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User Manual

Chapter 7

Advanced Features

PC-Duo enables you to start an application on individual Clients and Groups of Clients. This facility could be used to execute a setup application and install software on Client PCs.

Executing Applications on a Client

You can execute an application on any Client PC even if you are not connected to it before starting the application.

To Execute Applications on Individual Clients:
  1. Right-click the Client on which you want to execute an application.
  2. Choose the Execute at Client command from the shortcut menu.
  3. In the Execute Application dialog, enter the path, name and any parameters for the application you want to execute, then click the Execute button.

The application is executed on the Client PC. After a few moments, the results of the operation are displayed in the bottom section of the Execute Application dialog.

Executing an Application on a Group of Clients

To Execute Applications on a Group of Clients:
  1. Right-click the Group that contains the Clients on which you want to execute an application.
  2. Choose the Execute at Client command from the shortcut menu.
  3. In the Execute Application dialog, enter the path, name and any parameters for the application you want to execute, then click the Execute button.

The Control attempts to execute the application on all Clients in the Group. After a few moments, the results of the operation are listed in the bottom section of the Execute Application dialog.

You can also execute applications on Clients using the Remote Command Prompt option in the Clients menu. It enables you to run tools and applications from a command line in the same way as the standard Windows command prompt.

Capturing the Print Output on Client PCs

The Print Capture feature enables you to redirect the printer output from a Client PC to the printer at the Control. Use this feature when you are running an application on a Client, but want to redirect printed output to a printer used by the Control.

You can configure the Print Capture facility before or while you are connected to a Client.

To Capture a Client's Print Output:
  1. In the Control window's List View, right-click the Client to display the shortcut menu.
  2. Choose the Client Settings command from the shortcut menu.
  3. In the Settings for Client dialog, click Print Capture.
  4. Select the Enable Print Capture check box to enable the print capture options.
  5. Select a print capture option to redirect the print output. Choose:

    Capture to Printer to redirect the print output to a printer. To select a different printer, click the Change button.

    Capture to File to redirect the print output to a file. Enter a filename with an extension of PRN, or click the Browse button to locate an existing file.

  6. Click the OK button to return to the Control window.

The Print Capture feature may already be enabled by the Profile used by your Control. For more information, see "Using Control Profiles".

Rebooting And Logging Out Clients

When you are connected to a Client, you can reboot or log the user off their Client PC by sending the equivalent of an Alt+Ctrl+Del key press. If the Client is running Windows NT4, 2000, XP or 2003, this action causes the Client to log off. If the Client is running Windows 95, 98, or Me, this action causes the Client to reboot.

To Reboot or Log Out Clients:
  1. Select the Clients, or Group you want to log out or reboot.
  2. Right-click the selection to display the shortcut menu, then choose the Reboot / Logout command. The selected Clients or Group are rebooted or logged out.

    Alternatively, if the View window is displayed for the Client you want to reboot, you can also click the Reboot button in the View window Toolbar to reboot the Client.

To shut down a Client rather than reboot it, display the View window for the Client, then click the Start button and choose the Shutdown command in the Client's View window. The Client automatically disconnects after a few moments.

Power Management

Wake-on-LAN technology in PC-Duo enables you to activate and switch off remote PCs using the Power On and Power Off commands in the Client menu.

To use the Power Management features, you must first configure the Client PCs.

Client Requirements for Remote Power Management

You may need to set up the following hardware, BIOS and operating system features before using power management on remote PCs:

Using Power Management

The Power On facility only works with Clients for which the MAC Address is known by the Control application.

A Client's MAC Address is picked up by the Control application when you connect to the Client. (This only applies to TCP/IP Clients.)

To check whether the MAC Address is stored for a Client, view the Details tab in the Client Properties dialog.

A known Client is listed in the Control PC's CLIENT.NSM file, along with its MAC Address.
To Activate a Remote PC:
  1. In the Control application's Client View, select the PCs you want to activate.
  2. Choose the Client, Power On menu command.
To Shut Down a Remote PC:
  1. In the Control application's Client View, select the PCs you want to deactivate.
  2. Choose the Client, Power Off menu command.
To activate or deactivate a Group of PCs:
  1. Select the Group from the Tree View
  2. Choose Power On or Power Off from the Group menu.
    You can perform Power Management operations from within PC-Duo Scripts. See "Power Management Scripts" for more details.

Working With User-Defined Tools

You can integrate external tools and applications with the PC-Duo Control application. These tools can then be accessed using the Tools, User Defined submenu in the Control window. PC-Duo Scripts can also be configured as User Defined Tools.

You can customize the PC-Duo Control Toolbar and add a Tools button that enables you to access your User Defined Tools more easily.

Adding User Defined Tools

To Add a User Defined Tool:
  1. In the PC-Duo Control window, choose the Tools, User Defined, Edit menu command. The User Defined Tools dialog is displayed.

  1. Click the Add button.

  1. In the Add Tool dialog, enter the text you want to use as the menu command name in the Menu Text box.
    In the Menu Text box, you can prefix a letter of the name with an ampersand (&) character, so that you can use the letter as a shortcut to activate that menu command when the menu is displayed.
  2. To reference a file as your User Defined Tool, click the Browse button to select the file.
  3. Enter any parameters you want to pass in the command line in the Arguments box.
  4. Select the Wait for program to finish check box if you want the PC-Duo Control to be inactive while the tool is running.
    If the Wait for program to finish check box is selected, the PC-Duo Control displays a message to inform you that the Tool is running, and gives you the option of stopping the Tool and returning to PC-Duo Control. (However, it is better to stop an active Tool by closing the Tool itself, rather than by terminating it from this message dialog.)
  5. Click the OK button. The tool is displayed in the User Defined Tools dialog.
  6. Click the Close button. The Tool is now accessible from the Tools, User Defined submenu.
    You can specify a PC-Duo Script as a User Defined Tool, using the Add Tool dialog's Script tab.

Editing and Deleting User Defined Tools

To Edit a User-Defined Tool:
  1. From the Tools menu, choose the User Defined, Edit command to display the User Defined Tools dialog.
  2. In the Tools list, select the User Defined Tool you want to edit.
  3. Click the Edit button. The Edit tool dialog is displayed, enabling you to change the Tool settings.
  4. Click the OK button to return to the User Defined Tools dialog.
To Delete a User-Defined Tool:
  1. Choose the Tools, User Defined, Edit command to display the User Defined Tools dialog.
  2. In the Tools list, select the Tool you want to delete.
  3. Click the Delete button to delete the selected Tool, then confirm this action.
    See "Customizing the Toolbar", for information on how to add a Tools button to the Control window Toolbar. You can then display the User Defined Tools dialog by clicking the Tools button, and choosing Edit from the drop-down menu.

Copying Tool Settings to other Control PCs

If you want to use your user-defined tools settings on any Control, you can copy the settings. The User Defined Tool settings are stored in the TOOLS.NSM file, located in your PC-Duo installation directory. You can copy this file to another PC's PC-Duo installation directory to transfer the User Defined tools settings to it. After doing so, the PC receiving this file will need to restart the PC-Duo Control to access the new User Defined Tools.

Defined Tools may not work on another PC because the User Defined Tools may use path and file references that are specific to one PC. If you copy the TOOLS.NSM file to another PC, use the Edit Tool dialog's Browse button to verify the file paths for each of the User Defined Tools.

System Snapshot

System Snapshot enables you to quickly obtain a detailed inventory of a Client's hardware configuration. It includes information about Clients' CPU type and speed, memory, operating system, service pack information, printers, screen type and display driver, drive size and free space, network domain, network card and much more! This information is presented in the System Snapshot window, organized by category.

You can view this information immediately and use it to assist users and resolve problems. You can even save a copy of the information to a file.

To perform a System Snapshot on a Client, the PC must be running the PC-Duo Client v4.15 or above.

To Perform a System Snapshot:
  1. In the PC-Duo Control window, select the Client you want to snapshot.

    If you are not connected to the Client, PC-Duo automatically connects to the Client, obtains the snapshot information and then disconnects. If you are already connected to the Client, the Client remains connected when the snapshot is complete.

  2. From the Tools menu, choose the User Defined, System Snapshot command.

    The System Snapshot information is collected from the Client and displayed.

    The information in the window is organized by category. To display the information in a category, select the category title in the category list, or click the section title in the main view.

    Refer to "Troubleshooting System Snapshot" if you encounter any problems or error messages when attempting to perform a System Snapshot.

Comparing Clients

In addition to displaying inventory data for individual Clients, System Snapshot can compare Clients. This enables you to check Client PCs against standard PC inventories and to search for problems caused by different system configurations.

To compare Clients:
  1. Choose an entry in the Compare with list.
  2. Sections containing differences are indicated by a red indicator button.

    Individual differences between items within each section are indicated by a smaller version of the button. To display the data of the comparison Client, select the adjacent button.

    An asterisk indicates an item exists on only one Client. For example, if the original Client has a C and D drive, and the comparison Client has a C, D and E drive an asterisk is shown in the Disk Drives section of the original Client.
  3. To cancel the comparison, select None in the Compare with list.

Customizing System Snapshot

System Snapshot is pre-configured as a User Defined Tool. As such, you can change the name of the Snapshot's menu command as displayed in the User-Defined submenu. You can also edit the arguments that are passed to the System Snapshot program.

To Customize System Snapshot:
  1. In the PC-Duo Control, choose the Tools, User Defined, Edit menu command.
  2. In the User Defined Tools System Snapshot dialog, select the System Snapshot item from the list, then click the Edit button. The System Snapshot settings are displayed in the Edit Tool dialog.
  3. If you want to change the name of the System Snapshot menu command, edit the text in the Menu Text Box. (Use the & symbol to identify the following letter as a shortcut for this menu command when the menu is displayed).
  4. The Path value should usually be left unchanged. It refers to the location of the System Snapshot program file (HWINV.EXE), which is located in the PC-Duo installation directory.
  5. Use the Arguments value to specify the parameters that are passed to the System Snapshot program.

    By default, this setting is $CLIENTNAME$^. The $CLIENTNAME$ part of the argument refers to the currently selected Client when you start a System Snapshot. If you want to store the System Snapshot information files in a specific location, append the directory path after the ^. However, because PC-Duo looks for these files in the Client's installation directory, you should not need to change this parameter.

  6. Select the Wait for program to finish check box to make the PC-Duo Control window temporarily inaccessible while viewing the System Snapshot information.

    Deselect this option if you want to work with the Control while one or more System Snapshot dialogs are displayed.

User Prompting

User Prompting enables you to automate the collection of data from PC users. Prompts can be used to collect any user-related information, such as locations, departments, cost codes, or telephone numbers. Prompts can also be used to collect system variables from PCs without user intervention.

Collecting information through user prompts is a three stage process:

Creating User Prompt Files

User Prompting enables you to automate the collection and storage of information from PC users on your network. Use the Prompt Editor to create and edit the questions that are displayed to users and to control the replies that users can give.

To update the User Prompt file:
  1. In the Tools menu, choose User Defined, Edit User Prompt File. The User Prompt Editor is displayed.
  2. In the Title field, type the text you want to display in the Title Bar of the User Prompt window when it is displayed on users' PCs.
  3. In the Introduction field, type the explanatory message you want to display at the top of the User Prompt window.
  4. If you want to provide extra information about this file or its prompts, enter the information in the File Comments field.
  5. Edit the questions in the prompt file:
    • To create a new question, click the Add button.
    • To change an existing question, select its entry in the Keys list and click the Edit button.
    • To delete a question from the prompt file, select its entry in the Keys list and click the Remove button.
      For more information on how to create and edit user prompts, refer to the online help.
  6. In the File menu, choose Test to check how the prompts will be displayed.
  7. In the File menu, choose Save As. In the Save As dialog enter a location and name for the prompt file and click Save.
Distributing Prompt Files

When you have created a prompt file containing the questions for which you want users to supply information, you must send the file to the users' PCs. The LUTINFO script file included as part of the PC-Duo Control kit enables you to send the file to individual PCs or to a specified group.

To distribute the prompt file to Client PCs:
  1. In the Control window, choose the Tools, User Defined, Refresh User Prompt menu command. LUTINFO.SCP is displayed in the Script Editor.
  2. In the Options menu, choose Predefined Variables. This enables you to specify the Clients from which you want to collect user prompt information.
  3. In the Predefined Script Variables dialog, click the Add button. The Add Variable dialog is displayed.
  4. In the Add Variable dialog:

    1. In the Identifier field, type Clientname.
    2. In the Value field, type the name by which the target PC is known on your network.
    3. Click the OK button to save your changes.

      Alternatively, if you want to send the prompt file to a group of users, enter Groupname in the Identifier field, and enter the name of the group in the Value field.

  5. Repeat step 4 for the Username variable:

    In the Identifier field, type Username.

    In the Value field, type the name of an account and password that can be used to access all the Client PCs you specified. Enter the information in the format: username/password.

    The password must be encrypted. To generate the encrypted version of a password, select a blank line in the script and choose Edit, Insert Password in the Script Editor window. Enter the password in the Insert Password dialog and click the OK button. You can then cut the encrypted password from the script and paste it into the Add Variable dialog.
  6. When you have entered the script variables, click the OK button to close the Predefined Script Variables dialog.
  7. In the Script Editor, choose Run, Execute LUTINFO.SCP to distribute the changes to the Clients.

    If a user is logged on to a target PC, the questions are displayed in the Prompt dialog immediately. Otherwise, the Prompt dialog is displayed when a user next logs on. The replies are saved on the user's PC and are available to any Control user with access to that Client.

Viewing Replies

System Snapshot contains a special section to display any user prompt replies found on a Client PC. As the reply file is stored on each Client to which the prompts were sent, support staff can view the information from any Control that has access to the Client PC. The information remains available through System Snapshot until another set of user prompts is distributed to the Client PC.

To display the User Prompt information:
  1. Choose User Defined, System Snapshot in the Control's Tools menu to open the System Snapshot dialog.
  2. In the System Snapshot, select the User Prompt Responses section. The replies are listed in the order in which they were presented to the user.

Troubleshooting System Snapshot

The following messages may be displayed when attempting to perform a System Snapshot.

Incorrect password, please try again

Explanation: An incorrect user name or password was entered when the Control attempted to connect to the Client to retrieve the System Snapshot information.

User Action: You are prompted to re-enter the correct user name and password for this Client.

Failed to connect to Client. Wrong username or password

Explanation: You cancelled an attempt to connect to a Client after failing to enter the correct user name and password.

User Action: Try again with correct user name and password, as used to connect to the Client ordinarily using PC-Duo.

Command line provided: ^ Usage:Client^ [Directory]

Explanation: No Client was selected when performing a System Snapshot.

User Action: Select the Client in the PC-Duo window and then perform a System Snapshot.

Hardware inventory files not found on Client. Cannot open [Directory]\LUHDWCHK.LOG

Explanation: The Hardware inventory files used to perform the System Snapshot cannot be found on the Client. Check the displayed is the location of the Client's PC-Duo Installation directory. If it isn't, edit the System Snapshot settings using the User Defined Tools dialog - these settings may contain an incorrect directory at the end of the arguments line. See "Customizing System Snapshot" for more information. Alternatively, the Client PC may not be running the PC-Duo Client v4.15 or above, and therefore you will not be able to perform a System Snapshot on this Client.

User Action: Take appropriate steps to upgrade the Client to the latest version.

Application [Directory]\HWInv.exe not found. Check path and try again.

Explanation: The HWInv application is not in the directory specified in the Tool definition.

User Action: Update the Tool path, or move HWInv.exe to the specified location.

Software Snapshot

Software Snapshot collects information on the applications installed on Client PCs. It supports this using an Application Library, which enables it to recognize many common applications automatically; discovery utilities, which assist in the identification of applications; and a Rule Editor and Software Identification Wizard that enable you to generate rules for the identification of applications not included in the library.

To perform a Software Snapshot:
  1. Select a Client in the Control.
  2. In the Tools menu, choose User Defined, Software Snapshot.

Software Snapshot collects information on the directory structure of the selected PC and the size, datestamps and attributes of its files and then processes the data using the rules in the Application Library. The results are displayed in the Software Identification Manager.

Software Identification Manager

The Software Identification Manager displays the software found on the selected Client using the following categories:

Confirmed Identifications

lists applications identified by application definitions in the Applications Library.

Provisional Identifications

lists applications identified using version information from the file properties of executables.

Unidentified Software

lists the directories containing executable files that Software Snapshot is unable to identify.

To display the information associated with each category, select the tabs at the top of the window.

Confirmed Identifications

The Confirmed Identifications tab lists software identified by recognition rules in the Applications Library.

The Confirmed Identifications tab can list the software detected by Client or by application:

Provisional Identifications

When a Software Snapshot detects files on a Client PC, it attempts to identify the application they belong to by first trying to match the file and its directory location with an entry in the Applications Library, and then by searching the file properties for version information. The Provisional Identifications tab of the Software Identification Manager lists the applications identified using this version information.

Like the Confirmed Identifications tab, the Provisional Identifications tab can list the applications by Client or by application:

Unidentified Software

The Unidentified Software tab lists the locations of executable files that Software Snapshot is unable to identify. Use it to view the directories in which the software was detected and to find sample installations on which you can base new definitions for the Applications Library.

The Applications Library

The Applications Library enables Software Snapshot to identify the software installed on Client PCs.

Each entry in the library contains the details of directories, files and file properties that uniquely identify an application. When you run a Software Snapshot, it checks the files detected on a Client against each entry in the library. If the files meet the criteria specified in an entry, the Software Identification Manager reports a confirmed installation of the application.

Use the Applications Library tab to view and change the rules with which Software Snapshot identifies applications on Client PCs.

Using the Applications Library

To display the Applications Library, click the Applications Library tab in the Software Identification Manager. The Application pane at the top of the library tab displays the current application definitions. It lists the name of the application, the application type and the vendor. The Version field displays the version of the application identified by the definition, or an asterisk if the definition can identify multiple versions.

To display the identification rules for a definition, select its entry in the list.

To add a definition, or to work with the Applications Library, right-click an entry in the applications menu and choose:

The Rule pane at the bottom of the window displays the identification rules associated with the selected definition in the Applications pane. To modify the application definition, right-click a rule to display the rule menu, and choose:

The Software Identification Wizard

The Software Identification Wizard helps you create new application definitions. It guides you through the process of specifying the file, directory names and file properties that will enable Software Snapshot to uniquely identify an installed application. You can use it to create entire definitions or to create basic rules that you can refine later. To open the Wizard, right-click the Applications pane and choose Add Application, Software Identification Wizard.

Specifying Software Properties

The Software Properties dialog identifies the name and type of the application, and its source. This information is used to categorize the application in Software Identification Manager views.

To specify the details of the application:
  1. In the Name field, enter the name of the application, or click the down arrow and select the name from the list.
  2. In the Type field, enter a category for the application, or click the down arrow and select the category from the list.
  3. In the Vendor field, enter the name of the application's manufacturer.
  4. If you have purchased a specific number of licenses for this application, type the number of licenses in the Licenses field.
  5. Click the Next button to create identification rules for the application. The Sample Location dialog is displayed.
Sample Location

The Software Identification Wizard uses an installed instance of the application to supply information for the recognition rules it creates. This enables it to display file and directory information from a real installation when you are choosing the items that best identify the application.

To specify location details for the application:
  1. To create identification rules using an application installation on your Console, select Use local copy.

    Alternatively, to create identification rules using an installation from a Client PC:

    1. In the Client list, select a Client on which the application is installed.
    2. In the Resource list, select the disk or share on which the application is installed.

  2. In the Directory field, enter the location of the application for which you want to create identification rules. Alternatively, click the browse button to search for the location.
  3. Click the Next button to specify the files that you want to use to identify the application. The Software Identification dialog is displayed.
Software Identification

Software Snapshot identifies applications by checking for distinguishing features, such as the names and properties of files. Use the Software Identification dialog to select the files that Software Snapshot can use to identify the application.

To select files for application identification:
  1. In the Available files list, double-click each file you want to use to identify this application. The files are displayed in the Required files list.
  2. To prevent executable files in subdirectories from being identified as separate applications, select Exclude subdirectories from scans for unrecognized applications.
  3. If you want to create an application definition that identifies different versions of an application, select Specify rules to identify application versions and click the Next button. The Version Identification dialog is displayed.

    If you do not want to distinguish between different versions of an application, select Do not identify versions and click the Finish button. The Wizard creates rules for the application and adds them to the Applications Library.

Version Identification

In addition to identifying installed applications, Software Snapshot can recognize specific application versions. Use the Version Identification dialog to specify the files and properties that can be used to distinguish between application versions.

To select files for version identification:
  1. For each file you want to use to identify this version of the application:

    1. Double-click its entry in the Available files list to add it to the Required files list.
    2. By default, Software Snapshot checks for the presence of this file. If you want it to check for specific properties of the file, such as its size, timestamp or version information, select the file in the Required files list, and click Specify properties. The File Rule dialog is displayed.

  2. If you want to specify the application version identified by these files, select Use these files to identify only version, enter the version number, and click the Finish button. The Wizard creates rules for the identification of the application and adds them to the Applications Library.

    If you want Software Snapshot to determine the version number by extracting it from the properties of a file, select Use properties of these files to identify versions, and click the Next button. The Version Identification Properties dialog is displayed.

Extracting Version Numbers

Some manufacturers encode software version information in the timestamp or product version properties of files. These properties enable you to provide automatic version recognition for software installed on your Client PCs. Use the Version Identification Properties dialog to select the properties from which you want Software Snapshot to extract the information.

To extract the version information from the selected file:
  1. In the Filename list, select the file that contains the version information. The Available file properties list displays the values of the properties for the file you selected.
  2. In the Specify the property fields that contain version information field, enter the tokens that specify the location of the version information.

    Alternatively, double-click the properties that contain the version information from the available property fields list. The token for the property is added to the Specify the property fields that contain version information field.

    For example, if the version number of the product is specified in the first two product version fields, select Product version fields 1 and 2 in the list and click the Select button. The tokens that enable Software Snapshot to extract the version information are displayed in the Specify the property fields that contain version information field.

    For information on the tokens that extract version information from a file, refer to the online help.
  3. When you have selected all the properties that contain the version information, click the Finish button to create the application definition. The definition is added to the Applications Library.

Test the application definition by running Software Snapshot on a Client PC where the application is installed.

Adding and Editing Application Definitions

While the Software Identification Wizard generates basic software recognition rules, creating and editing application definitions manually gives you greater control over the attributes used to detect an application. It also enables you to refine the rules created by the wizard and optimize the Software Snapshot process.

To add an application definition to the Applications Library:
  1. Right-click the Applications pane and choose Add Application, Build Custom Definition from the shortcut menu.
  2. Type the name of the application in the Name field.
  3. In the Type field, click the down arrow and select a category of software that best describes how the application is used. Alternatively, enter a new category in the field.
  4. In the Vendor field, click the down arrow and select the vendor from the list. Alternatively, enter the name of a new vendor in the field.
  5. If you want to use this definition to identify only one version of the application, type the version number in the Version field. If you want to use this definition to identify multiple versions of the application, type an asterisk.
    We recommend you create definitions that include identification rules for all versions of an application. This minimizes the number of records required in the Application Library and helps reduce maintenance.
  6. If you want to record extra information about the application, enter it in the Comment field.
  7. If you have purchased a specific number of licenses for this application, type the number of licenses in the License limit field.
  8. Click the OK button to save your changes and close the dialog. The application definition is selected in the Applications Library. Right-click the Rule pane and choose an entry in the shortcut menu to add recognition rules for the application.
File Rules

Software Snapshot compares the files found on Clients with the definitions specified in the Applications Library. If a software installation matches the file names, file properties and directories specified in an application definition, Software Snapshot reports the application is present.

Use the File Rules dialog to specify a file that identifies this application, and optionally the properties that the file must have.

To add a file rule to the application definition:
  1. Right-click the Rule pane of the Applications Library, and choose Add File Rule from the shortcut menu. The File Rule dialog is displayed.
  2. In the Name field, type the name of the file that can be used to identify the application. For example, to create a rule that identifies Microsoft Word using its executable file, type WINWORD.EXE.
    Some file names can vary across different versions of an application. For example, manufacturers may add a suffix to differentiate between different language versions of a file. To check for different versions of a file name with one rule, use question mark or asterisk characters as wildcards.
  3. By default, Software Snapshot uses the names of installed files to identify applications. However, you can extend file rules to check for specific file properties, such as the size or timestamp. You can use these properties to distinguish between different versions of the same file. To add a property check to a file rule, choose a property check box and enter the values you want to test for:
    • To check the size of a file, select Enable file size check, select a test option in the drop-down list and enter the file size in the entry fields. We recommend you specify a range rather than an exact value because file sizes can vary across different systems.
    • To check the timestamp of a file, select Enable time stamp check, select a test option in the drop-down list and enter the timestamp range the file must have.
      You can enter the time in 12- or 24-hour format. For example, to enter a timestamp of 10 p.m., type either 22:00 or 10pm.
    • To check the datestamp of a file, select Enable date stamp check, select a test option in the drop-down list and enter the date stamp range the file must have.
      Enter the date in the format MM/DD/YY or DD-MMM-YY. For example, to specify a datestamp of 25 August 2003, type 08/25/03 or 25-Aug-2003.
    • Some manufacturers encode software version information in the timestamp or product version properties of files. To check the version information of a file for a specific version number, select the version information fields you want to test, select a test option in the drop-down list and enter the value each field must have.

      For example, if the version number is held in the first two fields of the file's version information, and you want to check whether the application version is 3.1, select Field 1 and enter 3, then select Field 2 and enter 1.

      Take care when using the version information option. If the manufacturer has not set the version information of the file, it can cause Software Snapshot to misidentify versions.
  4. Click the OK button to save your changes and close the dialog.
Subdirectory Rules

Subdirectory rules enable you to create application definitions that check for files in the subdirectories of an application's installation directory. They also enable you to create rules that check for the presence of subdirectories created by an application.

Choose the Add Subdirectory Rule option when you want to add a subdirectory rule at the same level of the directory hierarchy as the currently selected rule; choose the Add Nested Subdirectory Rule option when you want to add the subdirectory rule within the currently selected directory.

To add a subdirectory rule to a definition:
  1. Right-click the Rule pane and choose Add Subdirectory Rule or Add Nested Subdirectory Rule from the shortcut menu. The Sub-Directory Rule dialog is displayed.
  2. In the Sub-Directory Rule dialog, enter the name of the subdirectory you want to check for.
  3. Click the OK button to save your rule and close the dialog.
    If the subdirectory is not always created by an installation, embed the subdirectory rule within an optional rule block. This prevents Software Snapshot from generating an unrecognized application message when the directory is not present.
Optional Rule Blocks

By default, applications fail recognition checks when a file or directory fails any check within the appropriate application definition. For example, if the name of a file matches a file rule, but the file size does not match the size check, Software Snapshot will not recognize the parent application. However, rules embedded in optional blocks do not cause a recognition failure when a check fails. This enables you to create application definitions that include tests for several different versions of an application. By embedding each version test within an optional rule block, you can ensure the application is recognized even when several version tests fail.

To add an Optional Rule Block to an Application Definition:
  1. Right-click the Rule pane in the Applications Library and choose Add Optional Block from the shortcut menu.
  2. Enter a name for the rule in the Option field.
  3. Click the OK button to create the optional rule block and close the dialog. To add rules to the new block, right-click its entry in the Rule pane and choose an option from the shortcut menu.
Version Rules

Software Snapshot can identify specific versions of applications by the files installed, and by the properties of those files. Use version rules in conjunction with file rules to specify the properties you want Software Snapshot to use to identify application versions.

To specify the version number for an application:
  1. In the Rule pane, right-click the File Rule that uniquely identifies this version of the application, and choose Add Version Rule from the shortcut menu. The Set Version Rule dialog is displayed.
  2. To replace the current number associated with this rule set, select Replace existing version number. To concatenate this value to the version number currently assigned to the rule set, select Append to existing version number.
    For example, if a previous rule identified the application as version 6 and this rule identifies the minor version number, select the append option to add the minor number to the existing version number.
  3. If you want Software Snapshot to identify the application with a different string to the tested value, enter the string you want to use in the Version template field.
    For example, if the rule identifies WinWord 10, but you want the software inventory to display the version name by which it is commonly known, type Word XP in the Version template field.
  4. Click the OK button to save your changes and close the dialog.

An application definition can contain several Set Version Rules in Optional Rule Blocks. This enables you to create definitions that progressively refine the version number of an installed application.

For example, by using the Append to existing version number option in the Set Version Rule dialog, you can create a set version rule that first identifies version 4.x of an application, another rule that resets the version to 4.02, and finally a third rule that identifies version 4.02b.
Extracting Version Information from Files

Some manufacturers encode software version information in the version information properties of files. If the files of an application include version information, you can use a version rule to extract the version number and create an automatic, future-proof application definition.

To extract the version information from a file:
  1. In the Filename list, select the file that contains the version information. The Available file properties list displays the values of the properties for the file you selected.
  2. In the Specify the property fields that contain version information field, enter tokens to specify the location of the version information.

    Alternatively, select the properties that contain the version information from the Property list, and click the Select button. The token for the property is added to the Specify the property fields that contain version information field.

    For example, if the version number of the product is specified in the first two product version fields, select Product version fields 1 and 2 in the list and click Select. The tokens that enable Software Snapshot to extract the version information are displayed in the Specify the property fields that contain version information field.

    For more information on the tokens that can be used to extract version information from a file, refer to the online help.
  3. Click the OK button to save your changes and close the dialog.
Extracting Version Information from Timestamps

Some applications encode the version number in the timestamp of application files. Software Snapshot can extract this information using tokens. For example:

Exporting and Importing the Application Library

The standard library of application definitions is included as part of Remote Control and as part of PC-Duo Enterprise. If you create or modify an application definition in Remote Control and you want to use it elsewhere within your Enterprise installation, you must copy it to all your PC-Duo Enterprise Sites. Use the export and import functions of the application library to copy individual definitions or the entire library.

To export application definitions:
  1. To export a single application definition, right-click its entry in the Applications Library, and choose Export Application from the shortcut menu.

    Alternatively, to export all application definitions, right-click a definition and choose Export Library from the shortcut menu.

  2. In the Save As dialog, enter a File name and location for the definition file and click the Save button.
  3. In the PC-Duo Enterprise Site to which you want to copy the definition, open the Site Identification Manager.
  4. Right-click an application in the Application Library and choose Import Application from the shortcut menu.
    When you create a new PC-Duo Enterprise Site, its Applications Library is populated from the LUTPACKAGE.DB file located in the Enterprise installation directory. To include customized application definitions in new Sites, use the Export Library option to replace this file.
  5. In the Open dialog, select the *.DB file you created and click the Open button. The definitions are imported.
    If the target library contains a more recent definition than the definition contained in the file, you are prompted to confirm the update.

Configuring Software Snapshot

By default, Clients collect version information from all .EXE files on all drives as part of the Software Snapshot. While this is a powerful tool that can greatly help support staff identify installed software without the need to create application definitions, it can take several minutes to collect data from PCs with large numbers of files or slow disk drives. If you find that the default settings are causing problems to Client users, you can control the files from which information is collected and the frequency of collection by configuring the LUCLIENT.INI file in the Client application's installation directory.

To configure Software Snapshot settings on a single Client:
  1. Connect to the Client you want to configure, open File Transfer, and open LUCLIENT.INI in the Client's installation directory.

    Alternatively, open the Client's LUCLIENT.INI file using a text editor such as Notepad.

  2. Edit the parameters you want to change:

    • To change the frequency, in days, with which the snapshot data is collected, locate the Offline Mode section and update the PushDaysInterval parameter in the Offline Mode section. For example, to configure the Client to collect information once a week, enter: PushDaysInterval=7.
    • To change the disk drives from which snapshot information is collected, locate the Directory Snapshot section and change the Drives parameter. For example, if you want the Client to collect data from only its C and D drives, enter Drives=C,D.
    • To change the files from which version information is collected, change the ViScanFileWildcards parameter to list the file extensions that you want the Client to check. For example, to collect version information from DLL files in addition to EXE files, enter:
      VIScanFileWildcards=*.exe,*.dll.
      Depending on the Client PC and the number of applications installed, collection of snapshot information can take several minutes. Adding file types to the Version Information parameter can substantially increase the time and disk space required to collect the snapshot data.
    • To disable the collection of version information data from Client files, locate the Directory Snapshot section and specify
      VIScanEnabled=No.
      Disabling the collection of version information does not prevent Software Snapshot from identifying software using the Application Library.
    • To disable the collection of all software snapshot data, locate the Directory Snapshot section and specify Disabled=Yes.

  3. Save your changes and close the file.
To configure Software Snapshot settings for multiple Clients:
  1. In the PC-Duo Control, create a Group that contains the Clients you want to update.
  2. In the PC-Duo install directory of the Control PC:
    1. Open the SAMPLE.MOD file with a text editor and specify the settings you want to change.

      For example, to configure the Clients to snapshot only their C and D drives, create a file that contains the following settings:
      [Directory Snapshot]
      Disabled=No
      Drives=C,D

    2. Save your changes in the Control's installation directory as LUCLIENT.MOD.

  3. In the Windows Start menu, choose Programs, PC-Duo, Script Editor.
  4. In the Script Editor, choose File, Open. In the Open window, select FLUPDATE.SCP and click the Open button. The script is displayed in the Script Editor.
  5. Choose Predefined Variables in the Options menu to open the Predefined Script Variables dialog and specify the script parameters.
  6. Click the Add button. The Add Variable dialog is displayed.
  7. In the Add Variable dialog:

    1. Type FileNames in the Identifier field.
    2. Type LUCLIENT. MOD in the Value field.
    3. Click the OK button to save your changes.

  8. Repeat step 7 for each of the following variables:

    Identifier
    Value
    Username
    The name and encrypted password of an account which can be used to access all Clients in the Group. For example:
    Pliskin/FHOHEJIJPKICLBCK
    GroupName
    The name of the group you created in step 1.
    Password
    The encrypted password required to access the specified group over a Dialin Bridge. Leave undefined if you are not using a bridge.

    To check the encrypted version of a password, choose Edit, Insert Password in the Script Editor window, enter the password in the Insert Password dialog and click the OK button. You can then cut the encrypted password from the script and paste it into the Add Variable dialog.
  9. When you have entered the script variables, click the OK button to close the Predefined Script Variables dialog.
  10. In the Script Editor, choose Run, Execute FLUPDATE.SCP to distribute the changes to the Clients in the Group. The changes will take effect when the Client application next runs.

Disabling Software Snapshot

PC-Duo Clients automatically collect information on the directory structure of the PC and the size, datestamps and attributes of its files at the frequency specified by the Client's configuration settings. This enables it to provide up-to-date information on installed software whenever it is required.

After the initial analysis, the Client only collects data on changes to the Client's software and this has little effect on the Client user. However, if you do not want to use software inventory data, you can disable its collection using SWSNPOFF.SCP.

To disable software snapshot:
  1. In the Control window, choose the Tools, User Defined, Disable Software Snapshot menu command. SWSNPOFF.SCP is displayed in the Script Editor.
  2. In the Options menu, choose Predefined Variables. This enables you to specify the Clients from which you want to collect user prompt information.
  3. In the Predefined Script Variables dialog, click the Add button. The Add Variable dialog is displayed.
  4. In the Add Variable dialog:

    1. In the Identifier field, type Clientname.
    2. In the Value field, type the name by which the target PC is known on your network.
    3. Click the OK button to save your changes.

      Alternatively, if you want to send the prompt file to a group of users, enter Groupname in the Identifier field, and enter the name of the group in the Value field.

  5. Repeat step 5 for the Username variable:

    In the Identifier field, type Username.

    In the Value field, type the name of an account and password that can be used to access the Client PC you specified. For example:

    PLISKIN/IBONFGMJDEJNAL

    If you specified a group name, you must enter an account that can access all the Clients in the group.

    To check the encrypted version of a password, select a blank line in the script and choose Edit, Insert Password in the Script Editor window. Enter the password in the Insert Password dialog and click the OK button. You can then cut the encrypted password from the script and paste it into the Add Variable dialog.
  6. In the Client Variables section, make sure that the Directory Snapshot variable is set to Disabled=Yes.
  7. When you have entered the script variables, click OK to close the Predefined Script Variables dialog.
  8. In the Script Editor, choose Run, Execute SWSNPOFF.SCP to disable Software Snapshot on the Clients.
    To re-enable Software Snapshot, or to enable Software Snapshot on PC-Duo 8.50 Clients, use the Enable Software Snapshot menu command. Its script, SWSNAPON.SCP, works in the same way as SWSNPOFF.SCP.

Record and Replay

In addition to monitoring the screens of Client PCs, PC-Duo can also use its ability to intercept GDI (Graphical Device Interface) signals to record actions performed on Control PCs. These recordings can then be played back on any Control or Client PC, enabling support staff to create a library of recordings that can be used to demonstrate new software and to answer frequently asked questions.

To facilitate auditing and to deter the misuse of remote control sessions, Clients and Controls can be configured to automatically record all remote control sessions. For more information, see "Configuring Clients to Record Control Sessions" and "Configuring Controls to Record Control Sessions".
To record actions on a Control PC:
  1. In the Control window, choose the Tools, Record menu command.
  2. In the Record Local Activity dialog, specify whether you want to record audio and the fonts used on the recording PC, and choose a location for the recording file. PC-Duo creates a recording file using the current date and time.
  3. Click the OK button to start the recording. A red icon is displayed in the Windows system tray.

  1. Perform the actions you want to record. When you have finished, double-click the icon to stop the recording.

Playing Recordings

You can replay a recording session using any PC-Duo Control or Client.

To replay a recording:
  1. To replay a recording from a PC-Duo Control, choose the Tools, Replay menu command.

    To replay a recording from a PC-Duo Client, right-click the Client icon in the system tray and choose the Replay menu command.

  2. In the Open dialog, locate and select the file you want to replay. When you select a Replay file, information about the file is displayed at the bottom of the dialog.
  3. Click the Open button. The recorded control session is displayed in the Replay window.

Using the Replay Window

The Replay window is used to display recorded Control sessions.

The Replay window has two buttons in its Toolbar:

These buttons act as toggles. Click them a second time to return the Replay window to its previous state.

The Replay Controls window is also displayed when you are replaying a Control session.

The Replay Controls window enables you to navigate the Control session displayed in the Replay window:

When you have finished watching the Control session, choose the File, Close command to exit the Replay window.

Customizing the Toolbar

The Customize Toolbar dialog enables you to select which buttons you want to display in the Control window's Toolbar. You can also use this dialog to customize the View window's Toolbar.

To display the Customize Toolbar dialog:

Using the Customize Toolbar Dialog

The Available Buttons list contains buttons that you can add to the Toolbar. (This list does not contain any buttons which are already featured on the Toolbar.)

The Current Buttons list shows the buttons currently featured on the Toolbar. The buttons in this list appear from top to bottom in the order the buttons appear on the actual Toolbar from left to right.

To add a button to the Toolbar, select the button from the Available Buttons List, then click the Add button.

To remove a button from the Toolbar, select the button from the Current Buttons List, then click the Remove button.

To change the position of a button on the Toolbar, select a button in the Current Buttons list, then use the up and down arrows to change the position of the button in the Toolbar.

To add a small gap to the left of a Toolbar button, select the button in the Current Buttons list, then click the Separator button.

To reset the Toolbar to the default buttons, click the Reset button. In the confirmation dialog, click the Yes button.

When you have finished customizing the Toolbar, click the OK button to return to the Control window.

Applying an Authorization Key

You can apply a new PC-Duo authorization key using the License Manager dialog.

To Apply a New License Key:
  1. In the Windows Start menu, choose Programs, PC-Duo, Tools, Apply a Key.
  2. In the Licence Manager dialog, ensure the General tab is selected.
  3. Enter the new authorization key in the Authorization Key text box at the bottom of the General tab.
  4. Click the Generate button to apply the key and close the License Manager dialog.
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