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Workgroup Messaging?
Displaying my ignorance asks: "We have a small workgroup running on Windows XP Professional; we do not have a domain server. We use Peachtree accounting software which is supposedly multi-user. Unfortunately, multi-user
does not translate into allowing two people to be
in the same module (i.e., accounts receivable) at
the same time. Because the users are in different
buildings they often crash Peachtree because
they don't know that someone else is already in
that module. These crashes result in the loss of
data since the last backup. I am therefore trying to locate software, compatible with Windows XP, which would allow a user to create pop-up messages for display on the
remote screens. It needs to be a pop-up, not just
a flag in the system tray; ideally it would be a
flashing neon sign which fills most of the screen
[grin]. Because we do not have SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) Messenger appears not to be a solution. Any suggestions?"
net send computername "I am working on blah blah blah...."
Am I missing something here? Seems like a simple IM Client is all that's called for here. They'd be some company policy issues to work out on who the employees are allowed to talk to but it seems to me MSN or AOL IM clients are the only things required.
You could use cvs to check the file in and out.
This isn't the sig you are looking for... Carry on...
Although not big and flash, the command prompt that is built into windows nt / 2000 / xp should do the trick. There are applications out there that provide front ends to it, otherwise you could just write your own little script.
You could easily run a jabber client, there are free (as in beer) versions and the main server is running inside your network, so no unfortunate export of precious information.
Create a virtual machine for each module, e.g.
(1) AR.mygroup.mydomain.com
(2) AP.mygroup.mydomain.com
(3) GL.mygroup.mydomain.com
Install the appropriate modules and instruct users to click on the icon that will launch to that virtual machine. Watch for a few seconds, and if somebody's entering a transaction, try back later.
This should work, but it is relatively speaking a cheapskate solution.
You probably could do something with Windows Terminal Services and license management that would work more slickly, but I haven't worked much with it so I can't tell you how well they'd work. Probably better than the above solution.
Post may contain irony: discontinue use if experiencing mood swings, nausea or elevated blood pressure.
Please do upload your next slashdot comment to your telephone. After all it is communication, and we the rest would be much happier without it...
Code poet, espresso fiend, starter upper.
messenger service/net send?
This may leave you open to spammage on this service (but chances are this is already enabled on all of your win2k/xp workstations anyway).
It's 10 PM. Do you know if you're un-American?
I mean it. It's free, it's interoperable and it even allows you to access your buddies on different IM networks (like aim, msn, icq etc).
Go to Jabber Software Foundation and look for server that will work on your system. There are free servers for POSIX systems and I'm sure that there are at least several servers for Windows. As for clients, there are dozens clients for every major OS, and most of them have the feature to automatically popup messages on the screen. I'd suggest Psi and Miranda.
Robert
Bastard Operator From 193.219.28.162
Aren't there well-documented blatant security holes that allow instant popups to be displayed on a Windows desktop?
Or, how about finding accounting software that doesn't suck?
Healthcare article at Kuro5hin
You _did_ get the lobotomy, didn't you?
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You're treating the symptom not the disease. What you need is to replace your accounting software (and maybe even your OS) with something that meets your business's requirements.
Worried about the cost of new software are you? How much money is your company hemorraging because your using a single-user accounting program that deletes all of your data? How much more will it lose when you try to patch it up with an IM program?
Michael.
Linux : Mac
We use Peachtree accounting software which is supposedly multi-user. Unfortunately, multi-user does not translate into allowing two people to be in the same module (i.e., accounts receivable) at the same time. Because the users are in different buildings they often crash Peachtree because they don't know that someone else is already in that module. These crashes result in the loss of data since the last backup.
It seems that you are trying an ad-hoc solution instead of looking at the root cause of problem which seems to be the buggy Peachtree accounting software (or maybe their sales folk claimed it to be multi-user while developers didn't get to finish multi-user module properly). When you get your messaging thing working, you might want to call the Peachtree accounting software and bug them until they take care of your problem or if your organization can afford it, get a better package that meets the needs of your organization.
You can either hire a tow truck to pull your car with broken engine (you still sit in the car) for your commute or you can get a car that works !!
OMG!
I just have to comment that if two people are using a single module the whole system will crash, are you crazy for using this software?!?!?!
Seriously, not wanting to sound too crazy, this software is very crazy! It would be easy to build in some kind of user-check module into the software (if there is now no present method, building in a lookup log is no effort at all), to check what users are using what module and deny access if it is in use, or to just allow the software multi-access (this may require some more hard work given the software sounds so flawed). Using some kind of lookup-user module would take a progammer less than a day to create, it is seriously easy business.
I suggest you draft a sternly worded letter to your software providers asking for this.
This however is merely a workaround. I have never heard of such amateur accounting software on public market.
Truely astounded.
--
FreeNET user? Comfortable with the adverse selection?
I forgot to ask...
how much is this costing you in terms of duplicated work, recovering from backups etc? In a team of just a few it still may be costing a hell of a lot: time lost, resources wasted etc...
???
--
FreeNET user? Comfortable with the adverse selection?
step 1: hire a real network admin
step 2: have them assess your network and software
step 3: let them get the software you need and configure it correctly.
note, none of these steps is "come up with stupid kludges that don't scale, work or really solve the problem."
btw, this question is one proof for the rathe simple equation "muppet != technical person."
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If it can't even do multiuser correctly.. get rid of it. Quickbooks Pro does multiuser perfectly without a central server.
-- Home on the strange
savethedollhouse.com
Net Send and Winchat...look them up. They'll do exactly what you need to do. Net Send can be scripted too, from batch files or command line.
I agree, you should look into better accounting software. Having said that, my office also uses peachtree, but the problem has been resolved with USB flash drives. If you don't have the flash drive, you can't get into the module you need, and you can't crash Peachtree. Granted, the people in my workplace who would need a common module often have offices next to each other, so passing the drive around isn't a problem, but if they are far apart, you may need another solution.
Another solution to your problem would be to separate the modules to different shared volumes, and only allow one user to access each share at a time. Simple and effective, but you have to disconnect them if they leave with the share open.
--That's the point of being root, you can do anything you want, even if it's stupid.
You could do what you want easily with Batch files and the DOS Net Send command, or some coding to kick off that command line, and more advanced features.
How about LanTalk XP: http://www.lantalk.net/lantalk_xp.php ? That should meet your needs unless I've misunderstood the question.
Your problem is that Peachtree does not work with multiple users using a module at the same time. As many of us know here, it doesnt matter what you ask / tell / demand users to do, they will screw things up.
Can you not host the module(s) in question on different network shares and set the shares to only permit one concurrent user? Coupled with an auto-disconnection timeout that would ensure that only one user could use the module at the same time.
Alternatively perhaps use the Terminal Services functions of one of the XP machines for that module and make people use the terminal server - as XP only supports one TS user, it would ensure that only one user was in the module at any one time.
I don't know much about Peachtree, but if there can't be more than one person logged into any given module at any given time, it seems like a pretty useless piece of software, unless your company has 1 or less employees.
Try dotNETSender; it's a GUI front end for the NET SEND command, it's simple (works pretty much like the old winpopup of 9X), and takes just a little configuring. It's perfect if you have a small network without any Exchange-based messaging servers. From my expierience, expecting non-power users to adapt to using the command line (net send in particular) is a futile hope. This makes it glaringly easy for quick workgroup messaging, and it pops right up in their screen; no way to miss it.
.Net framework (which you can get through Windows Update or on Microsoft's site) and the "demo" program the author lists here. The source (in C#) is even available for you budding .Net coders; best of all, it costs nothing.
All you need is the
Life is hard, and the world is cruel
Advertisers aren't the only people who can use the "net send" command to send messages. You can just as easily write a quick front-end to execute this program and pop-up messages to people across the network.
The syntax of this command is:
/DOMAIN[:name] | /USERS} message
NET SEND {name | * |
It will pop a fully modal dialog box that will annoy the hell out of the user interupting whatever they may be doing at the moment, stealing keyboard focus and making an annoying DING sound.
This is being abused by SPAMMERS so most people just disable the messenger service in NT/Win2k/XP but this is what you are looking for and it comes with Windows already.
It's designed to send msg's from servers when they are being shutdown, offline, etc. Caution is advised as it could broadcast to all users at once if you don't use it properly.
A GUI could be whipped up pretty easily using VB.
Other then this, why not use the IM program of choice? i.e. Jabber, AIM, Yahoo, etc?
I did this once for a company. It's funny that the manual at the time didn't mention data loss. It was fun finding that out the hard way :) If I remember right I setup Realpopup on their machines for this very purpose. Cheap and it worked.
LAN only ....
http://www.kinberlink.com/
(you make need to run windows update, I think it needs IE6 installed)
Type unto others as you would have them type unto you.
I've seen it at a few sites, it seems to work pretty well. You click on the application's icon, and it checks against a central repository of applications to see if a copy is available. If one is, the application launches normally, otherwise it tells you to try later. I was impressed. It looks like it works pretty well, although a priori I'd have my doubts about such a system.
CVS will definitely not work because it doesn't lock anything. Plus, it would be cool to check in a virus infected application back into the repository.
Post may contain irony: discontinue use if experiencing mood swings, nausea or elevated blood pressure.
And to think, just last week I was complaining about some weird issues with reading the AccPac database with ODBC...I guess my problems don't seem to big anymore. =)
Losing ACCOUNTING data when multiple people are in the same module! That's awful... I'm assuming you've checked what other PeachTree users are doing for this? You can't be the only one with this problem...
I'm not entirely sure that a popup is going to be that effective. What happens when you close the popup and forget 20 minutes later? Perhaps a "better" solution is the one many others have said, use a standard IM clients. Jabber has a Windows server version now (though I haven't tried it personally). Then again, the easiest choice would be to get everyone on ICQ or whatever you prefer, though that opens up a whole lot of security issues.
If you're dead set on stop gap solutions, might I suggest more frequent backups? I'm not sure if PeachTree runs on a DB or a file system, but whichever it is, schedule a backup to another workstation every 15 minutes. Might salvage some of the lost time...
you take the closed source approach
-> you call the manufacturer
-> "fix my problem or we ditch you"
-> you listen to their empty promise once
-> twice
-> you ditch them
you should NOT create a program to fix the problem for them or it might never be fixed by them (what problem ? didn't you have a solution ?)
Ahh, the ever-popular patch pumpkin approach. Actually having the software physically stored on the token is a novel innovation, though. Have you thought of patenting it? (Sadly, you probably could...)
If I were in the original poster's shoes, I'd write a batch file that'd just make a lockfile on the same share where the program or data is located. Check for the lock; if it's not there lock the file and run the software. If it is there, pop up a warning. The lockfile should contain a user (or machine) name and a timestamp so you know who currently has the module locked. That way you can beat them up when they lock the file and go on vacation for a week. :-)
(Of course, the proper answer is to dump the buggy software. But I've worked in enough small offices to know that proper isn't always feasible...)
Chelloveck
I give up on debugging. From now on, SIGSEGV is a feature.
Out of all the postings I read, only one even came close to another suggestion.......look at the database. More specifically, Peachtree used to come with different database formats, like Btrieve or Access.
I used to support Btrieve and can tell you that it is one solid database. It was always the software apps built around it that were shite if there were problems. If you are having crashes, you need to check which database is being used. If it is Btrieve, then you may want to look at your code (Peachtree). Btrieve (now Pervasive at pervasive.com) comes in several different flavors of workgroup engine, server engine, standalone, enterprise, etc. if the accounting data is not in Btrieve data format, well....'nough said.
I'm good with numbers -
The company I previously worked at used Peachtree for their accounting package. It had a really bad time networking. Either use Quickbooks or get up to a MAS 90-level program.
-m
http://www.invisik.com
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