Configuring Home User of Notes

Hello Everyone

I have an ex member of staff that would like to continue using Lotus Notes as his email program.

On his old work laptop I have configured all the settings, Internet Location, SMTP and POP accounts. All seems fine.

However, when he loads Notes he is prompted to login with his ID that he used when he was an employee of ours.

Obviously I’m worried now that his ID will expire a few years down the line and he will phone me in dire straits!!!

Is there any way I can set notes up for him to start without having him authenticate against an ID?

My other thought is to simply get his ID and recertify it for the next 40 years before I remove him from our NAB?

Your Thoughts? Thanks in advance

Stuart

Subject: Configuring Home User of Notes

I don’t think I could recommend handing out a corporate ID to ex-staff.

On a fresh installation of Notes, you will be asked, if you want to connect to a Domino server. In corporate environments, you usually say “yes”. However, if you choose “no”, Notes will create a “generic” id for you, that is not derived from any corporate certifier id. This is all you need for POP and SMTP.

I don’t remember, if you have the same choice through the reconfiguration wizard, or if you clean the notes.ini (except for the first 4 or what lines). But given, that there are other dependencies with the fully hierarchical name the user has now (like location documents, to name only one), I would definitely recommend to delete the current id form that machine and do a fresh, stand-alone installation.

I don’t remember for sure, for how long this generic id is valid, but it’s probably for something like 100 years.

Subject: RE: Configuring Home User of Notes

Many Thanks for your quick response.

I think the reinstall would be a good idea.

Do you think I would be able to copy his current names.nsf file and then paste that over then new one on the fresh install?

If I set the default ACL to Manager for instance, would he be able to access it?

Thanks

Subject: RE: Configuring Home User of Notes

That should work. Normally, you have manager access to local databases anyway (unless they have been created as replicas from server based databases).

But I think I would rather make a copy of the existing local address book using a different file name and then just copy over the required contacts and groups. If you use the old address book directly, it will still contain the old location, connection and certificate documents, which may lead to unexpected and undesired results.

Subject: RE: Configuring Home User of Notes

Thanks for your help in this matter.

I will install a fresh copy of Notes on his system.

Cheers Harkpabst

Subject: RE: Configuring Home User of Notes

As an alternative to a fresh install… just:

  • shut down Notes

  • rename data\names.nsf to data\names2.nsf

  • might want to do a backup on the user’s mail file, too. (In fact, a full backup is always an excellent idea!)

  • edit the notes.ini file and delete all but the [notes], directory= and KitType= lines

  • re-run Notes and it will go into setup mode

Subject: RE: Configuring Home User of Notes

What about all the stuff stored in bookmark.nsf and and desktop6.ndk? I would be a bit concerned about things like old server names in the File → Database → Open dialog (which I was never able to track down completely). That’s why I put more emphasis on the new install option.

Subject: RE: Configuring Home User of Notes

Good point.