1 Reply by RobLarge

  • RobLarge
  • RobLarge
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Re: Additional users

We have a fully functioning network version of Rec 6 which works fine for all of the users we set up (i.e. the people who normally sit at each workstation).

However, whenever we try to log on another user at one of the workstations (e.g. any of our volunteers, or one of the staff at another person's workstation), a dialog appears asking where we want to put the temporary files. Then we get an access violation error (see below).

I'm sure I must have already dealt with this successfully because we have one volunteer who can successfully log onto one machine which was previously set up for someone else.

What is going on here? Why does Recorder seem to have a problem with multiple individuals sharing a machine?

The error text looks like this:

date/time         : 2009-07-23, 16:28:51, 242ms
computer name     : WWTMG4-1
user name         : PurgleL
operating system  : Windows XP Service Pack 3 build 2600
system language   : English
system up time    : 2 minutes 15 seconds
program up time   : 36 seconds
processors        : 2x Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 3.00GHz
physical memory   : 99/502 MB (free/total)
free disk space   : (C:) 56.64 GB
display mode      : 1280x1024, 32 bit
process id        : $7b8
allocated memory  : 13.94 MB
command line      : RecorderApp.exe /65884
executable        : RecorderApp.exe
exec. date/time   : 2008-11-04 09:45
version           : 6.13.3.182
madExcept version : 2.7h
exception class   : EAccessViolation
exception message : Access violation at address 00983AE2 in module 'RecorderApp.exe'. Read of address 00000000.

main thread ($1a4):
00983ae2 RecorderApp.exe ApplicationSettings 3392 TApplicationSettings.ClearAllFilteredRecords
0097956b RecorderApp.exe ApplicationSettings  695 TApplicationSettings.Destroy
7c90e485 ntdll.dll                                KiUserExceptionDispatcher

Rob Large
Wildlife Sites Officer
Wiltshire & Swindon Biological Records Centre

RobLarge's Website

2 Reply by RobLarge

  • RobLarge
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Re: Additional users

No replies then?

I am finding this increasingly frustrating. As I described above, when a second user logs onto a machine onto which recorder 6 workstation has previously been working well for a first user, a dialog requests a location for temporary files. This situation appears to be undocumented and there is no explanation as to which files will go there, whether they are user specific, or machine specific. Should they be located on the local machine or shared on the network?

So I try creating a temp folder on the c drive and telling the dialog to use that. It turns out that a bunch of files relating to the map window (base maps and the like) get copied in there. Why do they need to, when the original user does not have their own folder for them? (the orginal user seems to get by with the copies which are located within C:\Program files\Recorder 6 Workstation\)

Anyway it seems to work OK, but then the temporary folder gets deleted accidentally (don't ask). Now Rec 6 won't open for the user for which the folder was created, giving the exception above. I undelete the folder and try again, but the exception still occurs. Recorder 6 is now effectively closed to this user on this machine and I know of no way of recovering the situation.

Desperately trying to formulate a question...

Can anyone explain why the second user needs to tell the system where temporary files will go. This implies that they cannot share the same location as the first user (i.e. the files are user specific) If that is the case, why does the first user (and all other users) not have a user-specific folder for their temp files.

We can't be the only LRC with hot desking data entry staff & volunteers. Help!

Rob Large
Wildlife Sites Officer
Wiltshire & Swindon Biological Records Centre

RobLarge's Website

3 Reply by Lynn Heeley

  • Lynn Heeley
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Re: Additional users

Hi Rob,

I forwarded your first post to our technical advice last friday (24th) so I am hoping they will get back to you very soon - they are currently busy with the latest version so may not have had as much time to respond to posts as usual (I will email them again now to remind them).

Best Wishes,
Lynn

4 Reply by RobLarge

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Re: Additional users

Thanks Lynn

Rob Large
Wildlife Sites Officer
Wiltshire & Swindon Biological Records Centre

RobLarge's Website

5 Reply by ser

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Re: Additional users

Rob,

We have a Recorder network installed on about 16 workstations - and several are used for 'hot desking' we've never had any problems once a user can log-on successfully on one machine, they can log-on on any - I did have alot of problems adding users and workstations, needing to add workstations manually to SQL Server as users before the workstation would allow ANYONE to log-on to Recorder, but nothing like what you describe - this is probably why you haven't heard for other users!

Craig

Craig Slawson
Staffordshire Ecological Record

ser's Website

6 Reply by RobLarge

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Re: Additional users

Thanks anyway Craig. The most annoying thing to my mind is that I am unable to work out where the choice of temporary folder is stored (presumably in the registry somewhere), so I am unable to play around with various settings till we get one which satisfies our needs.

Rob Large
Wildlife Sites Officer
Wiltshire & Swindon Biological Records Centre

RobLarge's Website

7 Reply by RobLarge

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Re: Additional users

Breakthough! (he says cautiously).

The problem appears to be to do with local administrator rights on the machine.

When the workstation install is done initially, by the person who normally uses the machine, they have local administrator rights on that machine, so the install works fine. In the process the location for various temporary and shared files is set to C:Program files\Recorder 6 Workstation\ and its subfolders and a bunch of stuff is copied in there (map files etc.)

When a second user tries to log on (who does not automatically have local admin rights on that machine) they are denied access to the Program files folder so Recorder asks for a location to put a copy of the necessary files (which has to be outside the Program files folder in order to overcome the rights issue).

We now need to give all BRC staff & vols local administrator rights on all BRC machines to solve the problem.

This is a bug which needs fixing I think. It would be considerably more useful if, instead of just asking for the new location, the software informed the user that they do not have sufficient access rights to do the install at the default location and that they should either get sufficient rights or create a new folder where they do have access. The current arrangement is opaque to say the least!

I am still curious however, why the contents of the folder (which includes base map files etc.) need to be stored locally on the machine at all. Why don't the base maps remain on the server installation?

Rob Large
Wildlife Sites Officer
Wiltshire & Swindon Biological Records Centre

RobLarge's Website

8 Reply by johnvanbreda

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Re: Additional users

Hi Rob,
2 things - I haven't seen 6.14 yet but I think the fixes to make it work on Vista relate to file locations so they will also fix these issues with access to the Program Files directory. Also to answer your questions about keeping base maps locally, it is simply a matter of performance. The mapping engine runs a lot quicker with local files, so apart from the polygon layers which need to be shared, the other files are kept locally.

Best Wishes

John van Breda
Biodiverse IT

johnvanbreda's Website

9 Reply by ser

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Re: Additional users

Rob,

Your solution explains why we don't get the problem here - all the workstations are always logged on to the network using the same username (we had so many problem with several programs if different people logged on to the same machine) so once I have got a workstation to work with Recorder, then all subsequent users work OK - if I install Recorder on a new workstation, I alway have to set up that workstation as a user in SQL Server by hand before Recorder will work properly - but the error I get is that SQL Server does not exist!

Craig

Craig Slawson
Staffordshire Ecological Record

ser's Website

10 Reply by RobLarge

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Re: Additional users

Interesting solution Craig, does that mean that all users log onto Recorder with the same login as well then?

Rob Large
Wildlife Sites Officer
Wiltshire & Swindon Biological Records Centre

RobLarge's Website

11 Reply by Lynn Heeley

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Re: Additional users

Rob do you use trusted connection when installing or the SQL server login? There is some guidance in the installation guide which relates to logins which may shed some more light on this (http://forums.nbn.org.uk/viewtopic.php?id=450).

Lynn

12 Reply by RobLarge

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Re: Additional users

Lynn

I presume you are referring to the follwing section:

"Performing a workstation installation
To install Recorder 6 and any Addins, users need administrator rights over the workstation. "

However, the problem we were experiencing occurs when the workstation is already installed and an additional user attempts to use it. This user must also have administrator rights.

Rob Large
Wildlife Sites Officer
Wiltshire & Swindon Biological Records Centre

RobLarge's Website

13 Reply by Lynn Heeley

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Re: Additional users

Hi Rob,

Pages 20 and 30 refer to setting up logins on SQL server which should be of use. I'm quite new to installing over a network but these sections look useful - this is not specifically related to the workstation installation but affects it.

Cheers,
Lynn