record_answers_after_open_date_without_attempts => undef,
        record_answers_after_due_date                   => undef,
        record_answers_after_answer_date                => undef,
        dont_log_past_answers                           => "professor",
        # does the user get to see a dump of the problem?
        view_problem_debugging_info                     => "ta",
        
        ##### Behavior of the Hardcopy Processor #####
        
        download_hardcopy_multiuser  => "ta",
        download_hardcopy_multiset   => "ta",
        download_hardcopy_format_pdf => "guest",
        download_hardcopy_format_tex => "ta",
);

For example, by default the view_hidden_work operation is permitted to TAs (level 5), and professors (level 10).

The minimum role necessary for an operation can be modified in global.conf by changing the value for that operation to the name of another role, or to undef if no users should be allowed to perform the operation.

Some permissions can also be customized on a per-course basis in the Course Configuration module, accessible from WeBWorK's main menu. To change other permissions on a per-course basis, it is necessary to edit the course's course.conf file via the File Manager module, also accessible from WeBWorK's main menu.