For a network distribution, you will copy
the installer program to the network. Then, each individual
user can run the TP5SETUP.EXE program from their machine.
You’ll have to provide each user with the license information
(user name and code) to enter during the installation, or
you may want to install the software yourself on the users’
computers.
The preparation for network distribution is
simple:
- Create a directory on the network server
for the installation files.
- From the CD-ROM, copy TP5SETUP.EXE into
the directory you created in step 1.
- Make sure the directory and files are readable
by the users who will be installing ThumbsPlus. Here’s an
example using DOS commands. It assumes that the F: drive
is a network drive, and that D: is the CD-ROM drive.
C:\> MKDIR F:\THUMBSPL
C:\> COPY D:\RELEASE\TP5SETUP.EXE F:\THUMBSPL
Now, to install on each workstation, just
run F:\THUMBSPL\TP5SETUP.EXE (the drive letter may be different
depending on your network drive mappings).
Network Server
Network server installation is the most versatile
and convenient for local area networks with several or many
users. When you install ThumbsPlus onto the server, you must
enter your user name (licensee) and code. These are printed
on the ThumbsPlus license included in your shipment. If you’re
installing onto a network drive, ThumbsPlus will automatically
generate the proper configuration for quick and easy installation
onto network clients.
Here are the steps required for ThumbsPlus
Network Server installation:
Install ThumbsPlus on the server
- Use the following command to start setup
for the server:
D:\RELEASE\TP5SETUP /NETWORK
This will cause the setup script to create a sub-directory
of the installation directory that will contain system files
that should be loaded on each client machine.
You can also select "ThumbsPlus 5.01 Network Install" from the autorun menu.
- Enter your user name and code when prompted
by the installation script.
- Select a shared drive for the installation.
Verify the user name and code
This will ensure that the installation will
operate correctly on the users’ machines. The installation
will not proceed if the license information entered is incorrect.
Be sure to enter it exactly
as it appears in the license letter and verify spelling, capitalization
and punctuation, if any.
Set up file sharing and security appropriately
The database file,
*.td4, as well as the folder containing the database file
must be writable by all ThumbsPlus users for shared
database use. The executable files should
be made read-only on the server so users cannot modify them.
Other files may be made read-only or read-write based on your
preferences; you can use your network security capabilities
to set each file appropriately for the classes of users.
If you plan to implement a shared database,
create it by running ThumbsPlus (which automatically creates
a thumbnail database called Thumbs.td4 in the installation
directory). Control your users’ abilities to access
this file as you require.
Install links or icons for ThumbsPlus
on each client machine
By using the /NETWORK parameter when running
TP5SETUP, you caused ThumbsPlus to install some additional
files in the Thumbs directory. These should be used to set
up each client machine. The NetUser command performs the following
functions:
- Installs the necessary system DLLs for
ThumbsPlus.
- Adds the registry keys with license code
and file association information.
- Adds Start Menu shortcuts for ThumbsPlus
and its help file.
Network clients can use Explorer to locate
and run the NetUser link (shortcut) created by the installation
program, or you can use Start | Run to do so.
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Note: TDO files are ignored on the network
drive; here's how the profile (option) processing works for
a network installation (where THUMBS.EXE and/or THUMBS.TDB
are on the network):
- Absolute defaults are stored in the program.
- Network .INI defaults may be stored in a
THUMBS.DEF file in the same (network) directory as THUMBS.EXE.
- The user's THUMBS.INI file (stored in the
Windows directory) stores changes from the network defaults.
- Database (local) network defaults may be
stored in a <database>.TDD file in the same (network)
directory as the database.TD4. When the database is THUMBS.TD4,
the network database defaults are stored in THUMBS.TDD.
- The users's THUMBS.INI file (stored in the
Windows directory) stores differences from the network database
defaults.
A typical network installation might have
a read-only Thumbs.DEF, and a zero-length, read-only Thumbs.INI
in the network directory, thereby preventing individual users
from altering network defaults. This will cause Thumbs to
create a Thumbs.INI in each users' windows folder.
Now Administrator should:
- Run ThumbsPlus, set the preferences up
for network defaults.
- Close ThumbsPlus.
- Rename the THUMBS.INI file on the network
to THUMBS.DEF.
- Set the read-only attribute on the THUMBS.DEF
file.
- Create an empty THUMBS.INI, and set it
as read-only.
- For database-specific preferences, follow
the same process as for the .INI -> .DEF files, copying
<database>.TDO to <database>.TDD and then marking
them as read-only.
User changes to program and database-specific
preferences will be written to the file "thumbs.ini"
on the individual workstations, in the "Windows" folder,
and not affect settings for other users.
For normal (non-network) installs, the THUMBS.DEF
& THUMBS.TDD files are not
used; the global (cross-database) options are stored in THUMBS.INI
in the
same directory with THUMBS.EXE, and local (database) options
are stored in
<database>.TDO, in the same directory with the database
(<database>.TDB).
Here's a list of file types/names and their
general location & usage:
| Name |
Located |
Options
Stored |
| THUMBS.INI |
Program dir |
Global (program) options, single-user install |
| THUMBS.TDO |
Database dir |
Local (database) options, single-user install |
| THUMBS.INI |
Windows dir |
User's Global & local options, network install |
| THUMBS.DEF |
Program dir |
Site's Global options, network install |
| THUMBS.TDD |
Database dir |
Site's database options, network install |
| THUMBS.TYP |
Program dir |
File type definitions |
| THUMBS.FLT |
Program dir |
Filter definitions |
[The .TDO & .TDD files may have different
names (it's based on the name of the database (.TDB) file).]
The program itself never directly creates
the THUMBS.DEF or THUMBS.TDD files; these must be created
by the site/network administrator. Of course he/she can use
the THUMBS.INI and THUMBS.TDO as templates. Also, the Help
file contains a list of most of the available options.
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Below is the information you need to edit
your registry to enable each user to have their own customized
preferences.
Note: If you have not edited the registry
before, you are doing so at your own risk.
KEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Cerious Software
Inc.\ThumbsPlus\5.0\IniFile "e:\bob\thumbs.ini" means the
current user will go to e:\bob\thumbs.ini for startup settings.
This can include initial database, etc - any thumbs.ini setting
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Cerious Software
Inc.\ThumbsPlus\5.0\TdoSuffix ".ABC" means that my database-specific
options will be stored to & read from "Thumbs.tdo.abc" for
the database Thumbs.tdb. The database "Video.tdb" would use
Video.tdo.abc
For more help with this, please contact network support.
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