Workgroup Messaging? 60
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?"
Re:net send? (Score:4, Insightful)
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.
Re:net send? (Score:1)
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...
???
Windows Messenger (Score:1)
Re:Windows Messenger (Score:3, Informative)
A: He'll never see the message and not know the database is in use.
Re:Windows Messenger (Score:1)
Re:Windows Messenger (Score:3, Insightful)
Extension of your point: all instant messaging systems I can think of will have the same limitation. AIM, Jabber, iChat (not that that's relevant here), MSN, etc. will not queue up mes
Re:Windows Messenger (Score:2)
Re:Windows Messenger (Score:1)
IM Client? (Score:1)
CVS (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:CVS (Score:2)
net send maybe? (Score:1)
Re:net send maybe? (Score:1)
Jabber (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Jabber (Score:1)
as for popup, make use of exodus' toaster feature
Re:You get some better accounting software... (Score:2, Informative)
Another solution to your probl
Re:You get some better accounting software... (Score:2)
Ahh, the ever-popular patch pumpkin [faqs.org] 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)
Re:Shit (Score:2)
VMware + VNC (Score:4, Informative)
(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.
Re:VMware + VNC (Score:2)
CVS would work too, but it has no usable end-user (lama) interface. It is where this above soultion shines, easy on the eyes
Re:VMware + VNC (Score:2)
Re:VMware + VNC (Score:2)
NOvell has a product that does this (Score:2)
CVS will definitely not work because it doesn't lock anything. Plus, it would be cool to check in a virus infected applicati
Re:VMware + VNC (Score:1)
dare i say (Score:3, Informative)
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).
Re:dare i say (Score:2)
Rename your PC to Microsoft, and send away.
Nice article about this method on The Register [theregister.co.uk]
Try Jabber (Score:3, Informative)
Go to Jabber Software Foundation [jabber.org] 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
Use widely-available Windows XP exploits... (Score:1)
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?
Step 1 (Score:1)
Seek a Cure (Score:5, Insightful)
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. [michael-forman.com]
When you can afford it, get better software (Score:4, Interesting)
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 !!
hm... (Score:2, Informative)
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."
Re:hm... (Score:1)
looks like you need to have a good re-think on the software you are using...
Ditch that piece of crap (Score:2, Informative)
-- Home on the strange
net send (Score:2)
Net Send (Score:2)
lantalk (Score:2)
IM is not the way (Score:3, Informative)
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.
Re:IM is not the way (Score:2)
If that doesn't fix it, you can check Peachtree's Knowledge Base [peachtree.com], and the Peachtree Users Forum [peachtreeusers.com] for other tips.
WTF? (Score:2)
Re:WTF? (Score:2)
Try dotNETSender (Score:2)
All you need is the
Ms thought of it first.. (Score:2)
Why not... (Score:2)
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 shutd
Peachtree multiuser (Score:2, Informative)
Kinberlink (Score:1)
http://www.kinberlink.com/
(you make need to run windows update, I think it needs IE6 installed)
Sheesh... I guess I can't complain about ACCPAC. (Score:2)
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?
You're working on windows you say (Score:2)
-> 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 ?)
Look at the database engine (Score:1)
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).
Peachtree is your problem (Score:1)
-m
last post again!!! (Score:1)