Using Okta OIDC (OpenID Connect)

Preparations

Before making changes to the PowerBuilder client app, let's follow the steps below to make sure 1) the PowerBuilder application can run successfully, 2) the app has been deployed as an installable cloud app successfully, and 3) the PowerServer C# solution has been successfully generated.

In this tutorial, we will take Sales Demo as an example.

Step 1: Select Windows Start | Appeon PowerBuilder 2022, and then right-click Example Sales App and select More | Run as administrator.

Step 2: When the SalesDemo workspace is loaded in the PowerBuilder IDE, click the Run button in the PowerBuilder toolbar.

Step 3: When the application main window is opened, click the Address icon in the application ribbon bar and make sure data can be successfully retrieved.

Step 4: Create and configure a PowerServer project for the Sales Demo app (detailed instructions are provided in Quick Start > Guide 1).

IMPORTANT: In the .NET Server page > Advanced tab, select Use external auth service from the Auth Template list box.


Step 5: Deploy the application as an installable cloud app. The PowerServer C# solution is generated, but the installable cloud app cannot run yet because further settings and changes are required, as explained in the subsequent sections.

The PowerServer C# solution provides templates for configuring the address of the identity provider like Okta OIDC.

  • Authentication.json contains the settings for enabling the authentication feature ("PowerServer:EnableAuthentication") and specifying the address of the authentication server ("Authentication:Authority"). The PowerServer Web APIs will validate the token against the authentication server; and if validation is successful, data will be obtained from the database.

    The "PowerServer:EnableAuthentication" setting is set to true by default. Setting it to false will turn off the authentication feature.

    The "Authentication:Authority" setting is set for JWT by default; you can set the Issuer URI of authorization server.


Creating a web application to integrate with Okta

The following outlines the key steps for creating a web application to integrate with Okta and getting the access token.

For complete and detailed instructions, please refer to the guides.

Guide 1: https://developer.okta.com/docs/guides/implement-grant-type/authcode/main/

Guide 2: https://developer.okta.com/docs/guides/validate-access-tokens/dotnet/overview/

Step 1: Create App Integration.

  1. In Okta menu, select the Applications drop-down list > Applications page, then select Create App Integration button to create a new app integration.


  2. Select OIDC-OpenID Connect radio button under Sign-in method, and select Web Application radio button under Application Type, then click Next.


  3. Write down the App integration name which is appeontest, select the check box of Client Credentials, and write down the Sign-in redirect URIs which is http://localhost:5099/authorization-code/callback.


  4. Select Allow everyone in your organization to access radio button under Controlled access (you can select the button according to your actual needs), and then click Save.


Step 2: Write down the following information.

  • Client ID: 0oa2gio6k8k1kJDGQ5d7

  • Client secret: Z6qh64ih-SGliIN-6U0r0Ycyd4MYayM_WDdYaJAW

  • Okta domain: dev-02923419.okta.com

  • Sign-in redirect URIs: http://localhost:5099/authorization-code/callback



Step 3: Add Person.

In Okta menu, select the Directory drop-down list > People page, then select Add Person to write down the basic information and click Save.


Step 4: Get the code.

  1. The template of the code URI is as follows. You can fill in your information to get the code URI.

    https://${yourOktaDomain}/oauth2/default/v1/authorize?client_id=0oabucvy
    c38HLL1ef0h7&response_type=code&scope=openid&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%
    2Fexample.com&state=state-296bc9a0-a2a2-4a57-be1a-d0e2fd9bb601
    

    Note

    The state consists of random numbers.

    Get the code URI:

    https://dev-02923419.okta.com/oauth2/default/v1/authorize?client_id=0oa2gio6k8k1kJDGQ5d7

    &response_type=code&scope=openid&redirect_uri=http%3A%2F%2Flocalhost:5099/authorization-

    code/callback&state=state-296bc9a

  2. Access the code URI through a browser, sign in with your Okta username and password, and return the code after successful verification.


    For example, if jump to the URI "http://localhost:5099/authorization-code/callback?code=o1IvY6bgkJ_WNHxJDdfCEOJVgOeTckt7G_xa4hdW8_o&state=state-296bc9a", the code will be "o1IvY6bgkJ_WNHxJDdfCEOJVgOeTckt7G_xa4hdW8_o".

Step 5: Get the token by Postman.

  1. In Okta menu, select the Security drop-down list > API page to get the Issuer URI which is https://dev-02923419.okta.com/oauth2/default, and then click default for more information.


  2. Check the Metadata URI in Settings page.


  3. Access the URI by Postman or web browsers to get the token endpoint: https://dev-02923419.okta.com/oauth2/default/v1/token.


  4. Get the access token by Oauth2.


  5. Check the token by the JWT website (https://jwt.io).


Modifying the PowerBuilder client app

Purpose

In this section, we will modify the PowerBuilder application source code and the PowerServer project settings to achieve the following results:

  • Gets the authorization code from the application login window, then authenticates it with Okta and gets a token.

  • Uses the token to access data from the PowerServer Web API.

  • Refreshes the token when necessary.

Add scripts

Step 1: Declare the following global variables.

//Token expiresin
Long gl_Expiresin
//Refresh token clockskew 
Long gl_ClockSkew = 3

Step 2: Add the following scripts to Okta login window.

When the application starts, the application displays the login window. You can enter the username and password to sign in.

forward
global type w_login from window
end type
type wb_1 from webbrowser within w_login
end type
end forward

global type w_login from window
integer width = 3643
integer height = 2332
boolean titlebar = true
string title = "Okta login"
boolean controlmenu = true
windowtype windowtype = response!
long backcolor = 67108864
string icon = "AppIcon!"
boolean center = true
wb_1 wb_1
end type
global w_login w_login

type variables
string is_url
end variables
on w_login.create
this.wb_1=create wb_1
this.Control[]={this.wb_1}
end on

on w_login.destroy
destroy(this.wb_1)
end on

event open;
is_url = message.StringParm

wb_1.Navigate(is_url)
end event

type wb_1 from webbrowser within w_login
integer x = 14
integer y = 28
integer width = 3598
integer height = 2192
end type

event resourceredirect;String ls_locationUrl
ls_locationUrl = RedirectUrl

If Pos (ls_locationUrl, "code=" ) > 0 Then
          CloseWithReturn(Parent, ls_locationUrl)
end If
end event


Step 3: Define a global function and name it f_Authorization().

Select from menu File > New; in the New dialog, select the PB Object tab and then select Function and click OK to add a global function.

This global function uses the HTTP Post method to send the user credentials to the authorization server and then gets the identity token from the HTTP Authorization header.

Add scripts to the f_Authorization() function to implement the following scenario:

  • Scenario 1: Supports Authorization Code (GrantType="authorization_code") and gets the authorization code from a login window.

Scripts for scenario 1:

When the application starts, the client ID and secret stored in the application as well as the authorization code from the login window will be sent to Okta to get the token, and when the token expires, the login window displays for the user to input the username and password again.

//Integer f_Authorization() for authorization_code
//Code from login window
OAuthClient    loac_Client
TokenRequest   ltr_Request
TokenResponse  ltr_Response
String  ls_URL, ls_URL_Code, ls_code
String  ls_TokenType, ls_AccessToken
String  ls_type, ls_description, ls_uri, ls_state
String  ls_ClientID, ls_ClientSecret, ls_Scope, ls_RedirectUri
Integer  li_Return, li_rtn
Long   ll_Rand

li_rtn = -1
ls_url = profilestring("CloudSetting.ini","setup","TokenURL","")

//okta login window
ll_Rand = Rand(32767)
ls_ClientID = "0oa2gio6k8k1kJDGQ5d7"
ls_ClientSecret = "Z6qh64ih-SGliIN-6U0r0Ycyd4MYayM_WDdYaJAW"
ls_Scope = "openid"
ls_RedirectUri = "http://localhost:5099/authorization-code/callback"

ls_Url_code = "https://dev-02923419.okta.com/oauth2/default/v1/authorize?client_id=" + ls_ClientID +&
 "&redirect_uri=" + ls_RedirectUri + &
 "&scope=" + ls_Scope + &
 "&response_type=code&state=state-" + String(ll_Rand)
OpenWithParm ( w_login,ls_Url_code )
ls_code = Message.Stringparm
If Len (ls_code) < 1 Then Return li_rtn
If Pos(ls_code, "code=") < 0 Then return li_rtn
ls_code = Mid (ls_code, pos(ls_code,"code=") + 5)
If Pos(ls_code, "&state") < 0 Then return li_rtn
ls_code = Mid (ls_code, 1,pos(ls_code,"&state") - 1)

//TokenRequest
ltr_Request.Method = "POST"
ltr_Request.tokenlocation = ls_url
ltr_Request.granttype = "authorization_code"
ltr_Request.clientid = ls_ClientID
ltr_Request.clientsecret = ls_ClientSecret
ltr_Request.ClearParams()
ltr_Request.AppendParam("grant_type","authorization_code")
ltr_Request.AppendParam("client_id", ls_ClientID)
ltr_Request.AppendParam("client_secret", ls_ClientSecret)
ltr_Request.AppendParam("scope", ls_Scope)
ltr_Request.AppendParam("code", ls_code)
ltr_Request.AppendParam("redirect_uri", ls_RedirectUri)
ltr_Request.ClearHeaders()
ltr_Request.SetHeader("Content-Type","application/x-www-form-urlencoded")

loac_Client = Create OAuthClient
li_Return = loac_Client.AccessToken(ltr_Request, ltr_Response)
If li_Return = 1 and ltr_Response.GetStatusCode () = 200 Then
 ls_TokenType = ltr_Response.gettokentype()
 ls_AccessToken = ltr_Response.GetAccessToken()
 //Application Set Authorization Header
 Getapplication().SetHttpRequesTheader("Authorization", ls_TokenType + " " +ls_AccessToken, true)
 //Set Global Variables
 gl_Expiresin = ltr_Response.getexpiresin()

 li_rtn = 1
Else
 li_Return = ltr_Response.GetTokenError(ls_type, ls_description, ls_uri, ls_state)
 MessageBox ("AccessToken Falied", "Return :" + String (li_Return ) + "~r~n" + ls_description)
End If

If IsValid (loac_Client) Then DesTroy (loac_Client)

Return li_rtn

Step 4: Insert a timing object (timing_1) to the application and add the following scripts to the Timer event of timing_1.

1) Open the application object and then select from menu Insert > Object > Timing to add a timing object to the application.


2) Add the following scripts to the Timer event of timing_1.

//Authorization
f_Authorization()

When displayed in the source editor, the Timer event looks like this:

event timer;//Authorization
f_Authorization()
end event


Step 5: Add the following scripts to the application Open event.

Place the scripts before the database connection is established. The scripts get the token from Okta and then start the user session (using the BeginSession function) to include the token information in the session.

If IsPowerServerApp() Then
 //Authorization
 If f_Authorization() <> 1 Then
  Return
 End If
 
 //StartSession
 long ll_return
 Try
 ll_return = Beginsession()
 If ll_return <> 0 Then
   Messagebox("Beginsession Failed:" + String(ll_return), GetHttpResponseStatusText())
  End if
 Catch ( Throwable ex)
  MessageBox( "Throwable", ex.GetMessage())
  Return
 End Try

 //Refresh Token for timing
 If gl_Expiresin > 0 And (gl_Expiresin - gl_ClockSkew) > 0 Then
  //Timer = Expiresin - ClockSkew 
  //7200 - 3
  timing_1.Start(gl_Expiresin - gl_ClockSkew)
 End If
End If

// Connect db


Step 6: Add the following scripts to the SystemError event.

The scripts will trigger the SystemError event when the session or license encounters an error; and if the token is invalid or expires, the scripts will call the f_Authorization function to get the token again.

Choose Case error.Number
 Case 220  to 229 //Session Error
  MessageBox ("Session Error", "Number:" + String(error.Number) + "~r~nText:" + error.Text )
 Case 230  to 239 //License Error
  MessageBox ("License Error", "Number:" + String(error.Number) + "~r~nText:" + error.Text )
 Case 240  to 249 //Token Error
  MessageBox ("Token Error", "Number:" + String(error.Number) + "~r~nText:" + error.Text )
  //Authorization
  f_Authorization()
 Case Else
  MessageBox ("SystemError", "Number:" + String(error.Number) + "~r~nText:" + error.Text )
End Choose


Add an INI file

Create an INI file in the same location as the PBT file and name it CloudSetting.ini.

The INI file specifies the URL for requesting the token from Okta.

[Setup]
TokenURL= https://dev-02923419.okta.com/oauth2/default/v1/token
Start session manually by code

By default, the user session is automatically created when the application starts; and the session includes no token. For the session to include the token, the session must be started manually by code instead of automatically.

To start the session manually by code,

Step 1: Enable "Begin session by code" in the PowerBuilder IDE. (Steps: Open the application object painter, click Additional Properties in the application's Properties dialog; in the Application dialog, select the PowerServer tab and then select the Begin session by code option, and click Apply.)

After this option is enabled, when the BeginSession function in the application Open event is called, it will create a session that includes the token information (See scripts in step 5 in "Add scripts").


Modify and re-deploy the PowerServer project

Step 1: Add the INI file CloudSetting.ini to the Files preloaded in uncompressed format section under the Client App page.


Step 2: Select RESTClient Support under the Runtime files group in the Client App page > Advanced tab.


Step 3: Double check the URL of the PowerServer Web APIs in the .NET Server page.

Make sure the port number is not occupied by any other program. You can execute the command "netstat -ano | findstr portnumber" to check if the port number is occupied by any other program. For details, refer to Choosing an appropriate port number.


Step 4: Double check that Use external auth service is selected from the Auth Template list box in the .NET Server page > Advanced tab.


Step 5: Save the changes and deploy the PowerServer project (using the "Build & Deploy PowerServer Project" option) so that the above settings can take effect in the installable cloud app.

Modifying the authentication template

The Issuer URI of authorization server must be provided so that the PowerServer Web APIs can use it to validate the token passed from the client. And if validation is successful, it can get data from the database.

Get the Issuer URI from API setting of Okta: https://dev-02923419.okta.com/oauth2/default.

You can also modify the "Authentication:Authority" which is https://${yourOktaDomain}/oauth2/default. Get yourOktaDomain from General setting of Okta: dev-02923419.okta.com.

Open the Authentication.json file, uncomment the server address for standard JWT, and then modify the authentication template.

// Standard JWT Token authentication server address
"Authentication:Authority": "https://dev-02923419.okta.com/oauth2/default"