Automated Client Config Need Straight Answer

HCL Domino Domino Forum
1

I’ve been searching google, IBM forums, and third party forums for days. Maybe I’m just not entering the correct search criteria. Can someone please provide complete and detail documentation or tutorials for a system that automates the Notes Client configuration. Not the Install of the application, but the user or multiple users setup.

Notes is so completely ridiculous in it’s setup methods it is costing our technicians a massive amount of support time.

I am profficient in VBscripting, but none of the configuration files are editable, such as the location document etc. All I need Is an app, where you enter the id file, the server, and the name of the idividual, and the rest is configured automatically. Also a multi user version of this method as well. I’m comming from an Exchange environment in to a Notes environment for the first time, and it’s a nightmare.

2

Subject: Automated Client Config Need Straight Answer

You need to provide more detail if you want a straight answer.

Location documents are editable, not sure what you mean by that. When you say the rest is configured automatically, what do you mean the rest, the rest of what?

The adminstration help database (help\helpX_admin.nsf) has clear instructions on how to setup profiles / registration for users.

Use Notes / domino to help you with this kind of thing. In the exchange world, you needed to code (VBScript) this. In notes, there are tools to do this for you. Take a look at registration policy settings / user management in the admin help.

3

Subject: Automated Client Config Need Straight Answer

Also, you state that it’s a nightmare and you’re doing it for the first time. The best advice when moving into ANY new architecture is RTFM: Read The Friendly Manual. Check out the IBM Redbooks. I’m sure they have one on client configuration and setting up multiple user ids on the same client. It’s not really that complex, however. Also, read through this in the Admin help documents. Cover every topic and if you have questions, come back here and ask specific questions. It shouldn’t take you long to build procedures to do what you want to do.

4

Subject: Automated Client Config Need Straight Answer

Matthew,

If you have a multi user version do you mean two or more people on one PC?

Also, there is a reconfiguration wizard in a location document to help users specify their settings in an easier way.

You can programatically set these parameters using LotusScript (which should be familiar enough to you if you have a VB background) or formula language. You can do all of this through buttons you email a user.

You can also use policies to configure or augment a users settings. These are defined in the administrator client (ideally).

Here are some inks I found googling:

This is for a university in Florida so your settings will be different but it covers off the basic configuration steps and has screen shots:

http://w3.fiu.edu/software/software/LNInstall/LotusNotesInstallDirections.htm

Here is a link to an IBM self study seminar on 6.5 configuration:

http://www-1.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg27006722

Here is a link to get the client runninng on your Domino server:

http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/tivihelp/v2r1/index.jsp?topic=/com.ibm.itame.doc_5.1/am51_install69.htm

here is a link to a third party notes desktop management app.

http://www.agileware.net/products-we-sell

There are third party tools out there from companies like:

Lastly, check out Alan Lepofsky’s blog…

http://www.alanlepofsky.net/alepofsky/alanblog.nsf

GL,

Shawn

5

Subject: Automated Client Config Need Straight Answer

Hi,

First the technote:

How to Set Up a Notes Client without User Intervention Using a Scriptable Setup

Product: Lotus Notes > Lotus Notes > Versions 6.0, 6.5

Platform(s): Platform Independent

Date: 2005-06-07

Doc Number: 1112835

We did something similar for one of our client. The Notes client is install on a network drive for roaming usage.

In our case, the network drive of every new user is populate with every files needed by a Notes client (Template, names, etc). Plus we add a Notes.ini pre-configure to every of our notes users(Mailserver, maildb) plus the ConfigFile line (See technote How to Set Up a Notes Client without User Intervention Using a Scriptable Setup).

So when the client connect himself for the first time, the Notes client is automatically configure with their personal informations.

1- the user is register in the nab

2- after, we have a process that scan the nab for news users.

3- It detach the user ID to a specific network drive based on the user name , because the user name matches the personnal network drive of the user

4- copy a dummy notes.ini file with the configfile= line.

5- we copy a dummy Setup.txt file to the user network drive,

fill it with his personnal info -Username, mailServer, mailfile etc.

6- We send an welcome email to the user with a button in it to finish the install (For example to desactivate PORTS= settings)

The user is not forced to click the button, he will still be able to work. But we keep a trace if the user click on the button or not.

Then, when the user starts his Lotus Notes for the first time, the configfile use the setup.txt file that is already configure for taht specific user.

No more work on the computer.

JYR