  Contents

Welcome to WHOS-IN Admin Help. Please select the item of interest from the Table of Contents, or choose the FIND Tab at the bottom left of the screen.

Note: The screen shots depicted in this On-Line Manual contain screen captures from Windows XP and will not exactly match your screen if you are running a different version of Windows. (Windows 98 is the earliest version supported).

Please note that WHOS-IN IS NOT (technically) A 'DESIGNED FOR WINDOWS XP' application - however we have designed it to take advantage of the special features of XP (if available).

 Who's-In? is a Registered ® trademark of Hudson Software.


General Information

Please choose a topic from the following list :

Bug Reports
Copyright
Introduction
License Information
Support
System Requirements
Association of Shareware Professionals


Bug Reports

Yes, we admit it... bugs do happen, and no, we do not call them undocumented features!

No matter how much testing we do, something may be overlooked, and slip through the system unnoticed, or someone is using a setup we have not encountered before.

We encourage you to report bugs, which in turn, will allow us to further improve the software, and most importantly, improve our service to you!

If you come across something that appears to be 'not quite right' please tell us!
Email your bug reports to: support@hudsoft.com


Copyright

Programs, screen designs, macro's, associated databases and database formats are COPYRIGHT © 1994 - 2003, Hudson Software.

Contents may not be reverse engineered or resources separated from the rest of the system, without the written permission of Hudson Software.

Who's-In? is a Registered Trademark of Hudson Software.
WYWO is a Registered Trademark of Caliente International.
Microsoft, Access, Windows, MS Mail, MSN Messenger, MS Schedule+ & MS Exchange are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.

Any other Trademarks used belong to their respective trademark owners.


Introduction

The WHOS-IN Administration Program ( ADMIN.EXE ) is used for the following:

Adding, deleting or modifying Users, Groups, Status Types, Message Types, Servers and Columns.
Importing user names & phone numbers from an ASCII text file.
Repairing or compacting the WHOS-IN database.
Editing the Path to the database files.
Establishing connections to Remote Server databases.
Defining the initial (default) settings for new users.
Resetting users defaults & settings.

The database uses Microsoft Access 2000 format for data storage. (Access is not required).
The programs have been designed using Microsoft Visual Basic version 6, and are optimised for Win XP (but will run with any version of Windows from 98 up).


End User License Agreement

COMMERCIAL VERSION:
Hudson Software grants a license to use WHOS-IN to the original purchaser only, and may not be transferred to a third party.

You have the right to install the server component of WHOS-IN and the associated database on one File Server, or one single user PC (but not both).

WHOS-IN licenses are sold in exact numbers as you require them (with a minimum order of 10 users). Should you wish to increase the number of people in your database from 25 to 30 users (for example), a 10 user 'add-on' license would be required (allowing up to 35 users / items in the database).

Multiple databases on the same server, or on different servers require purchasing of additional WHOS-IN server licenses. Serial number security will prevent remote servers operating without a separate license.

TRIAL PACK / Shareware / Freeware version:
Usage of the 5 user version is unlimited. If you have a small office with 5 or less employees in the database, the software is free to use as long as you like. Should you wish to extend past the 5 user limit, you may then purchase a licensed version (10 users minimum) from your local software reseller, or the Hudson Software web site located at: http://www.hudsoft.com.

The 5 user version may be installed to multiple file servers for evaluation purposes only.

WHOS-IN updates are supplied FREE for a period of 12 months after initial purchase.

Hudson Software reserves the right to republish any user feedback (from any source) as a client testimonial on our web site.


Support / Contact Details

Support for WHOS-IN is 100% FREE (always has been) however to save time (and reduce our support costs) you should attempt to solve any problem you may encounter in the following order:

1. Consult this Help File. Your answer will probably be here already.
2. Go to www.hudsoft.com Tech Support area for additional info not in the help system.
3. Contact Hudson Software via email... support@hudsoft.com
4. FAX us on +61 (3) 9889-2831
5. Contact us by phone on +61 (3) 9889-0572
6. Send snail mail to:

Hudson Software
Lvl 2 / 62 Martin Rd
Glen Iris 3146 Vic
AUSTRALIA


System Requirements

SERVER:
Windows compatible network server capable of supporting UNC (Universal Naming Convention) pathnames such as: Win 98, ME, 2000, NT, XP, Novell and others. (Check your server is capable - most are.)
Approximately 15Mb hard disk space.
NOTE: No applications actually 'run' on the server.

WORKSTATIONS:
Windows 98, ME, NT, 2000 or XP
Windows 98 is now the MINIMUM requirement (Win 95 is not supported).
NO hard disk space (All files reside on the server).
LAN Card / Network connection.
Pentium 100 or greater preferred.
800x600 screen resolution (preferred)

REMOTE SERVERS:
Same as server above, but also including HIGH SPEED (Megabits per second) WAN (Wide Area Network) connection. (T1, Microwave or Optical Fiber preferred)

NOT RECOMMENDED:
WAN (Wide Area Network) connections using ISDN.
RAS (Remote Access Server) dialup connections using a MODEM.
NOTE: The data transmission speed for both ISDN (64 & 128k) and modems is too slow for acceptable response times due to the amount of data transmitted.


Association of Shareware Professionals

Due to the high cost of magazine advertising in the USA, Hudson Software has decided to try the 'shareware' distribution method (even though WHOS-IN has been on the market as a commercial product since 1995). To help in these endeavours, we have joined the Association of Shareware Professionals as a 'developer member' and we must abide by their rules, one of which is the inclusion of the ASP Ombudsman Policy (see below). Please note that there is nothing different about the software… The 5 user version is still 100% FREE and fully functional. It does NOT require 'registering' unless you wish to expand above the 5 user free 'limit'. Support for the product is also free (as it always has been).

ASP Ombudsman Policy

This program is produced by a member of the Association of Shareware Professionals (ASP). ASP wants to make sure that the shareware principle works for you. If you are unable to resolve a shareware-related problem with an ASP member by contacting the member directly, ASP may be able to help. The ASP Ombudsman can help you resolve a dispute or problem with an ASP member, but does not provide technical support for members' products. Please write to the ASP Ombudsman at 157-F Love Ave, Greenwood, IN 46142 USA, FAX 317-888-2195, or send email to omb@asp-shareware.org.

Fees for Distribution of Shareware Versions

Disk Vendors, Shareware Distributors, some Web Sites and BBS(s) may have charged a nominal fee for the distribution of this Shareware version of WHOS-IN. This fee does not constitute payment for the Licensed version of WHOS-IN. The user IS entitled to use the '5 user'  shareware version for an unlimited period (without payment). In other words, it is FREE. If you have been charged for the 5 user version (other than a small distribution fee), you should seek to get your money back from whomever sold it to you.

Definition of Shareware

Shareware distribution gives users a chance to try software before buying it. If you try a Shareware program and continue using it, you are normally required to register it (or purchase the licensed version). However, because the 5 user version of WHOS-IN is FREE, you only need to purchase a license if you wish to increase the number of users or items in the database above the 5 user 'free' limit.

Copyright laws apply to both Shareware and retail software, and the copyright holder (Hudson Software) retains all rights, with a few specific exceptions as stated below. Shareware authors are accomplished programmers, just like retail authors, and the programs are of comparable quality (in both cases, there are good programs and bad ones!). The main difference between Shareware and retail software is in the method of distribution. The author specifically grants the right to copy and distribute the software, either to all and sundry or to a specific group. For example, some authors require written permission before a commercial disk vendor may copy their Shareware.

Shareware is a distribution method, not a type of software. You should find software that suits your needs and pocketbook, whether it's retail or Shareware. The Shareware system makes fitting your needs easier, because you can try before you buy. And because the overhead is lower, prices are lower also. Shareware has the ultimate money-back guarantee - if you don't use the product, you don't pay for it.


About Screen

The About Screen displays the following information:

The WHOS-IN logo.
The number of users you are licensed for (User Version)
Our contact details.
The build date of the program.
Your serial number (blank for 5 user Trial version).


Add Screens

Please select from one of the following options:

Add Columns
Add DueBack Messages
Add Groups
Add Servers
Add Status Types
Add Users or Items


Add Columns

The Add Columns screen allows you to create your own 'custom' columns for display by the 'user' program.

To create a new Column, enter the new Column Name into the text box and press OK.

NOTE: You can also set columns to READ ONLY.  This allows you to set up a column (for example a 'Position' column) containing the users position within your company or organization - but prevents the user from changing the data themselves.   For example a sales rep could change their Position to CEO if read only is left switched off.

Data within the 'Read Only' columns can only be edited by an Administrator from the Modify Users or Items screen.

Some uses for extra columns:   Cell Phone numbers, email addresses, Position or anything else you like.

There is no effective limit to the number of extra columns you can add, however each new column adds considerable overhead to data transmission times over your network (which may or may not be an issue for you).

See also:
Modify Columns
Delete Columns

Add DueBack Messages
Add Groups
Add Servers
Add Status Types
Add Users or Items


Add DueBack Messages

The Add DueBack Message screen allows you to create a new 'DueBack' message type.

To create a new DueBack message, enter the new DueBack Type into the text box and press OK.

NOTE: DueBack Message Types that you add will also appear in the DueBack drop-down list within the Change screen of the WHOS-IN 'User' program.  Users will be able to select a DueBack message from that list, or enter a new DueBack message of their own.

See also:
Modify DueBack Messages
Delete DueBack Messages

Add Columns
Add Groups
Add Servers
Add Status Types
Add Users or Items


Add Groups

The Add Group screen allows you to create a new Group / Department, and specify the members of that Group.

To create a new Group, type the new Group Name into the text box at the top of the screen, then click on the user names in the Available Users list to move them in to the Group Members list.

SPECIAL GROUP TYPE: If you add an asterisk as a suffix to a Group Name, (e.g. '' Vehicles * '') that Group will be treated differently to other (normal)  Groups by allowing all users (irrespective of their Access Level) to change the Status of any users or items within that Group. This feature has been included at the request of a user who wanted a Vehicle Group, but did not want other user names to be included in the Group (either as Group Managers or Normal Access Users).

To remove a user from the Group Members list, click on their name and they will be moved to the Available Users list.

Press OK once you are done and the new Group is created.

See also:
Modify Groups
Delete Groups

Add Columns
Add DueBack Messages
Add Servers
Add Status Types
Add Users or Items


Add Servers

The Add Remote Server screen allows you to create links to remote WHOS-IN databases located within your LAN or WAN* using a UNC path. (UNC = Universal Naming Convention).

* CAUTION: Connecting and displaying data from a remote server can be slow across a Wide Area Network, and we recommend that these remote links only be set up if you have a fast network (Megabits per second). Acceptable speeds are obtained via Microwave, LAN, DSL, Cable and Optical Fiber networks. We do not recommend links using either Modem or ISDN connections.

To add a new Remote Server you can either enter the UNC path (Drive letter paths are not accepted) into the text box, or preferably, use the Browse Button to search your Network.

If you manually enter a UNC path that is incorrectly formatted, or there is no WHOS-IN database at that location, an error message will appear asking you to correct it.

Win 98 style Browse	Win XP style Browse

The preferred method of locating a remote database is to use the Browse button, which will display one of the screens above (depending on your version of Windows). You should begin by selecting the Network Neighborhood or My Network Places item in the 'Look in' section at the top of the screen. This will ensure that the final path to the destination database will be in UNC format. If you begin browsing at a folder, a drive letter or 'My Computer', the result of the browse will be a drive letter & path (e.g. W:\APPS\WHOSIN\WHOSIN.MDB). When you select the file and press OK the result will not be accepted (because it is not a UNC path).

Drill down from Network Neighborhood (or My Network Places in Win XP) by selecting one of the servers, then select a folder and or sub folder until you locate the folder containing WHOSIN.MDB. Select the file, choose the Open Button, and the resulting UNC path will be transferred to the Add Servers Screen.

Select OK. And the new server will be available to all the users (after they 'refresh' their screens).

NOTE: There is no 'Search' option available to scan for multiple databases on remote servers due to slow (very slow) response times connecting to remote servers then scanning the entire drive looking for the database. This may be addressed in a future release.

See also:
Modify Servers
Delete Servers

Add Columns
Add DueBack Messages
Add Groups
Add Status Types
Add Users or Items


Add Status Types

The Add Status Type screen allows you to create a new Status, and specify the color of the button that appears alongside the status on the main WHOS-IN screen. You may also choose to add the Status to the users ToolBar, in which case you also need to enter the Button Text, and also the ToolTip Text.

To create a new Status, enter the new Status Type name into the text box at the top of the screen, and then select the color from the available list.

NOTE: Status Types that you add will also appear in the Status Types drop-down list within the Change screen of the WHOS-IN 'User' program. Users will be able to select a status type from that list, or enter a new status of their own choosing.

See also:
Modify Status Types
Delete Status Types

Add Columns
Add DueBack Messages
Add Groups
Add Servers
Add Users or Items


Add Users or Items

The Add User screen allows you to manually add extra user names (or items) into the WHOS-IN database. Generally speaking this is not necessary, as new users are automatically added to the database when they start WHOS-IN for the first time (assuming they have been set up with a log-in script or Icon).

New users should be entered in the same format as they appear in your default email system and or Network Login Script (if you are using this option).

If an ITEM is entered, and the first character is a Tilte '~' then this item will be excluded from the 'Everyone' list. This allows you to add items such as Vehicles or Mobile Phones, without them interfering with the display of 'users'.

Examples:
FirstName Lastname (Greg Hudson)
LastName FirstName (Hudson Greg)
LastName, FirstName (Hudson, Greg)

NOTE: It is important that the name exactly matches their name in your email system because the main WHOS-IN 'User' program will attempt to send an email to a specific name (if the user activates this option).

See also:
Modify Users or Items
Delete Users or Items

Add Columns
Add DueBack Messages
Add Groups
Add Servers
Add Status Types


Repair / Compact Database

The Repair / Compact Database screen allows you to repair databases that have become corrupted, and remove deleted entries from the WHOS-IN database (conserving disk space).

NOTE: The latest WHOS-IN program / database design now allows you to Repair or Compact the database whilst users remain logged ON.  In some circumstances the server MAY not disconnect a user from the database, and when you attempt a repair, you will see a message such as 'Database is locked by user xxx on machine xxx'.

To assist in tracking down which user has the 'lock' open, you can check the Main Screen (User Tab) to see which  users are marked as 'Active' (with a Yellow Warning Triangle).  See example below:

If the user is already logged off, but they are still marked as active, they may have crashed their PC, which has left the database (and possibly the server) in a 'pending' state. You should check with your Network Administrator and ask for the user to be 'disconnected' (presuming they are not actually logged in to the Network) before attempting the repair / compact.

If you wish, you can RESET the Active Flags from the Tools Menu.

Active Flags are automatically cleared during a compact / rebuild.


Database Path

The Database Path screen allows you to set the location of the WHOS-IN database file (WHOSIN.MDB). This information is stored in the WHOSIN.INI file, located in the same directory as the USER.EXE and ADMIN.EXE files.

If the path in the INI file is blank, it is assumed that the program files and database files reside in the same physical folder.

Before changing the path, the new destination should contain a complete working copy of WHOS-IN.

The path to the database is stored in the .INI file to allow Network Administrators to place the .EXE files in a read only drive/directory, and the database in a read write drive/directory.

NOTE:
A UNC path IS REQUIRED to the new database location. (Drive letters are not accepted).

TIP:
Use the BROWSE button to locate the database, and begin drilling down from 'Network Neighborhood' or 'My Network Places' (for Win XP) to ensure a valid UNC path is obtained to the database.

To save the new path to the database, press OK.

If the path is invalid, does not exist, or does not contain the database file, an error message is generated.


Delete Screens

Please select from one of the following options:

Delete Columns
Delete DueBack Messages
Delete Groups
Delete Servers
Delete Status Types
Delete Users


Delete Columns

To delete one or more Columns, choose the Columns Tab, select the item or items from the main screen, and press the Delete button on the ToolBar.

The Delete Columns screen displays a confirmation list of the items selected from the Main screen. Press OK to remove them from the database.

See Also:
Add Columns
Modify Columns

Delete DueBack Messages
Delete Groups
Delete Servers
Delete Status Types
Delete Users


Delete DueBack Messages

To delete one or more DueBack messages, choose the DueBack Tab, select the item or items from the main screen, and press the Delete button on the ToolBar.

The Delete DueBack screen displays a confirmation list of the items selected from the Main screen. Press OK to remove them from the database.

See Also:
Add DueBack Message
Modify DueBack Messages

Delete Columns
Delete Groups
Delete Servers
Delete Status Types
Delete Users


Delete Groups

To delete one or more Groups, choose the Groups Tab, then select the item or items from the main screen, and press the Delete button on the ToolBar.

The Delete Groups screen displays a confirmation list of the items selected from the Main screen. Press OK to remove them from the database.

NOTE 1: Deleting a Group will remove all memberships of that Group. This action cannot be undone.

NOTE 2: The 'Everyone' Group cannot be deleted.

See Also:
Add Groups
Modify Groups

Delete Columns
Delete DueBack Messages
Delete Servers
Delete Status Types
Delete Users


Delete Servers

To delete one or more Servers, choose the Servers Tab, then select the item(s) from the main screen, and press the Delete button on the ToolBar.

The Delete Servers screen displays a confirmation list of the item or items selected from the Main screen. Press OK to remove them from the database.

NOTE: Deleting a server from the list will prevent anyone connecting to the remote database.

See Also:
Add Server
Modify Servers

Delete Columns
Delete DueBack Messages
Delete Groups
Delete Status Types
Delete Users

AUTO SYNC


Delete Status Types

To delete one or more Status Types, choose the Status Types Tab, then select the item(s) from the main screen, and press the Delete button on the ToolBar.

The Delete Status Types screen displays a confirmation list of the items selected from the Main screen. Press OK to remove them from the database.

See Also:
Add Status Types
Modify Status Types

Delete Columns
Delete DueBack Messages
Delete Groups
Delete Servers
Delete Users


Delete Users or Items

To delete one or more Users (or items), choose the Users Tab, then select the user name(s) from the main screen, and press the Delete button on the ToolBar.

The Delete Users screen displays a confirmation list of the user names selected from the Main screen. Press OK to remove them from the database.

See Also:
Add Users or Items
Modify Users or Items

Delete Columns
Delete DueBack Messages
Delete Groups
Delete Servers
Delete Status Types


Import Screens

Choosing the Import Button from the Main Screen will display the File Import Screen (above). The file to import must be a plain TEXT file, and MUST contain user names and/or phone numbers.

USAGE (Step 1):
Select the text file containing your user names & press the Open Button.

Example text file containing user names:
Bill Smith
Bob Jones
Con Manos 9987-2245
Harper, David 9987-2244
Bill Smith

Eric Hinze 1234
"Fred Nurk"
Sample user name and/or phone numbers.

NOTE: The example above purposely includes errors such as a blank line, a duplicate name, and a name surrounded with double quotes. The import utility will attempt to filter out as many of these potential errors as possible during the import process.

USAGE (Step 2):
Choose the Import Format you wish to use. This can be either just a user name, or user name + phone / extension number. Press NEXT to begin the import.

NOTE: The names shown on the screen are only a small portion of the entire list, and are displayed merely to confirm this is indeed the user list you wish to import.

If any errors are detected during the import, they will be tallied & displayed on the screen above. In this example, several errors occurred so we now choose YES to display the error log (see below).

NOTE: The Import Error Log is also available from the Tools menu item.


Import Error Log

The Import Error Log allows you to see what errors occurred during an Import of user names & phone numbers.

The error message that occurred on each line is followed by the users name.

To eliminate errors during the import process, take note of the problem (on each line) and edit your import text file with the appropriate fix. You can then re-import the file a 2nd time (ignoring any duplicate entries, which will not be added to the database).


Main Screen

This section details the actions available from the Main Screen.

Please note that in the screen shot above, one of the users has a warning Triangle next to the name (hey that's ME! - Ed.). This triangle indicates that the user is marked in the database as being Active. This assists the administrator prior to COMPACTING or REPAIRING the database. If someone has the database on the server 'locked open', then the compact/repair cannot take place...

Although a user may be marked as Active, this does not necessarily mean they are actually logged IN, (they may have crashed their PC, or shut down without exiting WHOS-IN) which would leave them with a 'floating' state of 'Active'.  You should check your Network Server user connections to see who is using WHOS-IN if the repair/compact fails (but only if there are any users with a Yellow Triangle).

Active Flags for all users will be reset after a repair / compact.

NOTE: The Active flag is completely separate to a users 'Status'. A user can have ANY status set, and yet still be marked as an 'Active' user.

Links to additional topics:

TooolBar Buttons

Item Selector Tabs

Status Bar

Auto Sync Button

Menu Items:

File - Exit - Shuts down the WHOS-IN Administrator program.

Edit - Add, Modify, Delete - Emulates ToolBar buttons.

Tools
Repair / Compact Database - Fix damaged databases & removed deleted space.
Database Path - Used if your database resides in a different folder to the main WHOS-IN programs.
Global Settings - Controls positioning of the background logo.
Import Error Log - Display errors during import.
New User Defaults - Allows you to define all settings for new users.
Reset Active Flags - Remove flags marking users as Active (prior to a repair)
System Security - Define systems security levels for all users.
Transaction Log - Keeps a record of all status changes. Also allows exporting to Excel.

Help

Contents - Displays this help file.
Register - Enter your registration serial number here.
About - Displays user count, serial number, build date etc.


ToolBar Buttons

This section details the actions taken when pressing the various buttons on the Main Screen.

Import Button - Displays the Import Users Screen, which allows you to import user names and phone numbers into the WHOS-IN database.

Add Button - Allows you to add extra Columns, DueBack Messages, Groups, Servers, Status Types and Users. Choose the Item Selector Tab prior to selecting the Add button.

Modify Button - Allows you to modify existing Custom Columns, DueBack Messages, Groups, Servers, Status Types and Users. Choose the Item Selector Tab prior to selecting the Modify button.

Delete Button - Allows you to delete Custom Columns, DueBack Messages, Groups, Servers, Status Types and Users. Choose the Item Selector Tab prior to selecting the Delete button.

NOTE: Not all items can be deleted. For example the 'Everyone' Group, and the In Out & Busy Status types are all protected.

Repair Button - Displays the Repair / Compact Database Screen, which allows you to repair damaged databases, remove deleted entries from the database, and free some disk space. Compacting is probably only required once a month, or perhaps even less often.

NOTE: Exclusive access is NOT required for this process. ( Existing users may remain logged in to WHOS-IN during the repair/compact, however it may require multiple attempts on your part to repair successfully - if a user happens to be updating their status at the exact same moment. )

The repair / compact operation consists of the following steps:
Renaming WHOSIN.MDB to WHOSIN.000
Shuffling WHOSIN.001 to 002, 002 to 003 etc. (up to 9 backup copies are kept)
Repair the WHOSIN.000 file (which recreates the MDB file.)

The procedure is very similar to manually repairing a database using MS Access, however if you prefer to use Access for this function, please ensure you have version 2000 of Microsoft Access.

About Button - Displays the About Screen with WHOS-IN copyright Info, Serial Number, Build Date etc.

Help Button - Displays Help for the Main Screen only.

Exit Button - Shuts down WHOS-IN Administrator.

Return to Main Screen


Item Selector Tabs

The Item Selector Tabs are used to select one of the 6 types of items you wish to Add, Modify or Delete.

USAGE:
Select the desired Tab, then choose either the Add, Modify or Delete button to perform the desired action.

Return to Main Screen


Status Bar

The Status Bar is divided into 3 sections. The first section displays various help messages, the second section displays the current number of users in the database, and the user limit (depending on your license), and the third section displays the current date.

Return to Main Screen


Auto Sync

If you select the SERVERS Tab (from the Main Screen), and there are existing valid entries for remote servers, the AutoSync button will be enabled.   This allows you to synchronize LISTS of remote databases so that users in one database can attach to another database & examine the status of people in another area.

Example:

Imagine the scenario above, where a company might have branch offices spread across 5 cities linked by a high speed Wide Area Network (Optic or T1+).  Each branch has their own 'server' copy of WHOS-IN, however not all offices can 'see' each other (because not everyone has updated their 'Remote Servers' list).

Perth can't see anyone, Adelaide can see Perth & Melbourne, Melbourne can see Sydney & Adelaide, Sydney can see Melbourne & Brisbane, and Brisbane can't see anyone.

If the Administrator in Melbourne presses the AutoSync button, it will examine the remote servers list in the Adelaide office, and find an entry for Perth. It adds Perth to the Melbourne list. It then examines the Sydney server, and finds there is an entry for Brisbane, so it also adds Brisbane to the Melbourne list.  It then examines the Perth & Brisbane lists to see if there are any additional servers connected to them. Once no more servers can be added, it then updates ALL 5 databases with a complete list of all other servers. The result is pictured below…

After AutoSync, all offices can 'see' each other

NOTE: The databases themselves remain as separate entities THEY ARE NOT REPLICATED. To examine the status of a user in a different office, the users need to 'connect' to that database, and return to their 'Home' database afterwards.

Replication of the complete database is not economical with regards to Network Bandwidth, and generally, because the data is updated so frequently, if there were replicated copies, they would be out-of-date in a matter of moments. Keeping the databases separate eliminates these problems.

After AutoSync completes, your Servers list could look similar to this…

Keywords:

How to link multiple offices, AutoSync

Return to Main Screen


Modify Screens

Please select from one of the following options:

Modify Columns
Modify DueBack Messages
Modify Groups
Modify Servers
Modify Status Types
Modify Users or Items


Modify Columns

The Modify Columns screen allows you to change the heading of an existing 'Custom Column', and optionally set the column to Read Only (preventing users from modifying the data in that column).

Enter the new Column Name in the text box, select Read Only (if required) & press OK to save the data.

See Also:
Add Columns
Delete Columns

Modify DueBack Messages
Modify Groups
Modify Servers
Modify Status Types
Modify Users or Items


Modify DueBack Messages

The Modify DueBack Message screen allows you to change an existing 'DueBack' message type.

Enter the new DueBack message in the text box & press OK to save the data.

See Also:
Add DueBack Message
Delete DueBack Messages

Modify Columns
Modify Groups
Modify Servers
Modify Status Types
Modify Users or Items


Modify Groups

The Modify Group screen allows you to change the name of an existing Group, as well as add and delete members from that Group.

To change the Group Name, type the new name in the text box at the top of the screen.

SPECIAL GROUP TYPE: If you add an asterisk as a suffix to a Group Name, (e.g. '' Vehicles * '') that Group will be treated differently to other (normal)  Groups by allowing all users (irrespective of their Access Level) to change the Status of any users or items within that Group. This feature has been included at the request of a user who wanted a Vehicle Group, but did not want other user names to be included in the Group (either as Group Managers or Normal Access Users).

To add a user to the Group, simply click ONCE on the user name in the Available Users list (which will move them to the Group Members list).

To delete a member from a Group, simply click ONCE on the user name in the Group Members list (which will move them to the Available Users list).

To save your changes, press OK.

See Also:
Add Groups
Delete Groups

Modify Columns
Modify DueBack Messages
Modify Servers
Modify Status Types
Modify Users or Items


Modify Servers

The Modify Server screen allows you to change an existing Server path.

To change the path you can either:

1. Type the new UNC path into the text box & press OK to save the data.
or
2. Use the Browse Button to search your network.

The preferred method is to use the Browse Button, and begin drilling down from the "Network Neighborhood' or 'My Network Places' (for Win XP users) selection. (This will ensure the final path you choose is a valid UNC path).

See Also:
Add Server
Delete Server

Modify Columns
Modify DueBack Messages
Modify Groups
Modify Status Types
Modify Users or Items


Modify Status Types

The Modify Status Types screen allows you to change an existing Status Type, select a new color, and add the Status Type to the users ToolBar if desired.

Enter the new Status Type into the text box, choose the color you prefer & press OK to save the data.

See Also:
Add Status Types
Delete Status Types

Modify Columns
Modify DueBack Messages
Modify Groups
Modify Servers
Modify Users or Items


Modify Users or Items

The Modify Users or Items screen allows you to change an existing User Name (or Item), and edit the users current Status, Phone number, DueBack details, Last Group accessed, Comments, Active Flag, Options, Security Level, Refresh Rate, Group Management, System Tray options, ToolBar options and screen settings.

The User Details Tab allows you to change the name of the user or item (to correct spelling for example). Although it is possible to edit the other fields on this screen, these are normally set by the user - meaning any changes you make may be overwritten (with the exception of the Name field).

The Reset Active Flag checkbox should only be used AFTER verifying that the user does NOT have the database locked 'open' by your Network Server.

The Options Tab allows you to set each item for this particular user.

NOTE: The user can change any or all of these options at any time.

The Security Tab allows you to set the Access Level for this particular user. Under normal conditions, a Receptionist should be given HIGH access, and a normal user LOW access.

The user does NOT have access to this page (preventing them from upgrading their own access level).

The Refresh Rate Tab allows you to set the time period that WHOS-IN 'polls' the server looking for any changes to the database.

Please note that ALL users can now select the ONE MINUTE option. This was previously only available to receptionists, however several people asked for the option to apply to everyone, so it has been changed.

The Group Management Tab allows you to assign the selected user as a Manager of one or more Groups. This allows the user to change the Status of other Group members. Depending on the System Security Level, Normal Access users may also have this ability - it is up to you as the administrator to determine which users should be at which level.

NOTE 1: If you include the 'Everyone' Group as a managed group, the user will be able to change everyone in the database (this is not usually desirable).

NOTE 2: There is no point adding a Special Group (such as '' Vehicles * '') to the managed list because all users always have access to a Group suffixed with an asterisk.

USAGE:
Enter the users new name, set the Security and / or Group Management levels required, & press OK to save the data.

NOTE: Users do NOT have access to this screen.

The System Tray Tab allows you to modify how WHOS-IN should be displayed when it is Minimized.

NOTE: The user can change any or all of these settings at any time.

The ToolBar Tab allows you to modify how WHOS-IN displays Icons on this user's ToolBar. You can select Large or Small icons, and enable or disable the Text Labels (allowing more icons to fit on one row).

NOTE: The user can change any or all of these settings at any time.

The Screen Tab allows you to modify startup position, width & height of the main WHOS-IN program, as well as the column widths that the user has chosen.  These settings are saved automatically when WHOS-IN is shut down, and are reloaded when the user starts WHOS-IN again.

The reason the settings are included here is (mainly) to allow you to reposition the screen to a 'visible' area of the users screen. This is sometimes necessary if a user moves WHOS-IN to the far left, then resets their screen mode to a lower resolution - thereby making the program 'outside' the viewable area, and therefore not accessible.

NOTE however though that NEGATIVE values are accepted for those cases where users are running multiple screens.

See Also:
Add Users or Items
Delete Users or Items

Modify Columns
Modify DueBack Messages
Modify Groups
Modify Servers
Modify Status Types


Register Screen

The Register Screen allows you to enter your serial number into the WHOS-IN database.

Please note that each database must contain a unique serial number. If the same serial number is located on a different database, WHOS-IN will cease to function.

Serial numbers are unique to each organization, and are not transferable to anyone else under any circumstances.


Transaction Log

The Transaction Log displays a list of the last 500 status changes made to the database (if the Transaction Logging option is switched on). Note that this may only be a small portion of the complete list, however we have limited the number of entries displayed to 500 to prevent problems experienced with the Microsoft ListView control (used to display the list).

If you need a complete list, select the EXPORT or PRINT option, then clear the Log to start again.

The Transaction Log now contains the users DueBack info, Comments, and 'Network Logon ID' (where possible). This has been added to assist the administrator identify people logging in to WHOS-IN as someone else, then changing their status. Several sites have reported that people have logged in as their Manager (or whatever), and entered stupid comments. Unfortunately, even this has not stopped some people, so in the not too distant future we will be adding password security to hopefully eliminate the problem.

We highly advise that Transaction Logging is NOT USED (for several reasons):

1.	Each time someone changes their status a new entry is inserted into the Transaction Log table within the database. In a very short time this table can have hundreds of thousands of entries, thereby bloating the size of the database itself to astronomical proportions (approximately one megabyte per 1000 transactions).

2.	People don't like the idea of being 'tracked'. We have found in the past that the 'Big Brother' syndrome takes over, and people tend to not use WHOS-IN for its intended task. For example: They leave it running over-night (so it appears they are IN for extended periods of time), or they may have an extra long lunch break and call one of their colleagues to mark them IN when they are not really in the office at all. Both scenarios reduce the effectiveness of the software, which relies on people's honesty and diligence to mark themselves In or Out as needs be.

If you do decide to use the Transaction Log option, you should make a mental note to clear the log at least monthly.

Transaction Log Printing:

To print the Transaction Log, select either the complete Log, or an individual user from the list.

Exporting the Transaction Log:

If you choose the EXPORT button, a new file is created in CSV (Comma Separated Value) format suitable for importing into Microsoft Excel. After exporting you should CLEAR THE LOG to start afresh.


Uninstalling

WHOS-IN is slightly different to most applications, in that there is no SETUP file, and no registry entries. This allows you to simply DELETE the WHOS-IN folder from your server, and it's GONE for good.

SERVER UNINSTALL:

1. Run the ADMIN.EXE program (from the server WHOSIN folder) and choose the
FILE / DATABASE PATH menu item to determine the location of the database.

2. DELETE the WHOSIN.MDB file using Windows Explorer.

3. DELETE the WHOS-IN folder from the SERVER.

4 Remove the entry from your users Network Login Script (if enabled).
Examples:
'START \\Server\Share\Path\USER.EXE Greg Hudson'' or
''START \\Server\Share\Path\USER.EXE %FULLNAME%'' or
''START \\Server\Share\Path\USER.EXE %USERNAME%''
(This will vary depending on the type of Network you run)

WORKSTATION UNINSTALL:

1. DELETE any WHOS-IN Icons from the desktop, and optionally from the users StartUp folder.

NOTE: Because there is no workstation 'Setup' program, there is no need for a workstation uninstaller.


Frequently Asked Questions

Q. I have a shared PC. How do I set up WHOS-IN to run several copies with different user names on the same machine?

 A. From the workstation, run USER.EXE (located on the server WHOSIN folder) without entering a user name. As WHOS-IN starts, it will display the 'Add New User' screen.This screen allows the user to create multiple Icons (each with a different user name) and stores them on the Windows DeskTop (plus optionally in the Startup folder).

To run several copies, simply choose the Icon with the appropriate name, minimize it, then choose the next Icon (with a different user name). Both copies will run side-by-side on the one PC.

Q. I have deleted a person using the Admin DELETE USER function, but they keep reappearing. What's happening?

A. Someone is starting WHOS-IN using the user name that you have deleted. When you delete a user, you should also delete the Icon from the users Windows Desktop and / or Startup folder, and also from the users Network Login script (if you have this option enabled).


How to: Share your C: drive (Win98)

To use WHOS-IN on your local C: drive (so that other people can access it) you must have your PC 'shared'. Either the complete C: drive, or just the WHOSIN folder.

NOTE: The following information assumes that your Network Administrator has given you 'permission' to activate file sharing.

Start Windows Explorer and right click on the WHOSIN folder on your C: drive.

Select the 'Sharing' option to display the following screen:

Choose the 'Shared as' radio button, and the 'Full' Access Type button, then enter ''whosin'' into the Share Name section. This will allow other PC's to connect to your WHOSIN folder as a 'server'.

Now choose Network Neighborhood in Windows Explorer and you should see something similar to the screen below:

The \\Greg is (in this case) the SERVER NAME and the \WHOSIN is the SHARE NAME. Yours will differ depending on how your PC is currently named (but MAY be simply your first name, like this example).

The UNC (Universal Naming Convention) path is therefore:

\\SERVERNAME\SHARENAME\ or \\GREG\WHOSIN\

Note that because the folder itself is shared, there is no need to add PATH information to the UNC.

If you had shared the entire C: drive instead of just the folder, the UNC path would be something like:

\\SERVERNAME\SHARENAME\PATH\ or \\GREG\MAIN-C\WHOSIN\

 When you now look at Network Neighborhood you would see something similar to the following:

The UNC path is therefore longer (because the FOLDER has now been included in the path) and it is this information that needs to be entered into the WHOS-IN ADMIN program Database Path screen.


How to: Share your C drive (Win XP)

To use WHOS-IN on your local C: drive (so that other people can access it) you must have your PC 'shared'. Either the complete C: drive, or just the WHOSIN folder.

NOTE: The following information assumes that your Network Administrator has given you 'permission' to activate file sharing.

Start Windows Explorer and right click on the WHOSIN folder on your C: drive.

Select the 'Sharing' option to display the following screen:

Select the 'Shared this folder on the network' and 'Allow network users to change my files' options, then enter ''whosin'' into the Share Name section. This will allow other PC's to connect to your WHOSIN folder as a 'server'.

Now ''My Network Places'' in Windows Explorer and you should see something similar to the screen below:

The \\Greg is (in this case) the SERVER NAME and the \WHOSIN is the SHARE NAME. Yours will differ depending on how your PC is currently named (but MAY be simply your first name, like this example).

The UNC (Universal Naming Convention) path is therefore:

\\SERVERNAME\SHARENAME\ or \\GREG\WHOSIN\

Note that because the folder itself is shared, there is no need to add PATH information to the UNC.

If you had shared the entire C: drive instead of just the folder, the UNC path would be something like:

\\SERVERNAME\SHARENAME\PATH\ or \\GREG\MAIN-C\WHOSIN\

The UNC path in this case is longer (because the FOLDER has now been included in the path) and it is this information that needs to be entered into the WHOS-IN ADMIN program Database Path screen.


How to: Install your own Company Logo

To install your own logo, you will need to overwrite the sample logo.gif file with your own. The filename MUST remain as logo.gif

CAUTION: The logo should be used like a 'watermark' - using very soft pastel type colors so that it does not interfere with the text that is overlaid on top of the logo image. If you keep your logo similar to the Hudson Software logo you should be OK. If the logo.gif file is missing from the Application folder, WHOS-IN will default to using the built-in Hudson Software logo.

Note: No error checking is performed on the GIF file (to ensure it is actually a GIF) so please ensure the image file is the correct format before adding it to your server WHOSIN folder.

To create a logo of your own, we suggest a program such as Paint Shop Pro (shareware).   Using PSP, you can create the pastel/washed out effect by increasing the LUMINANCE of your image.


Global Settings

The Global Settings screen currently allows you to configure how the LOGO appears within the main WHOS-IN program.

Additional global settings will be added to this area at a later date.


New User Defaults

The New User Defaults screen allows you to define how a 'new' user initially starts WHOS-IN.

Usage:

Select the various Tabs & set the defaults to those of your choosing. Save the data, and as new users are created they will automatically be assigned the settings you have defined here.

The 'factory' defaults are indicated in brackets, and will be applied to new users if you have not made any changes here.


System Security

The System Security screen allows you to define the level of access most suitable for your organization.

The descriptions are all self explanatory, and probably don't require any additional HELP as such. However please advise us (support@hudsoft.com) if you feel you need more info here.


Reset Active Flags

The Reset Active Flags command allows you to delete the yellow 'Active' triangles on the Main screen.

The triangles indicate that a user is marked in the database as being Active. This assists the administrator prior to COMPACTING or REPAIRING the database. If someone has the database on the server 'locked open', then the compact/repair cannot take place...

Although a user may be marked as Active, this does not necessarily mean they are actually logged IN, (they may have crashed their PC, or shut down without exiting WHOS-IN) which would leave them with a 'floating' state of 'Active'.  You should check your Network Server user connections to see who is using WHOS-IN if the repair/compact fails (but only if there are any users with a Yellow Triangle).

Active Flags for all users will be reset after a repair / compact.

NOTE: The Active flag is completely separate to a users 'Status'. A user can have ANY status set, and yet still be marked as an 'Active' user.


How to: Configure notebook users

Users with Notebook PC's present a slight problem with WHOS-IN because they tend to be simply disconnected from the Network without warning.  Previously, this could potentially cause a corruption to the database (because the database file was 'held' open), however the latest release now exits more gracefully after attempting 9 'retries' to reconnect to its database.

SETUP:

It is best if the Icon for WHOS-IN is NOT added to the users startup folder. This prevents WHOS-IN from attempting to connect to the database (on the server) when the user is at home (for example).

Ideally, you should try to use a Network Logon script (if possible) for notebook users, and only allow them to add an Icon to their desktop (not the startup folder).