Managing areas

You can manage areas from the Areas page of the Web Admin interface. Click Areas to create or delete areas and assign permissions to areas.

You can click the Add button next to the Areas list to create an area. Select the option to make the area protected or leave it deselected to make it public.

Note:
RoboHelp Server creates a default area, General, that cannot be protected or deleted.

Protected areas allow you to create areas to publish protected content with restricted access. A user must be authenticated and have access rights to view content published in a protected area.

Perform the following steps to ensure that a user needs authentication to access published content in protected areas.
1. Locate the web.xml file from the WEB-INF directory of the RHS installation folder.
2. After creating a context, add the following in the web.xml file:
```
<filter-mapping>: 
    <filter-name>AuthFilter</filter-name>
    <url-pattern>/robo_sample/secure_server/*</url-pattern>
    < url-pattern >/<context-name>/secure_server/*</url-pattern>
</filter-mapping>
```
  Note:
  Ensure to add the url-pattern tag for every context containing protected areas.
3. Restart the RoboHelp Server.
4. Make an area protected by selecting the Protected check box option under the selected area in the Web Administrator UI.
In the instance of a user accessing a URL of a protected area’s published content varies for contexts:
- For other contexts (Default/LDAP)
  - The unauthenticated user is redirected to the RoboHelp Server Web administrator login page.
  - User logs in with LDAP credentials:
    - If authorized, user can paste the URL in a new tab to view content.
    
    -If not authorized, user is redirected back to the RoboHelp Server Web Administrator login page.
- For SSO based contexts (ADFS/OKTA)
  - The unauthenticated user is redirected to the SSO login page.
  - User logs in with login credentials:
    - If authorized, the content loads for the user to view.
    
    - If not authorized, user is redirected back to the RobHelp Server Web Administrator home page.
The request to add an area goes to the server. If the area name exists or if you have not entered any area name, an error message appears.
You can add a user group to an area to assign it viewing, publishing, or report viewing rights.
Public areas do not have viewing restrictions and thus, the Viewing option for the public areas is always disabled.
You can select a user group from the Add new group pop-up menu and add it to a selected area. If the group is already assigned to the selected area, a message appears.

Note: As an administrator, you can select the Protected option and change a public area to protected. Click Apply after making the necessary changes.