Installing WorkExpo for use across a Local Area Network

Terry Chapman
Info Plan Software
May 2006
 

Applies To:
Info Plan Software® WorkExpo

Applies To: Info Plan Software® WorkExpo
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Summary: This article explains the network setup for WorkExpo for version 6.0 and later, and describes the issues that IT managers should consider when installing WorkExpo in a shared environment across a Local Area Network (LAN).
 

Contents
Introduction
Automatic Network Installation
Manual Network Installation
Display the Data File Path in the WorkExpo Title Bar
Sharing Files Between Different Users of WorkExpo
WorkExpo Will Run Slower Across a LAN
WorkExpo File Format (Microsoft Access)
Conclusion
 

Introduction

WorkExpo is a Microsoft Access database. It consists primarily of two key files (databases) - WORKEXPO.MDE (front-end) and DATA.MDB (back-end). It should be installed so that the data file may be shared by different users at different locations while all other files including the front-end file WORKEXPO.MDE reside on the local machine.
WorkExpo can automatically create a connection to a back-end file on a network drive. You do not need to copy files manually. It is recommended that you use the FILE/OPEN command in WorkExpo to point to a data file and connect to it.

Automatic Network Installation

Follow these steps to set WorkExpo up on a work station

1.      Log onto the workstation where WorkExpo is to be installed

2.      Install WorkExpo on the machine using the /Silent switch (silent install) e.g. SETUP.EXE /silent
This switch accept all defaults during setup and installs WorkExpo to c:\program files\workexpo

3.      Start WorkExpo and test that the sample data is displayed correctly.

4.      Register the software in the usual way. Register via Options/School. Enter your school name then the registration code.

5.      From the WorkExpo main menu click the “Options” button

6.      Click the “Network” tab

7.      Specify the path to the folder in the "Network Server data file location" box, then

8.      Click the "Create Network Connection" button

9.      WorkExpo carries out the following steps:

·         Checks to see if an existing WorkExpo data file (DATA.MDB) is found in your specified network location

·         If an existing data file is found in the specified network location, WorkExpo connects to it and renames the data file on local machine to data.old

·         If an existing data file is NOT found in the specified network location, WorkExpo copies the current data file on the local drive to the specified server and then connects to it. Then WorkExpo renames the old data file to c:\program files\workexpo\data.old

Note: Only a single file data.mdb needs to reside on the network server.
All other files should remain on user’s C: drive.

Manual Network Installation

Follow these steps to set WorkExpo up on a work station manually using Windows Explorer

1.      Log onto the workstation where WorkExpo is to be installed with full software installation and registry permissions

2.      Install WorkExpo normally on the machine using the /silent switch (Quiet install) e.g. SETUP.EXE /silent
This switch accept all defaults during setup and installs WorkExpo to c:\program files\workexpo

3.      Start WorkExpo

4.      Register the software in the usual way. Register via Options/School. Enter your school name then the registration code

5.      Close WorkExpo

6.      Using Windows Explorer move the single file c:\program files\workexpo\data.mdb to a network server location

7.      Start WorkExpo

8.      WorkExpo will prompt for the data.mdb file location on startup

9.      Navigate to the network server location of data.mdb

10.  WorkExpo re-connects to this network data file and stores its location for future use

Display the Data File Network Path in the WorkExpo Title Bar

WorkExpo can display the current data file path in the title bar, to enable this:

1.      Open WorkExpo at the Main Menu

2.      Click the Options button

3.      In the Options dialog click the DATA FILE tab

4.      Click checkbox to enable “Show data file path in the title bar”

WorkExpo displays the current data file path in the title bar

Sharing Files between Different Users of WorkExpo

Users of WorkExpo can also share their data file (data.mdb) across a LAN so that updates and deletes flow to all users. WorkExpo will handle any read/write conflicts internally.

WorkExpo Will Run Slower Across a LAN

WorkExpo with the data.mdb file deployed across a LAN will run slower than if the data file resided on the user’s hard drive. However, WorkExpo will run very much slower if the front-end file workexpo.mde is also deployed on the server. It is strongly recommended that this is avoided and that workexpo.mde is deployed on each user’s hard disk.

WorkExpo File Format (Microsoft Access)

WorkExpo’s default file format is Microsoft Access. Check out the README.TXT file in the MANUAL INSTALL folder on the WorkExpo CD. Provision is made for supporting various versions of Access and instructions on installation are also contained there. For more information on converting WorkExpo files, contact Info Plan Software (03) 9531 1091 or software@infoplan.com.au

Conclusion

WorkExpo can be installed across a local area network for data sharing by several users. Only a single file data.mdb needs to be deployed to the network server. Any other installation will mean that users may lose WorkExpo program settings between sessions. Also WorkExpo may run considerably slower if the front-end file workexpo.mde is deployed on the server. In this article, you learned about the considerations that IT managers need to be aware of when developing and using WorkExpo in a LAN environment.