PC Direct 1995 May/PC Direct CD-ROM (May 1995).ISO/ipe/manuals/hp20/helpplus.txt

Text File | 1994-07-28 | 23.2 KB | 641 lines

              HelpPlus Version 2.0
              Copyright 1994 by McAfee, Inc.
               All Rights Reserved.



Copyright 1994 by McAfee, Inc. All rights reserved. McAfee is a
registered trademark of McAfee, Inc. HelpPlus, HelpPlus Manager,
and LAN Support Center are trademarks of McAfee, Inc. All other
products or services mentioned in this document are identified
by the trademarks or service marks of their respective companies
or organizations.


McAfee, Inc.
2710 Walsh Avenue
Santa Clara, CA  95051-0963
U.S.A.

Technical Support Information
-----------------------------

Phone           [phone]
FAX             [phone]
Hours           9 a.m. to 7 p.m. EST

McAfee BBS      [phone]
        1200 bps to 14,400 bps
        8 bits, no parity, 1 stop bit
        24 hours, 365 days a year

CompuServe      GO MCAFEE

Internet        [e-mail]

If you are not a customer located in the U.S. or Canada, you can
contact a McAfee authorized agent. Agents are located in more than
50 countries around the world and provide local sales and support
for our software. Please refer to the AGENTS.TXT file for a complete
list of McAfee agents.


               Using HelpPlus
               --------------
Contents
--------
1.1 An Overview of HelpPlus
    1.1.1 HelpPlus
      1.1.1.1 Running HelpPlus
      1.1.1.2 Attach Mode
    1.1.2 HelpPlus Manager
      1.1.2.1 Categories of Trouble Tickets
      1.1.2.2 Maintaining Trouble Tickets
      1.1.2.3 Using Multiple Databases
      1.1.2.4 LAN Support Center
1.2 System Requirements
1.3 Installing the HelpPlus Package
    1.3.1 Installation Overview
1.4 Step 1:  Prepare to Install
    1.4.1 SQL Server Considerations
1.5 Step 2:  Start the Setup Program
1.6 Step 3:  Select the Destination Drive and Directory
1.7 Step 4:  Monitor the Copying and Decompression of Files
1.8 Step 5:  Configure the HelpPlus Package
1.9 Step 6: Create the Trouble Ticket Database
    1.9.1 LAN Support Center
1.10 Step 7:  Read the Release Notes
1.11 Step 8:  Assign Users Rights to the HelpPlus\ DATABASE
     Directory
1.12 Rerunning the Setup Program
     1.12.1 Starting Setup from a Network Drive
1.13 Setting Up the Trouble Ticket Database
     1.13.1 Creating the Trouble Ticket Database
     1.13.2 Defining Categories of Trouble Tickets
     1.13.3 Sending Workstation Information and Other Files
     1.13.4 Setting Up EMail Echoing
1.14 Using Online Help
     1.14.1 HelpPlus
     1.14.2 HelpPlus Manager
     1.14.3 Context Sensitive Help
1.15 Using the Release Notes
     1.15.1 To view the Release Notes:
1.16 Setting Configuration Defaults


1.1 An Overview of HelpPlus
---------------------------
The HelpPlus package consists of two applications: HelpPlus and
HelpPlus Manager.

1.1.1 HelpPlus

HelpPlus provides these useful features when a user encounters
problems with his or her workstation.

  *  It provides diagnostic information about the DOS, Windows,
     and/or Network environment.

  *  It lets the user compose and send a Trouble Ticket (problem
     report) to the Help Desk administrator. The Trouble Ticket is added
     to a database for review and resolution.

  *  If a General Protection Fault (GPF) occurs, HelpPlus
     automatically generates a Trouble Ticket and sends it to the Help
     Desk administrator.

1.1.1.1 Running HelpPlus

You can run HelpPlus as a regular Windows application or in Attach
mode.

When you run HelpPlus as a regular Windows application, the HelpPlus
window is displayed on your desktop.

To use HelpPlus, simply choose the desired icon.

1.1.1.2 Attach Mode

When you run HelpPlus in Attach mode, the Help menu of any Windows
application you run (except WinHelp) contains four additional items:
  *  DOS Information
  *  Windows Information
  *  Network Information
  *  Contact Help Desk

Also the menu is named Help+ rather than Help.

To use HelpPlus, simply choose the desired menu item.

1.1.2 HelpPlus Manager

HelpPlus Manager lets the Help Desk administrator create and
maintain a database of Trouble Tickets (problem reports) sent by
users of HelpPlus.

HelpPlus Manager uses the Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) API to
access the database engine. You have the option of using the
Microsoft Access database engine, which is distributed with the
HelpPlus package, to build and maintain the Trouble Ticket database.
Or you can use SQL Server. (You can also use another database engine
if ODBC drivers are available for the database and if the database
is capable of supporting HelpPlus' database types.)

When you install the HelpPlus package, you can create the Trouble
Ticket database as a part of the installation process. Or you can
wait and build the database later.

1.1.2.1 Categories of Trouble Tickets

When a user sends a Trouble Ticket, he or she must assign the
Trouble Ticket a category from a list established by the Help Desk
administrator.

The primary planning task of the Help Desk administrator is to
configure incoming Trouble Tickets. You must set up the Trouble
Ticket categories that will be available to HelpPlus users. You can
set up categories for applications, departments, special projects,
etc.

For each category, you can specify what information about the
configuration of the sender's workstation to send with the Trouble
Ticket. This information describes how the workstation is configured
for DOS, Windows, and/or Network operation.

For each category, you can also specify that copies or notification
of Trouble Tickets be sent by EMail to specific users. These users
may be specialists assigned to a category of problems or managers
who need to be informed of problems reported by their employees.
Lotus cc:Mail, Microsoft Mail, and Novell MHS are supported.

1.1.2.2 Maintaining Trouble Tickets

You can maintain a Trouble Ticket in the database in the following
ways:

  *  View the Trouble Ticket.
  *  Change the Trouble Ticket's category.
  *  Enter resolution notes.
  *  Close the Trouble Ticket.
  *  Reopen the Trouble Ticket.
  *  Delete the Trouble Ticket.

1.1.2.3 Using Multiple Databases

HelpPlus Manager is primarily intended for use with a single Trouble
Ticket database. When you use a single database, the task of setting
up users to access the database is fully automated.

You also have the option of setting up multiple Trouble Ticket
databases. In this case, you must manually set up each user to
access the appropriate database. For further information, see "ODBC
Notes" in the HelpPlus Manager online Help.

1.1.2.4 LAN Support Center

You can configure HelpPlus Manager to send Trouble Tickets to both
the Trouble Ticket database and to the McAfee LAN Support Center
database.

1.2 System Requirements

The following list contains the minimum system requirements to run
this version of the HelpPlus package.

  *  An 80386/SX or higher based computer.
  *  4 megabytes of memory.
  *  One 1.44 MB (3-1/2") floppy disk drive (for installation).
  *  MS-DOS Version 5.0 or later.
  *  Microsoft Windows Version 3.1 or later, or Windows for
     Workgroups Version 3.11 or later.
  *  A monitor and VGA graphics card or other high-resolution
     graphics card compatible with Windows Version 3.1 or later.
  *  A Microsoft Windows-compatible mouse, recommended but not
     required.

1.3 Installing the HelpPlus Package

The HelpPlus package is easy to install--just run the Setup program
(SETUP.EXE), which is located on the McAfee distribution diskettes.

Important:  You must run the Setup program to install the HelpPlus
package. The files are compressed on diskette. If you copy these
files yourself, important setup procedures may be bypassed, causing
unpredictable results.

1.3.1 Installation Overview

The steps required to install the HelpPlus package are as follows:
  1.  Prepare to install.
  2.  Start the Setup program.
  3.  Select the destination drive and directory.
  4.  Monitor the copying and decompression of files. (The actual
      copying and decompression is performed by the Setup program.)
  5.  Configure HelpPlus.
  6.  Create the Trouble Ticket database (optional).
  7.  Read the Release Notes.
  8.  Assign users rights to the HelpPlus\DATABASE directory. This
      directory is created if you create a Trouble Ticket database as
      an Access database.

The following sections describe each step.

Upgrade Note: These sections describe how to perform a new
installation of the HelpPlus package. If you are upgrading from an
earlier release of HelpPlus, refer to the Release Notes, located in
the HelpPlus directory or on the installation disk.

1.4 Step 1:  Prepare to Install

Before you can install the HelpPlus package, you must do the
following:

  *  If you will be using Microsoft Access as the database engine
     and Access is not already installed on your (the administrator's)
     machine:

     - Add the following statement to the AUTOEXEC.BAT file:

       SHARE /L:500

       This statement is required to build and maintain the Trouble
       Ticket database.

       Note: The Share program resides in the DOS directory. It is
       assumed that the DOS directory is on the path. The SHARE
       statement must be after the PATH statement and before any
       statement that starts Windows.

     - Add the following statement to the CONFIG.SYS file:

       FILES=50

     - Restart the machine.

  *  Log on to the file server on which the HelpPlus package is to
     be installed.

     Since you will need certain rights for creating subdirectories
     and files on the server, we recommend that you log in with
     Supervisor-equivalent rights.

  *  Start Microsoft Windows.

     The installation program is a Windows application and requires
     you to install the product while running Windows.  If you do not
     have Microsoft Windows installed on your workstation or available
     to you on the network, please refer to the Windows manual for
     assistance in installing your Windows software.

  *  Make sure that you do not start or have running any version of
     NetTools products.

1.4.1 SQL Server Considerations

Before you can create a Trouble Ticket database (Step 6) in a SQL
Server environment, you must create the physical SQL Server database
that is to contain the Trouble Ticket information.

To create a SQL Server database:

  1.  Create a physical empty database on the SQL Server machine.
  2.  Create a HelpPlusSYS user ID with Olympics as the password. For
      guidance, see the script SQLSERVR.SQL in the HelpPlus directory.
  3.  Install the ODBC driver for SQL Server.

Note: To drop a SQL Server database, use the sample script
DROPHELP.SQL as a guide.

1.5 Step 2:  Start the Setup Program

Insert the HelpPlus installation disk in the floppy disk drive.

Start SETUP.EXE in either of the following ways:

Choose the File/Run command from Windows Program Manager, and
type <drive>:SETUP, where <drive>: is the floppy drive letter
(A or B).

OR

Use the Windows File Manager. Change the current directory to
the drive that contains the Setup diskette, (A: or B:), then
double-click on SETUP.EXE.

The Setup program will load, displaying its logo.

1.6 Step 3:  Select the Destination Drive and Directory

When you start the Setup program from a floppy disk, the first
dialog box to be displayed asks you for the destination drive and
directory.

The Installation Destination dialog box indicates the default drive
and directory in which the HelpPlus package will be installed. You
can type in another drive letter followed by a directory name. For
example, G:\HELPPLUS. You can also choose the Browse button and
select the drive and directory interactively.

Note:  On a network, the HelpPlus directory must be placed in an
area that is accessible to all users of the HelpPlus package.

Choose the Continue button when you are ready to proceed with the
installation.

1.7 Step 4:  Monitor the Copying and Decompression of Files

During this step, Setup copies and decompresses the required files
to the destination directory. A dialog box displays and details the
copy process. You may stop the installation process at any time
while this dialog box is displayed.

Note:  Please do not remove a diskette from the floppy drive until
prompted to do so by the Setup program.

1.8 Step 5:  Configure the HelpPlus Package

When all required files have been copied and decompressed, you are
presented with the HelpPlus Configuration Options dialog box.

This dialog box lets you specify whether to:

Install ODBC files in the Windows SYSTEM directory to permit
Trouble Ticket database activity.

HelpPlus uses the ODBC API to access the Trouble Ticket database
engine. Consequently, the ODBC driver and other files must be
installed in the Windows SYSTEM directory on the HelpPlus Manager
machine.

Install Access files in the Windows SYSTEM directory to permit
Trouble Ticket database activity with the Access database engine.

By default, HelpPlus uses the Access database engine (which is
distributed with the product) to build and maintain the Trouble
Ticket database. You also have the option of installing SQL Server.
For further information, see "SQL Server Considerations."

Install NetWare files in the Windows SYSTEM directory to permit
requests for Novell NetWare workstation information.

These files let you receive information about how your workstation
is configured to operate on the network.

Add a Program Item to the Startup Group to launch HelpPlus in Attach
Mode.

Check this option on if you want to HelpPlus to start automatically
when you start Windows and display HelpPlus menu items in the Help
menu of any Windows application. For further information about
Attach mode, see "An Overview of HelpPlus."

Define Trouble Tickets as MS Mail Custom Messages in MSMAIL.INI.

Check this option on if you are want to add a HelpPlus Trouble
Ticket command to your Microsoft Mail application window and use
Microsoft Mail to send Trouble Tickets.

You can also use Microsoft Mail to review echoed Trouble Tickets.
For further information about echoed Trouble Tickets, see "Setting
Up the Trouble Ticket Database."

Create a Program Group and Program Items for HelpPlus Applications.

Check this option on to create a group box containing the HelpPlus
icons. This is useful if you are not running HelpPlus in Attach
mode or if you are running HelpPlus Manager.

When you have selected the desired configuration options, choose
Configure to proceed with the installation.

Note: If a configuration option is grayed, the option has already
been properly configured.

1.9 Step 6: Create the Trouble Ticket Database

When you finish configuring, the HelpPlus package, the New Trouble
Ticket Database dialog box is displayed. This dialog box lets you
create the Trouble Ticket database. You can create the database now
or wait and use the HelpPlus Manager File/New command to create the
database later.

Important: Before you can create an Access database, your
AUTOEXEC.BAT file must contain SHARE /L:500, and your CONFIG.SYS
file must contain FILES=50. See "Step 1: Prepare to Install" for
details.

To create the database you must specify:

A name for the database.

The ODBC driver. The Microsoft Access driver is distributed
with HelpPlus. HelpPlus also supports SQL Server. For further
information, see "SQL Server Considerations" under Step 1.

Whether to configure all workstations to send Trouble Tickets
to this database. If you have one Trouble Ticket database, you
should choose this option. If you want to set up multiple databases,
see "ODBC Notes" in the HelpPlus Manager online help.

1.9.1 LAN Support Center

After you have created the Trouble Ticket database, the LAN Support
Center dialog box is displayed. If you have McAfee LAN Support
Center (LSC), you can have Trouble Tickets sent to the LSC database
as well as the Trouble Ticket database. Enter the path to the LSC
database.

1.10 Step 7:  Read the Release Notes

When you have completed the installation process, the Setup Complete
dialog box is displayed. You can exit the Setup program or read the
Release Notes. The Release Notes are displayed, using Windows Write.
(To access the Release Notes after installation, choose the Release
Notes icon from the HelpPlus group window.)

1.11 Step 8:  Assign Users Rights to the HelpPlus\DATABASE Directory

HelpPlus users must have the following rights to the
HelpPlus\DATABASE directory:

    Create Directory/File
    Erase Directory/File
    File Scan
    Modify Directory/File
    Read From File
    Write To File

Note: This directory is created if you create a Trouble Ticket
database as an Access database.

1.12 Rerunning the Setup Program

After installing and configuring the HelpPlus package, you can rerun
the Setup program:

To configure HelpPlus for a workstation.

To install the HelpPlus package in another network location,
such as another server.

1.12.1 Starting Setup from a Network Drive

If you start Setup from a network drive (instead of floppy disks)
the Setup Activity dialog box is displayed. Use this dialog box to
indicate whether you are:

Installing HelpPlus. If so, follow the installation process
beginning with Step 3 in this manual. Note: The Trouble Ticket
database is not copied to the new network location.

OR

Configuring HelpPlus. If so, the HelpPlus Configuration Options
dialog box is displayed. Configure HelpPlus as described in Step 5.

1.13 Setting Up the Trouble Ticket Database

1.13.1 Creating the Trouble Ticket Database

You can create the Trouble Ticket database during installation or
later. To create the Trouble Ticket database after installation, see
"Creating a New Trouble Ticket Database" in the HelpPlus Manager
online Help.

1.13.2 Defining Categories of Trouble Tickets

Your primary planning task is to set up categories for the Trouble
Tickets that will be sent by users. When a user sends a Trouble
Ticket, he or she must assign the Trouble Ticket to a category you
have defined. You can set up categories for applications,
departments, special projects, etc. Initially, there is one default
category named (General). To define Trouble Ticket categories, see
"Setting Up New Categories" in the HelpPlus Manager online Help.

1.13.3 Sending Workstation Information and Other Files

For each Trouble Ticket category, you can specify that information
about the configuration of the sender's workstation be sent with the
Trouble Ticket. This information describes how the workstation is
configured for DOS, Windows, and/or Network operation. By default,
workstation information is sent with the Trouble Ticket.

You can also specify that the sender's WIN.INI file (or certain
sections of it) accompany the Trouble Ticket. Additionally, you can
specify one or more text or program files to accompany the Trouble
Ticket. And you can set up a command to be executed on the sender's
workstation after a Trouble Ticket is sent.

For further information, see "Configuring Incoming Trouble Tickets
(Overview)" in the HelpPlus Manager online Help.

1.13.4 Setting Up EMail Echoing

For each Trouble Ticket category, you can specify that copies of
Trouble Tickets be sent by EMail to specific users. This is called
EMail echoing. The recipients of the Trouble Tickets may be
specialists assigned to a category of problems or managers who need
to be informed of problems reported by their employees. Lotus
cc:Mail, Microsoft Mail, and Novell MHS are supported.

When you define a new category, you can choose to use the EMail
echoing you set up for the (General) category or define EMail
echoing specifically for the new category.

When you set up EMail echoing, you specify the recipients of the
echoed Trouble Tickets and you indicate whether individual
recipients are sent a full text copy of the Trouble Ticket or simply
notification that the Trouble Ticket has been added to the database.

Additionally, you can specify that the Trouble Ticket sender be
notified when the EMail recipient opens the message concerning the
Trouble Ticket.

For further information, see "Setting Up EMail Echoing" in the
HelpPlus Manager online Help.

1.14 Using Online Help

HelpPlus provides extensive Help that describes how to run the
program, interpret workstation configuration information, and send
Trouble Tickets.

The online Help for HelpPlus Manager describes how to configure and
maintain individual Trouble Tickets and the database that contains
them.

1.14.1 HelpPlus

To display the Table of Contents for the HelpPlus Help, choose the
Help command from the Control Menu for HelpPlus. (The Control Menu
is displayed when you click on the button in the upper left corner
of the HelpPlus window.)

1.14.2 HelpPlus Manager

To display the Table of Contents for the HelpPlus Manager Help,
choose Contents from the Help menu. To search an index of HelpPlus
Manager keywords, choose Search for Help On from the Help menu. For
information on Microsoft Windows Help, choose How to Use Help from
the Help menu.

1.14.3 Context Sensitive Help

When you request context-sensitive Help, HelpPlus or HelpPlus
Manager displays a particular Help topic, based on your current
activity.  Context-sensitive Help is provided for each HelpPlus and
HelpPlus Manager dialog box. For Help on the current dialog box,
choose the Help button.

1.15 Using the Release Notes

The release notes for HelpPlus exist in Windows Write format.
These files are copied to the HelpPlus directory during
installation. The .WRI file is located on the Installation diskette
in an uncompressed format so you can print it before you install
HelpPlus.

To view the Release Notes:

  1.  Run the Windows Write program (WRITE.EXE).
  2.  Choose Open from the File menu.
  3.  Select README.WRI on the Installation diskette and choose OK.

1.16 Setting Configuration Defaults

The default values presented in the HelpPlus Configuration Options
dialog box (see Step 5) and used by the HelpPlus programs are
contained in the HELPPLUS.STF file. You can change these default
values by editing the Configuration Options section of the file:

[Configuration Options]
ODBC=Yes
Access=Yes
Netware=Yes
Startup=No
Custom Message=No
Program Items=No

These parameters provide the default values for whether to:

Install ODBC files in the Windows SYSTEM directory to permit
Trouble Ticket database activity.

Install Access files in the Windows SYSTEM directory to permit
Trouble Ticket database activity with the Access database engine.

Install NetWare files in the Windows SYSTEM directory to permit
requests for Novell NetWare workstation information.

Add a Program Item to the Startup Group to launch HelpPlus in
Attach Mode.

Define Trouble Tickets as MS Mail Custom Messages in
MSMAIL.INI.

Create a Program Group and Program Items for HelpPlus
Applications.