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Topic: NBN Exchange Addin

I have been working on this and have a revised version ready for testing. This resolves the problems on my machines. The functionality is the same, but as yet I have not been able to zip the files from within the addin. This can be done manually after the files have been generated.

Help with testing would be appreciated.

The  attached zip file contains  two files. Uninstall via Recorder 6 the existing NBNExchangeAddin, if you have it installed. Close R6  and copy BOTH the files into the R6 addin folder. Open R6 and install the addin by choosing the DLL from the R6 addin folder.   It shouldn't be necessary, but it may be worth running R6 as admin, when installing the addin   

If you have any difficiulties please report them.

Post's attachments

NBNExchangeAddinNu.zip 368.39 kb, 49 downloads since 2013-10-05 

You don't have the permssions to download the attachments of this post.
Mike Weideli

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Re: NBN Exchange Addin

Hello,

Our IT dept. have tested the new add-in as follows:

I saved the zip file to the 'addin' folder onto the system/admin database server, as the instructions state.

I extracted the zip but this only produced 1 file whereas the instructions suggest there should be 2.

I then uninstalled the previous NBN addin as per the instructions and closed recorder 6.

Then attempted to install the revised add-in version but when I open Recorder 6, click on Tools, then Install, then add-in module, then Install button and browse the path that the file was saved to, the folder is showing as empty.

Could you send the second file that should have been contained in the zip file and we will try again?

Many thanks,
Christine

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Re: NBN Exchange Addin

I have just opened the link above in Mikes post and it definitely contains two files

Rob Large
Wildlife Sites Officer
Wiltshire & Swindon Biological Records Centre

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Re: NBN Exchange Addin

The is the addin .dll and the .sql files. This is the same as the one that might have been there before.

Mike Weideli

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Re: NBN Exchange Addin

Hello,

I just saved the zipped file (NBNExchangeAddinNU.zip) within this link again:

http://forums.nbn.org.uk/viewtopic.php?pid=18483#p18483

I then extracted all files from within this zip file and this created a folder called NBNExchangeAddinNu but only produced one file called 'NBNExchangeAddinNu'

I then attempted to install the addin again but when I point to this newly created folder there is nothing within.  I wonder if the zipped file could be corrupt?

Would it be possible to have the files emailed to us directly?

Thank you,
Christine

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Re: NBN Exchange Addin

The link you posted points to this page, the link in Mike's post at the top is to a zip file containing two files. Can you not open it directly from your browser? If you click the link you should be asked if you want to save it or open it (depending on your browser). If you open it you should see two files (I can), copy these to your addins folder.

Rob Large
Wildlife Sites Officer
Wiltshire & Swindon Biological Records Centre

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Re: NBN Exchange Addin

Hi Rob,

No.  If I try to open the file I get the error message 'The Compressed (zipped) Folder is invalid or corrupted.'  If I save the file, then I just get an empty folder. 

Have you any idea why you might be able to open it, but I can't?

Many thanks,

Christine

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Re: NBN Exchange Addin

What operating system are you using and what software is extracting the zip file? All zip files are not the same these days unfortunately.

With Windows 7 I can open the zip without complaint just by double clicking on the downloaded file. If you can't do the same you could try downloading one of the proprietary zip compression utilities (WinZip, or one of the others). If that doesn't work then tell me and I could download the same software as you are using and zip the files up for you using that, perhaps.

Rob Large
Wildlife Sites Officer
Wiltshire & Swindon Biological Records Centre

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Re: NBN Exchange Addin

Hi Rob,

We are on Windows XP and are using WinZip to extract zipped files.

Thanks,
Christine

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Re: NBN Exchange Addin

Does the solution lie in http://forums.nbn.org.uk/viewtopic.php?pid=18291#p18291 ? If you are using Internet Explorer, can you try another browser?

Sally Rankin, JNCC Recorder Approved Expert
E-mail: s.rankin@btinternet.com
Telephone: 01491 578633
Mobile: 07941 207687

11 (edited by Graham Hawker 14-10-2013 10:38:30)

Re: NBN Exchange Addin

Thanks for this. I'm just waiting for the ICT department to do the installation.

Graham Hawker
Thames Valley Environmental Records Centre

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Re: NBN Exchange Addin

Hi Rob,

Thanks for sending those files.  We can see both the files now, but are still unable to install the add-in.  We have tried directly on the database server and get the following messages:

'The addin could not be installed for the following reason: System Error. Code: 32.  The process cannot access the file because it is used by another process.'

Followed by:

'The following file was not installed: NBNExchangeAddinNu.  The object you tried to install did not contain any valid Recorder 6 addins.'

If I try from my desktop I get:

'The specified file is not a COM server and cannot be registered'

Followed by:

'File did not contain any valid Recorder 6 addins'

Kind regards,
Christine

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Re: NBN Exchange Addin

The attached test addin can be installed just to check that there is no general  problems with installing addins. It just adds a button called 'Test' to the observation hierarchy.  Assuming that this  addins can be installed without problems, it would seem that the problems with the NBNExchange addin are caused by the install process  trying to add new stored procedures to the database. Permission issues on the database and on the files may be casuing the problem.  In order to test this  I have taken this part of the process out of the addin and a new version is attached to confirm this. This uses just the one file (NBNExchangeAddinNu.dll).

If you are unsure whether or not other addins install then

1. Unzip the test addin and copy the file into the Addin folder of R6.
2. Install the Test addin   using Tools Addin Modules

If this install OK or you know other addins will install then 

1. Check that the NBNExchange addin is not installed using Tools Addin Modules, Install. Remove the addin if it is already there. Then close Recorder -(important).
2. Unzip the NBNExchange addin file and copy this into the Addin folder of R6. Overwrite the file if it is already there.     
3. Open Recorder and install the addin using Tools, Addin Modules.

If the addin installs correctly, then we have identified the problem. The update to the database can them be run by installing the SQL  using Mangement Studio tools.

Please report the steps you take and what happens so that we can investigate further if required.

Post's attachments

jvbtestproject.zip 257.28 kb, 11 downloads since 2013-10-20 

NBNExchangeAddinNu.zip 364.44 kb, 18 downloads since 2013-10-19 

You don't have the permssions to download the attachments of this post.
Mike Weideli

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Re: NBN Exchange Addin

I've managed to install the add-in OK, and have been able to export some data - though ongoing problems with Recorder meant that I could only install it via the server computer, not on my own computer.  But at least it is working!

Ellie

Eleanor Knott
Devon Biodiversity Records Centre

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Re: NBN Exchange Addin

Hi Eleanor

Thank you very much for your help with this. You could try installing the version in the above post (NBNExchangeAddinNu.zip 365.44 kb)  on your machine. This doesn't include the procedure which updates database which I think has been causing  the installation problems with earlier versions. The database update would have been done by the Server install so this part of the process isn't required in subsequent installs.

Mike Weideli

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Re: NBN Exchange Addin

We managed to get this working by getting the program to be "run as" by our very helpful ICT chap who also did the login to SQL Server. When trying to load it as me I recieved the COM server error which I assume is due to it not being able to write to the registry. The addin loads and works fine. Thanks Mike.

Graham Hawker
Thames Valley Environmental Records Centre

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Re: NBN Exchange Addin

Hi Mike,

Our IT dept have tested your latest test add-in and I have been asked to pass on the following:

On Friday I managed to extract the test addin, 'jvbtestproject.zip'.
However, when I attempted to install it using the 'add-in configuration' tool in R6, I browsed to the folder that contained the add-in but it was not visable.  Whereas, if I browse to the folder using windows explorer the file is visable.  So I am guessing that the R6 is not recognising this file as an addin.

Also, when I tried to extract the other addin 'NBNExchangeAddinNu.zip', I got the message 'The archive is corrupt'.  The file extracts but shows as being 0kb.

Kind regards,
Christine Oines

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Re: NBN Exchange Addin

I think we may have the problem reported elsewhere making life even more complicated, in that .zip files downloaded from the forum using IE are being corrupted.  If you have another browser available this will enable you to get the correct files. The files do need to be unzipped to install. As soon as  I can I will put the files onto www.Recorder6.Info which doesn't seem to causes this problem.

Mike Weideli

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Re: NBN Exchange Addin

So far this is working but you can't do more than on extraction without closing recorder. It says the table "## NBN Exchange Obs" already exists unless i restart Recorder.

Graham Hawker
Thames Valley Environmental Records Centre

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Re: NBN Exchange Addin

Thanks. I know what is causing this. It shouldn't cause any problem above that reported and I will fix as soon as other issues with installation have been resolved.

Mike Weideli

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Re: NBN Exchange Addin

Hello Mike

This worked fine for me other than Graham's issue above. However, could you consider increasing the width of the abundance field?  I had several records with multi-value abundances where it did not export the abundance data.

Thanks

Alison

Alison Stewart
Dorset Environmental Records Centre

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Re: NBN Exchange Addin

We have had the same problem with abundance width in earlier versions of the addin. Yesterday I downloaded the version which is on the R6 website & I thought we no longer had the problem. Then again we now have a new set of problems so maybe I haven't seen it yet. This issue is a big problem for us and the way the addin handles it is not ideal (message not very specific and dialog appears for every record affected?). Sure I will have more to say tomorrow though.

I haven't tried the version you have here yet, had enough of being a guinea pig for now. But we'll see what tomorrow brings.

Rob Large
Wildlife Sites Officer
Wiltshire & Swindon Biological Records Centre

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Re: NBN Exchange Addin

This is still work in progress.  I think I can see where the problem with abundances is and will fix. Can not yet get the automated zip working and would like to fix this before releasing a new version.

Mike Weideli

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Re: NBN Exchange Addin

Thanks Mike.

Rob Large
Wildlife Sites Officer
Wiltshire & Swindon Biological Records Centre

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Re: NBN Exchange Addin

Hello Mike, please may i ask a question,

I work in the ICT department am new to how recorder works. I have two files that i believe are needed. When you mention copying the file into the addin folder of R6 , is this on the client PC or the server ?