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Here are the necessary files and scripts you will need to deploy the new
Banner client. The banner.kix file is a text based script built in KIXTART
scripting language. KIXTART is a free scripting tool built by Microsoft that
allows more control over an installation than a batch file. The script is called
from a batch file to maintain backward compatibility. The required files to run
the script include (kix32.exe, kx16.dll and kx32.dll). If you have a client with
an ALPHA based NT workstation you will need a different kix32.exe. In addition,
the files (winset.exe and pathman.exe) are needed in the netlogon share for use
in the Banner script to add the necessary path statements. Banner.bat and
banner.kix are the batch and script files unique to the Banner installation.
Kix32.exe is essentially a replacement for lmscript.exe that processes the
scripts at logon. You can also run the script at a command prompt, but may not
have the same results as running it as a logon script (e.g. c:>\kix\kix32
banner.kix or \\YourPDC\netlogon\kix32.exe banner.kix ...assuming all of the
required files are in the default directory).
Be sure to add read access for the user to the share of the Banner forms
server in your area (e.g. \\rhea\banner). You will have to contact the Help Desk
at 406-994-1777 and request that the name be added to the share permissions. If
your domain is not a trusted domain, you may have to acquire an MSU domain
account for the user and use "Connect As" to create the mapped drive to U:.
   
  
To install the new Banner client on non-MSU domains, copy the attached files
to your PDC share Repl$ into the scripts directory (e.g. c:\temp\kix\copy *.* \\YourPDC\repl$\scripts
) assuming you saved the attached files to c:\temp\kix. This will automatically
replicate the files to your PDC and BDC netlogon share. If you don't want to
wait around for the replication to run, simply copy the files into all of the
netlogon shares manually. The only change you should have to make to the script
would be to add your locations IP to the case statements in the banner.kix
script for picking a forms server. It is set to default to \\rhea\banner if it
can't identify a local forms server. You may want to check on \\onyx\netlogon
from time to time to see if the banner.kix file has been upgraded.
If you do not have a PDC to use to distribute the files, you can create a
floppy disk with all of the required files copied on to it and run the
appropriate batch file from the floppy. The batch file will have to be modified
to work from a floppy. The %0\..\ before the kix32.exe in the banner.bat file is
only needed when used as a logon script.
Here is a brief overview of the Banner installation. To troubleshoot the
script you can put a /d on the command line to enter the debug
mode (e.g. kix32.exe /d banner.kix). This will allow you to step through the
script one line at a time by pressing CR. You can also look at any variable by
typing it out as you go. (e.g. @error would display a 0 if the previous command
was successful) The documentation and all of the files for KIXTART version 3.62
can be retrieved at \\topaz\public\kixtart\kix95.doc. All of the files necessary
to run the Oracle run-time client, forms, dll files, shortcuts and registry
files are located on the Banner share that the U: drive is attached to. The
oracle.reg file is created using the SAVEKEY() function of KIXTART, this means
that you will not be able to open it with a text editor and modify it directly.
To make changes to this file it is necessary to modify the registry of a PC, of
the correct operating system, then run a script that does a SAVEKEY() to a file.
A sample script command such as SAVEKEY("HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\ORACLE",
"C:\TEMP\ORACLE.REG") is used to create the file. To load this file
into the registry, the key must first exist, then it can be populated with the
subkeys and values. So to load the registry with the information in the
Oracle.reg file you would first add the key with:
ADDKEY("HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\ORACLE") Then use:
LOADKEY("HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\ORACLE", "C:\TEMP\ORACLE.REG").
On Windows NT LOADKEY() requires Backup and Restore privileges. LOADKEY()
overwrites any existing subkey, so be sure you have a backup.
I will go over the script and describe the steps that are necessary to
install the Banner software. The first thing I do is minimize the script window
so the users don't have to look at the information as it scrolls by. I then set
a variable for the type of operating system being used. If the operating system
is not Windows 9X or NT then I abort the script. If the operating system is NT
then I check to see if the user is in the Administrators group, which is
necessary to run the rest of the script, if not I bail out of the script. I then
attach to the Banner forms server according to what IP address is being used by
the NIC. I default to Rhea if I don't detect any other appropriate forms server.
I then map a network drive to U: on the appropriate forms server. If the mapping
of the forms server fails I abort the script. I then check the PATH environment
variable to make sure the Banner home directory has been added. Note that it
requires a different path for 9X (U:\orawin95\bin) and NT (U:\orant\bin). The
TMP and TEMP variables are also necessary and are added if they are not already
present. The required files are then added to the users SYSTEM directory by
checking to see if the files exist before copying. The registry is then updated
with new entries for both the ODBC key and the ORACLE key. If all goes well, the
user is presented with a Message box that says the installation was successful
and will automatically close after 5 seconds. If the script was unsuccessful the
user will be presented a message box that instructs them to call the ITC
Helpdesk and will automatically time out in 20 seconds.
If you are having problems with fonts, here are some things to try. You must
have a FORMS45_DEFAULTFONT string key set under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\ORACLE
that is set to "Times New Roman.11.Plain.Normal". If this font is not
readable try setting it to "MS Sans Serif.10.Plain.Bold". Which is in the
format of
<Face>.<Size>.<Style>.<Weight>.<Width>.<CharSet>,
you can adjust the <Size> parameter to better fit your screen. If you set
a value below 10 you will have problems with the text that is entered into the
fields which is set by the UIFONT.ALI file on the forms server. Currently they
are set at "MS Sans Serif".10 under the [DISPLAY] heading. If you want
to set this file as something different you would have to modify the path to the
file in the TK23 string key under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\ORACLE and copy
the modified UIFONT.ALI file to the new path. Be sure that the
FORMS45_DEFAULTFONT is larger than the alias fonts you have chosen in the
UIFONT.ALI file or the form will not display properly.
If you are having trouble with this page...you probably can't read this and any contact information I put here would be useless.
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