The David.InfoCenter Mobile is a specific version of the David.InfoCenter which can also be used on mobile computers without a permanent network connection. With this, for example, field staff who use their notebook can work with the David.InfoCenter also without a connection to the David Server and thus independent of location and time. In offline mode - if there is no connection to the David Server - messages to be sent will be stored as jobs in the Jobs Archive and only be sent when a connection is established.
Also the contents of the personal archives can be edited as usually offline. After reestablishing the Server connection the contents will be replicated with the according archives on the David Server and thus will be aligned.Requirements
The mobile computers to be used must be operated on Windows 2000 or Windows XP. No David installation must be installed on them. Possibly existing David modules must be removed from these computers prior to the installation of David.InfoCenter Mobile. The complete functions will only be available if the David.InfoCenter Mobile is installed on a NTFS formatted disk partition. Thus ensure that all computers on which David.InfoCenter Mobile shall be used dispose of a NTFS partition. Settings during the David installation
During the David installation on the Server you can decide if the use of David.InfoCenter Mobile shall generally be possible for the David users or not. If you have first prevented the use of David.InfoCenter Mobile but want to enable it at a later time then simply reinstall David and activate the corresponding option.If so far no system password had been assigned for the David Replication Services then you will be asked to enter a password during the David.InfoCenter Mobile installation. The following window provides the possibility to save this password for the subsequent installation of David.InfoCenter Mobile on the workstations. In this case the password will automatically be adopted to the configuration of the David.InfoCenter (»Options -> Settings -> Mobile«) at the setup of the Client. Thus it is not necessary to enter it manually later. But consider that saving the password will enable each user who possesses administrator rights on his workstation to install and use David.InfoCenter Mobile as the password will not be requested during the installation process. Afterwards define which global archives shall be included in the replication and then enter the domain name resp. the IP address of the David Server. Procedure
The services of David.InfoCenter Mobile will be provided using the David Replica Services. To enable the operation of David.InfoCenter Mobile also in offline mode - without a direct connection to the David Server - the David System Services »Service Layer« and »Replica« will also be installed and started on the workstations. For this reason the use of David.InfoCenter Mobile is exclusively possible on workstations which are operated on Windows 2000 or Windows XP Professional. David.InfoCenter Mobile can exclusively be operated with exactly one David Server as Host. An alternate replication with different David Servers is not possible. During the installation of David.InfoCenter Mobile on mobile computers a local DAVID directory structure will be created below the program folder of the David.InfoCenter. This directory structure contains all objects of the David Server which are necessary for the offline operation. But the David.Administrator is not available on the mobile workstations.The connection to the David Server and the archive replication does not require a local login to the Server. An IP connection is sufficient. The authentication occurs via a secure authentication log where no login data will be transmitted. Replication of personal archives
At the archive replication the personal archives of the David users logged in to the mobile computer will generally be replicated with the corresponding data on the David Server. This replication occurs as so-called »Two-Way-Replication« which means that the David Server and the workstations have equal rights. Entries or subfolders which have been newly created in the personal archives on the mobile computers will be adopted to the corresponding archives of the David Server and vice versa. Also, entries, archives or documents which were deleted or changed on one of the computers will also be deleted or changed on the other. If certain documents between two replication intervals were edited independently from each other on the David Server as well as on the workstation then after the replication both versions of the document will be on each of the computers after the replication. The document of the other computer will be marked with »REP:« in the subject. Replication of global archives
Except of the personal user archives also certain global archives can be included in the replication. At this exclusively the following archives will be selectable: - Archives/Resource/Holidays
- Archives/Resource/Forms
- Archives/Resource/Text Modules
- Archives/Resource/Templates
- Archives/Addresses (global Address Archive)
Which of these archives shall be included in the replication will be defined directly during the installation of the server components. Thereupon this selection is valid for the replication with all mobile Clients. The replication of these archives basically occurs as Master Slave replication whereat in this case the David Server is the Master. Thus the workstations inevitably function as Slaves. At this type of replication the replication exclusively goes in the direction namely from the Master to the Slave. So after the replication the Slave disposes of a copy of the data structure of the Master. If changes or newly created archives or documents are on the Slave then these will not be transmitted to the Master but instead being deleted.Setting up the workstations
To install David.InfoCenter Mobile on the mobile workstations these must be registered in the network correctly and possess access to the David Server. Furthermore the user who runs the installation must dispose of administrator rights on the corresponding workstation. By default up to 25 mobile workstations can simultaneously replicate their data with the same Host Server. If necessary, this maximum value can be changed in the system configuration of the David Replication Services on the David Server (»Max. Connections«). The target directory should imperatively be on a NTFS formatted disk partition. From the workstation via the network switch to the \DAVID\CLIENTS directory on the David Server and run the file SETUP.EXE to start the installation process. Choose the desired dialog language and type of installation (default or user defined). Afterwards activate the option »Install David.InfoCenter Mobile« in the following dialog window.If the system password for the replication during the server installation was not saved it will now be requested to enter it. Without entering the correct system password the installation will in fact be completed but a replication with the Host Server will cause an error message (Replica Status Monitor). Only if the correct system password was entered int he David.InfoCenter under »Options -> Settings« on the »Mobile« tab an error free replication will be able. Finally it will be requested if at starting or shutting down the operating system it shall be reminded of the process of a replication. For this purpose a service will be installed and started on the mobile workstation. Mark the check box »Enable Notification« if you would like to be reminded of the replication. If no access parameter had yet been assigned for the Remote Access to the archives of a user, a request of these parameters, which will be required for the replication, will occur when starting the David.InfoCenter the first time. Operation of the David.InfoCenter Mobile
In the menu »Network« the David.InfoCenter Mobile disposes of the »Offline« option which can be used to activate resp. disable the Offline Mode. Via these two entries it can be switched between the David Server and the workstation without a replication taking place. Switching to the workstation then complies to the change to the Offline Mode. Below the main menu item »Options -> Settings -> Mobile« you can configure the settings for the replication with the David Server. Here the following configuration items will be available: - Host IP/Domain
Here enter the IP number of the David Server or its domain name.
- System Password
The system password entered here applies to the replication of your data with the David Server. The password may only be changed if also the identically named entry is going to be adjusted on the Server (menu item »David Replica«. In case of doubt leave the entry unchanged to prevent errors at the replication.
- Replicate at starting/shutting down the PC
Activate this check box if a request to replicate the workstations with the Host Server shall occur when starting resp. shutting down the operating system.
- Use Remote Access Parameter
Mark this check box if you desire that for the archive replication the same authentication parameters like for the Remote Access shall be used. If you do not want to use the Remote Access Parameters then enter the user name and password into the according fields.
- Interval
Select an interval from the list whereupon a replication with the David Server shall automatically occur. After the interval configured here it will generally be tried to perform a replication. Select, for example, an interval of 30 minutes to obtain that at the latest of half an hour after the computer was reconnected tot he network a replication will automatically occur. If after the end of the interval no connection to the David Server is possible a corresponding notification will be created in the archive »System - David - Events«.
Activate resp. disable Offline Mode
As long as the mobile workstation is found in the local network, which means that it has a direct connection to the David Server, the David.InfoCenter directly accesses this Server. This means that all actions in the David.InfoCenter will be processed directly via the David Server. Changes to contents in the Tobit Archive System will also directly be processed on the Server. If the mobile computer is disconnected from the network then of course the direct access to the Server is no longer possible. Thus before disconnecting from the network the Offline Mode must be activated. To do so click on »Network -> Offline« in the menu bar of the David.InfoCenter. This will now internally be switched to the local copy of the Tobit Archive System. Afterwards normally an archive replication should occur to bring your workstation and the David Server to the same level. A dialog window will appear which prompts to start the replication. In Offline Mode it is exclusively worked with the local copy of the Tobit Archive System. The changes which were made during the Offline time will be transmitted to the Server as soon as the workstation is reconnected to the network and the David.InfoCenter is switched again to Online Mode. This action implicates that, for example, a job which had been created in Offline Mode will only be transmitted to the Host Server with the next replication and after that be sent from this. If temporarily you work with the workstation in Offline Mode then this job with the corresponding status entry will only becomes visible again in the Out Archive at the next replication. For this again mark the menu item »Network -> Offline«. The check mark in front of »Offline« will disappear and the David.InfoCenter will be switched again for the direct access to the David Server. Also here the dialog window will appear which prompts for the process of the archive replication to replicate the data of both computers. Further Information
You find detailed help text in the David manual »David System Manual and Technical Reference Guide« as well as in the manual »David.InfoCenter User Guide«. Furthermore an Online Help which can be opened by pressing [F1] is available for each dialog window. Hints:
The use of David.InfoCenter Mobile on Windows XP possibly requires that you disable the »Use simple file sharing«. Further information is found here KnowledgeBase Article Q-100.903. The use of David.InfoCenter Mobile on a computer is only possible from one user resp. with one user account. |
