Updated
February, 2005
4HPlus! and FairPlus! will operate in a networked environment in
one of two ways, either in a peer to peer setting or it can be run
from a networked file server. Although a common approach would have
the executable reside on the workstation with the data residing
on the file server, the plus! software will not operate that way.
Before proceeding, a county should decide which of the two options
is preferable, as there are advantages and disadvantages to both.
File Server Based
In this option, the entire CKV folder, and all it's sub folders
are placed on a file server. Each workstation needs the database
engine installed, registry entries created, and in the case of FairPlus!,
a small program called Registration Tools installed. This is all
handled via the "regular" install process.
Because the Plus! software is built around a single-user database
engine, only one person at a time is able to access the data at
once. The software will prevent multiple users from accessing the
program at one time through the openuser.flg file - if the proper
flag file is created (see below for details).
Advantages
- As many machines as desired can be set up to access the 4HPlus!
or FairPlus! data
- All machines accessing the data will have access to the latest
data
- All machines accessing the data have full capabilities of entering/changing/deleting
data
- Upgrading needs to be only done once
- Most file servers are backed up daily, which ensures that 4-H
data is always backed up
Disadvantages
- Only one person at a time can be in a Plus! program
- Start up and response time will be slower - this can vary from
being hardly noticeable to being a critical problem, depending
upon network speed
Peer to Peer
The peer to peer option only utilizes a peer to peer network connection
for data transfer - nothing is stored or run on a file server in
this set up. There is a complete installation of the software on
each machine that will be running the software.
However, an important distinction must be made - one computer (and
one computer only) is designated as the "Master" computer,
with all others (no limit on how many) are designated as "Remote"
computers. The Master computer has full access to the data and is
responsible for all data entry and changes. Remote computers can
read the data and produce reports only.
The data is shared between the Master and Remote computers via
a sharing process which involves the user of the Master computer
creating a data file which is then put in a folder which is accessible
to the Remote computers via the peer to peer network. The process
of creating the data to be shared (by the Master computer) and loading
the data (by the Remote computer) is accomplished via menu commands
that are executed at the desire of each respective user.
The commands that accomplish the sharing and loading of data are
quick and simple to carry out in 4HPlus! The same command are not
available in FairPlus!, although a similar process can be achieved
by creating backups on the Master computer and loading the backups
on the Remote computer.
Advantages
- Multiple users can be working in 4HPlus! or FairPlus! at the
same time
- 4HPlus! and FairPlus! will run faster when located on the individual
machine, which is the situation in this setup
Disadvantages
- Users of the Remote computer have to intentionally update their
data to make use of any data entries or changes - they cannot
enter or change data on their own machine
- FairPlus! does not have the ability to share data "built-in"
- users must create a backup file on the Master computer and load
it onto the Remote computer
Once the most desirable option is determined, there are various
ways to complete the set up process. The following outlines the
most common situations, however, if there are any questions, please
do not hesitate to contact 4-H Software
Support.
Setting up Plus! software on a networked file
server
The file server setup involves the following steps:
- Using Windows Explorer, move the CKV folder (which contains
all the data files and the executable) from the computer it is
currently running on, to the root level of a file server
mapped drive.
| NOTE: |
It is HIGHLY recommended that before beginning any
data handling process is started, that a complete and current
backups are made.
Also, it is also HIGHLY recommended that during the process
of transferring the CKV directory (and it's contents) to the
file server, a copy first be made to the file server, and
then the original deleted.
However, the copy CANNOT stay on the hard drive of a workstation.
The Plus! software will find the data source on the hard drive,
even if the executable on the file server is run - which will
present a data conflict. Re-naming the CKV folder will not
solve this issue, it must be put at a different directory
level, copied onto a zip disk or CD which is then removed
from the computer, etc. |
- IMPORTANT!!! Create an empty text
file, named [csn.flg] and place this file in the ckv folder. This
will cause 4HPlus! and FairPlus! to create a small file [openuser.flg]
to be placed in the ckv folder (which is now on the network) that
will prevent other users from starting either 4HPlus! or FairPlus!
while another user had the programs open.
| NOTE: |
If at any time, you go to start up 4HPlus! or FairPlus!
and get a message that:
[This (or another) C&K Ventures application has been
opened locally (or on the network) by another user!]
....it means that someone else has already opened up either
4HPlus! or FairPlus! If that IS NOT the case, and you are
certain that no other user has either 4HPlus! or FairPlus!
open, then open up the ckv folder and simply delete the file
named [openuser.flg] |
- Delete the old desktop or other 4HPlus! or FairPlus! shortcuts
and create new ones that point to the new executable's locations,
as follows:
- Close or minimize all running program, so that the desktop
becomes visible
- Right-click the 4HPlus! and FairPlus! icons on your desktop,
then click on delete - then click on [Yes] to send the shortcut
to the Recycle Bin.
- Right-click on any open space on your computer's desktop -
anywhere is fine, the shortcuts you are about to create can
be moved later.
- Click on [New] [Shortcut]
- On the resulting window, click on [Browse]
- Navigate to the following locations (do one, then repeat the
entire process for the other)
- (network drive letter) :\CKV\4hplus\mn\win4hp1.exe
- (network drive letter) :\CKV\fairplus\mn\fairp1.exe
- Click on [Open], then [Next]
- Rename the shortcut if you wish
- Click on [Finish]
- In order to run the Plus! software on a workstation that has
not previously run the software, a "full" install of
both 4HPlus! and FairPlus! must be done in order to install the
Database engine, the Registration Tools and to make the necessary
entries in the Windows Registry.
| NOTE: |
If for some reason, an install CD is required (i.e. if
the computer does not have Internet access, or the Internet
access available is slow, contact
4-H Software Support for information on acquiring an install
CD. |
- To proceed with the installation process, download the install
files to any location on your hard drive, (i.e. the Desktop,
my downloads, etc.):
- Close all open programs - including any virus scanning software
- After downloading, run (i.e. double click in Windows Explorer
or use the "Run" window) the the 4HPlus! installation
files, which will bring up Winzip
- Click on [Unzip], following the unzipping and installation
procedure. Accept default options suggested by the installation
program. Do not choose to "run" the software from
the installation dialogue - simply "finish".
- Repeat the process for FairPlus!
- Delete the newly installed CKV folder and ALL it's contents
- Delete icon and menu items created during the install process
- Create new icon and menu items following the above directions
| NOTE: |
It is critically important to delete the newly installed
CKV folder, otherwise, even if you run the executable from the
network location, the software will find and use the data files
on the local drive. |
| NOTE: |
Each workstation needs to be registered in order for
FairPlus! to run on it. To register a computer for FairPlus!,
start FairPlus!, clear the message box, then click on [Register].
Then, contact 4-H Software
Support to obtain the needed Trigger Code.
As an alternative you may call the displayed phone number
for C&K Ventures. Please note however, that C&K will not return
phone calls, therefore you must keep trying until you catch
Chuck Nash. |
| NOTE: |
Once the file server setup is completed, 4HPlus! and
FairPlus! can be run from any workstation it is setup on. |
| NOTE: |
When updates to 4HPlus! and FairPlus! are released, the
file is downloaded to any of the workstations. When the file
is unzipped, retain any "unzip to" path that might
be specified, with the exception of deleting the "C:\",
and changing it to whatever drive letter the CKV folder is located
on. |
Setting up Plus! software in a peer to peer
relationship
The peer to peer setup will involve the installation
of the software on every computer that will be included.
As mentioned earlier, an important distinction must be made between
computers that are included in this process - one computer (and
one computer only) is designated as the "Master" computer,
with all others (no limit on how many) are designated as "Remote"
computers. The Master computer has full access to the data and is
responsible for all data entry and changes. Remote computers can
read the data and produce reports only.
| NOTE: |
Because this software is currently being used in all Minnesota
Counties, it is assumed that the software is currently running
on at least one computer and good backup files exist for both
4HPlus! and FairPlus!. If this is not the case, contact
4-H Software Support. |
The peer to peer setup process begins with the Master machine:
- First make sure that the Share folder exists as follows on the
Master Machine at a level just below the CKV folder - as follows
- C:\CKV\Share - create this folder if it does not exist, and
give read-only sharing rights to the computers that will be accessing
the data. Do not share any other folder under CKV.
- Also, on the Master machine, run 4HPlus! and click on [Goto]
[Utilities] [Parameters] and change the following parameters to
the settings indicated, if necessary:
- Member/Leader data read only --- False
- Multiple Installations on Network --- True
On the Remote machines:
- Do a complete 4HPlus! and FairPlus! install on each remote computer.
The install files for both programs are available from the downloads
page - www.fourh.umn.edu/mgtsoftware/downloadinfo.html
- Map a drive to the Share folder that exists on the "Master"
computer. In other words, the machines reading the data need to
have a new drive that is, for example M:\, which is really the
Share folder on the Master computer.
- Start up 4HPlus! on each read-only machine and click on [Goto]
[Utilities] [Parameters] and set the following parameters:
- Member/Leader data read only --- True
- Multiple Installations on Network --- True
| NOTE: |
Whenever you change the parameters in 4HPlus!, you need
to exit and re-start in order for the parameters to fully take
effect. |
To "use" the networking feature of 4HPlus!, whenever
there are data changes to "share", the user of the Master
machine clicks on [Write Data] on the main screen. This places a
data file in the "Share" folder on their machine.
Then, whenever the users of the Read Only machines want a data
update, they click on [Read Data] from their main screens. That
goes and gets a copy of the data from the Share folder of the Master
machine and loads it into their machine.
The other "maintenance" item is that when upgrades are
released, they need to be applied to all machines, in order for
the sharing of data to be possible.
Now, that takes care of 4HPlus!
FairPlus! does not have a built in peer to peer network data sharing
process available. The strategy here is that whenever data needs
to be updated, the Master machine creates a backup file, which is
then transferred and loaded on to the Read-only machines.
This backup file can be transferred via a floppy, the network,
etc. The only catch is that the Read-only machines are not really
Read-only. FairPlus! needs to be able to temporarily write data
in order to create some of it's reports. It requires the discipline
of the users to make their data changes on only the Master computer. |
