# Is it possible to create view only user for gateway and projects? **URL:** \ **Category:** Ignition\ **Tags:** perspective, ignition80\ **Created:** [February 27, 2023, 6:20pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/is-it-possible-to-create-view-only-user-for-gateway-and-projects/70379 "2023-02-27T18:20:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![hewking32](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5ac83/32.png) [@hewking32](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/hewking32)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2023, 6:20pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/is-it-possible-to-create-view-only-user-for-gateway-and-projects/70379/1 "2023-02-27T18:20:48Z")
Hi Can you please advise if its possible to create a user who could view all gateway configuration pages, allowed to launch all projects in designer but not capable of changing anything ? it would call this user "admin\_readonly" 🙂 This user could audit the project but will not be able to modify anything. ---
**Author:** ![pturmel](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/pturmel/32/3295_2.png) [@pturmel](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/pturmel)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2023, 6:35pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/is-it-possible-to-create-view-only-user-for-gateway-and-projects/70379/2 "2023-02-27T18:35:24Z")
No, nothing like this is available. The only distinction you can configure is between config and status pages. ---
**Author:** ![avaughn](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/avaughn/32/38972_2.png) [@avaughn](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/avaughn)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2023, 6:41pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/is-it-possible-to-create-view-only-user-for-gateway-and-projects/70379/3 "2023-02-27T18:41:53Z")
> [@hewking32](#): > > launch all projects in designer but not capable of changing anything This could be configured, but you'll have to set it up on each project. [https://docs.inductiveautomation.com/display/DOC81/Project+Security+in+the+Designer](https://docs.inductiveautomation.com/display/DOC81/Project+Security+in+the+Designer) ---
**Author:** ![dkhayes117](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/dkhayes117/32/68344_2.png) [@dkhayes117](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/dkhayes117)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2023, 6:55pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/is-it-possible-to-create-view-only-user-for-gateway-and-projects/70379/4 "2023-02-27T18:55:07Z")
> [@avaughn](#): > > This could be configured, but you'll have to set it up on each project. You could set this up a "security configuration project" and set it as inheritable. That way you wouldn't have to set it up on each project, just inherit the config. ---
**Author:** ![hewking32](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5ac83/32.png) [@hewking32](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/hewking32)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2023, 7:24pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/is-it-possible-to-create-view-only-user-for-gateway-and-projects/70379/5 "2023-02-27T19:24:58Z")
that's how i thought things are. So i always take a backup first when checking live gateway. PS. even taking a backup might be a dangerous as i remember you mentioned that database connections are dropped momentarily which normally is ok but has potential to disrupt something sophisticated. ---
**Author:** ![hewking32](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5ac83/32.png) [@hewking32](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/hewking32)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2023, 7:27pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/is-it-possible-to-create-view-only-user-for-gateway-and-projects/70379/6 "2023-02-27T19:27:57Z")
there is plenty of control in the designer but i believe gateway being critical element does need this functionality as well to prevent a cat walking on the keyboard stoping the plant 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![pturmel](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/pturmel/32/3295_2.png) [@pturmel](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/pturmel)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2023, 7:38pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/is-it-possible-to-create-view-only-user-for-gateway-and-projects/70379/7 "2023-02-27T19:38:59Z")
> [@hewking32](#): > > you mentioned that database connections are dropped momentarily No, database connections don't stop. The **internal database** can be tied up with the backup, and if that takes more than 30 seconds, other services can be disrupted. ---
**Author:** ![hewking32](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5ac83/32.png) [@hewking32](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/hewking32)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2023, 7:53pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/is-it-possible-to-create-view-only-user-for-gateway-and-projects/70379/8 "2023-02-27T19:53:56Z")
so in general huge backups with many projects have higher potential to discrupt something, do you think during backup which takes around 30 or more seconds false log entries like clock drift might be generated? ---
**Author:** ![pturmel](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/pturmel/32/3295_2.png) [@pturmel](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/pturmel)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2023, 7:55pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/is-it-possible-to-create-view-only-user-for-gateway-and-projects/70379/9 "2023-02-27T19:55:06Z")
Not usually clock drift, but errors about obtaining an internal DB session. ---
**Author:** ![avaughn](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/avaughn/32/38972_2.png) [@avaughn](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/avaughn)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2023, 8:39pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/is-it-possible-to-create-view-only-user-for-gateway-and-projects/70379/10 "2023-02-27T20:39:29Z")
I didn't find any existing requests for being able to view the gateway configurations without being allowed to make changes. You could put in a feature request on the [ideas](https://ideas.inductiveautomation.com/) page to gauge interest. ---
**Author:** ![Vincent\_Ambrosio](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/vincent_ambrosio/32/86315_2.png) [@Vincent\_Ambrosio](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Vincent_Ambrosio)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2023, 1:12am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/is-it-possible-to-create-view-only-user-for-gateway-and-projects/70379/11 "2023-02-28T01:12:16Z")
As someone who is currently learning ignition for first time and has admin access to gateway, i am surprised to learn there is no way to limit control! I shall definitely be careful. ---
**Author:** ![hewking32](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5ac83/32.png) [@hewking32](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/hewking32)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2023, 6:53am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/is-it-possible-to-create-view-only-user-for-gateway-and-projects/70379/12 "2023-02-28T06:53:21Z")
yep be careful, i would do fresh backup first just in case and keep cats away 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![dkhayes117](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/dkhayes117/32/68344_2.png) [@dkhayes117](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/dkhayes117)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2023, 1:38pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/is-it-possible-to-create-view-only-user-for-gateway-and-projects/70379/13 "2023-02-28T13:38:43Z")
> [@Vincent\_Ambrosio](#): > > As someone who is currently learning ignition for first time and has admin access to gateway, i am surprised to learn there is no way to limit control! I shall definitely be careful. It's not a good idea to make gateway changes on a production server while it's live. It is a far better practice to use a development server, which does not have to be licensed (just use in trial mode), to make and test changes. Then when the changes are proved to have no ill side effects, push them to the production gateway during downtime when possible. A lot of integrators use a development gateway, quality assurance gateway, and a production gateway for this.