--- loncom/interface/lonwhatsnew.pm	2005/12/20 15:56:38	1.40
+++ loncom/interface/lonwhatsnew.pm	2006/01/06 21:04:34	1.43
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #
-# $Id: lonwhatsnew.pm,v 1.40 2005/12/20 15:56:38 raeburn Exp $
+# $Id: lonwhatsnew.pm,v 1.43 2006/01/06 21:04:34 albertel Exp $
 #
 # Copyright Michigan State University Board of Trustees
 #
@@ -60,12 +60,14 @@ sub handler {
 
     &Apache::loncommon::content_type($r,'text/html');
     $r->send_http_header;
-    my $crsid = $env{'request.course.id'};
-    $crsid =~ s/_/\//; 
-    if ((!($env{'request.course.id'})) || 
-                             ($env{'request.role'} !~ /\Q$crsid\E$/)) {
-        # Not in a course, or no role in course
-        $env{'user.error.msg'}="/adm/whatsnew::0:0:Cannot display what's new screen";
+
+    if ( ! $env{'request.course.fn'} 
+	 ||
+	 (!( &Apache::lonnet::allowed('whn',$env{'request.course.id'})
+	     || &Apache::lonnet::allowed('whn',$env{'request.course.id'}
+					 .'/'.$env{'request.course.sec'})))) {
+        # Not in a course, or no whn priv in course
+        $env{'user.error.msg'}="/adm/whatsnew::whn:0:0:Cannot display what's new page";
         return HTTP_NOT_ACCEPTABLE;
     }
 
@@ -1401,9 +1403,9 @@ sub get_display_settings {
     my ($tmp) = keys(%settings);
     if ($tmp=~ /^(con_lost|error|no_such_host)/i) {
         %settings = ();
-        unless ($tmp eq 'error: 2 tie(GDBM) Failed while attempting dump') {
-            &logthis('Error retrieving whatsnew settings: '.$tmp.' for '.
-                                $uname.':'.$udom.' for course: '.$cid);
+        unless ($tmp =~ /^error: 2 /) {
+            &Apache::lonnet::logthis('Error retrieving whatsnew settings: '.
+            $tmp.' for '.$uname.':'.$udom.' for course: '.$cid);
         }
     }
     return %settings;