Topic

Messages

Using Remote Access

Hi,

Is anyone using Terminal Server NT (Remote Access) to allow MACs to work with C&P Pro? If so, are there any known problems or issues to be aware of?

We are currently testing remote access. When we start C&P the fonts are not correct. The fonts from C&P were installed into the WINNT fonts folder.

Also, how would a MAC user do control-break to cancel the padlock cursor?

Any help you can give us would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Vicki Aguirre Idaho Power

Vicki,

We have had some questions about access via Terminal Server recently. After our testing is completed, we'll post the findings on the System Manager News page located here: http://www.cnp-x.com/support/sys_mgr_news.html

As to your other questions, if fonts are not installed correctly on a PC during the C&P install, they can be manually installed by going to the fonts control panel, then going to file > install new font, then direct it to the fonts folder in the Clients & Profits directory and select all four fonts.

To break a padlock on a Mac, use apple-period. This is always preferable to force quitting the application, as that can cause damage to the database.

Chris Lawrence Clients & Profits Helpdesk

We have used C&P via the Terminal Services feature of Windows 2000 for quite some time. Our focus is not so much on giving Mac users access to C&P but providing robust remote access (via VPN) to C&P. The server that runs the application for Terminal Services (and other functions) is separate from our file & database server and by all accounts that's a good way to go.

We have not had any problem with Mac or Windows users using Terminal Services and C&P. You should be careful to limit the number of simultaneous users, I've kept it to three. Also be sure your users log out of C&P before quitting the RDC client. I have found this causes problems with backup, even if the auto-quit feature is enabled. (On our server, I have also set terminated sessions to quit all running programs, just in case a VPN session encounters an error).

Honestly, I don't think we have ever run into a stuck padlock cursor on our Terminal Server. However, I've looked for a way to map the keys across the session, but can't find one for the break key. There is a program on Win2K called "On Screen Keyboard" (Start-->Programs-->Accessibility) that lets you point-and-click key combinations. That might do the trick if you don't need to use it very often.

Our Mac users typically don't use Terminal Services to access C&P. We have installed Services for Macintosh on the server to give everyone AppleTalk access. This opens up C&P to legacy (OS9) users and to OSX (as long as they attach to the share using AFP, not SMB, and are willing to run Classic).

A side note: I, too, have noticed the fonts are not quite right on a Terminal Services session. They're quite usable, though. If yours are totally off, you might try reinstalling the program.

I hope this helps. Let me know if you have more questions. -- Richard Heend thembcgroup

Thank you Richard and Chris for responding so quickly.

Chris's response of manually installing the fonts by going to the fonts control panel, then going to file > install new font, then directing it to the fonts folder in the Clients & Profits directory and selecting all four fonts resolved our font problem.

We trained on Weds. and went live yesterday with C&P Pro. Fingers are crossed that we won't get the padlock cursor. But if we do, we'll certainly try Richard's suggestion of using the On Screen Keyboard to access control-break.

Thanks again.

Vicki L. Aguirre Publishing Support Technician

Vicki,

Since the padlock cursor indicates that another user is editing the same record (and got there first), there's no much you can do to avoid it. It's a natural function of the system since it's multi-user. The advice I'd give your users is to either wait for the record to become available (which happens when the other user saves their work) or press command-period (on the Mac) or control-break (on Windows) to cancel the request to edit. If they cancel an edit, they'll need to then close the window and try again in a few minutes -- depending on how long the other user ties up the record.

Mark Robillard Creative Director, Clients & Profits