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Windows for Workgroups Network Function Sampler
(c) 1995 by Trigeminal Software, Ltd.

June 12, 1995

Michael S. Kaplan (CIS 102140, 1533)
Trigeminal Software, Ltd.

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This file contains a little history and other info.



For all of the warnings and disclaimers, as well
as a little info on the functions., see "ABOUT.TXT"
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This is a small sampler of functions that were developed
to make my life easier.

There are too many times when a network administrator has
to do little jobs to many computers on the LAN.  There 
are several fine network install programs around (I am
currently rather pleased with WINSTALL), but the majority
of my "updating" is not large applications, but small tasks 
like this:

1) copying MS Word Macro ABCD to all of the computers on 
the 2nd floor;

2) deleting all of the extra SYSTEM.MDA files from the
individual PCs in the network to enhance security;

3) adding a custom icon to a program group (or adding a
new group altogether);

4) setting up Network DDE shares on multiple PCs;

I looked at the Access database that I had set up to keep
all the information on the network straight (let's see now,
which video card does Sam's terminal have?  Let me just
look it up here...)  So I did what any developer would; I
started writing functions.

This sampler includes all of the network-related dialogs
that I was able to make work CORRECTLY and CONSISTENTLY from 
Access. It also includes the functions you need to set up 
network shares and connections progamatically from within
ACCESS rather than through the file manager or the nebulous
"NETWORK" button in the common dialogs (which requires the
user to specify everything at runtime).  It includes a 
cute function I wrote that will copy a DDE share from one
machine to another (getting around the even less-documented
NDDEAPI.DLL).  And it also includes a few little trinkets
that either help the demo forms run or just do something I
thought was spectacular at one time or another.  None of 
them are earth-shattering, but all of them are useful.

All of them are callable as is, but most developers will want
to expand on them.  

The program these functions is the Remote Network Administrator
(or R.N.A.) for Windows.  I may actually distribute the program
if I find there is some serious interest in it -- drop me a 
line at the above CIS #) It is an Access database file that knows 
a lot more about my network that I do.  It has all the info 
on each computer in the LAN -- what type of monitor, mouse, 
modem, multimedia kit, video card, software, etc., is attached 
to the computer, as well as all of the necessary access
passwords and copies of the Autoexec, Config, and INI files
(in case they need to be restored or changed).  And every night
at 1:33 am, it automatically logs on to each individual PC,
backs up all of the directories that have been specified, and 
copies them to one of three places:  a)the offsite machine, 
b)the network file server, or c)the PC next to it, in a "daisy
chain" type of backup.  The next morning it tells me what it did 
and what it didn't (and why).  I have been able to fix problems
and answer questions and solve problems in Access, Excel, Word,
Windows, and DOS, without even going into the office.

Let me know how you fare -- one of the down sides of working so 
hard on one type of network is a possible lack of interoperability.  
I'd love to hear any suggestion or comments (or tales of woe) that 
you may have.

June 12, 1995

Michael S. Kaplan (CIS 102140,1533)
for Trigeminal Software, Ltd.



