Importing DLName Settings in Batch Mode

This section explains how to use the CATSysDLExport batch tool to implement a data storage strategy for a large number of users, based on the DLName mechanism.

How Administrators Can Exploit the DLName Mechanism

To avoid anarchy, as a data administrator you can exploit the DLName mechanism to prevent end users (on a given machine and using the same Version 5 environment) from reading and writing documents anywhere they like.

To do so, you start Version 5 in administration mode, set up the DLNames, then lock them as described in Setting Up DLNames in Administrator Mode. This also means that you have to export the DLNames to a .txt file.

You can then:

  • if you have a small number of end users, import the .txt file containing the DLNames (but the DLNames will not be locked)
  • or, use the CATSysDLExport batch: you can write a script using this batch syntax to automate the process and distribute the DLNames over a large number of machines; the batch provides an option ensuring that the imported DLNames are locked.
Once the file containing the DLNames has been imported in batch mode, end users must first activate DLName mode by selecting the Tools->Options... command, then the Document tab in the General category, then the DLName option in the Document Environment list, and finally by clicking the Configure... button to display the Configure dialog box.

On Windows

Run the program:

WindowsInstallPath\intel_a\code\bin\CATSysDLExport.exe (Windows XP Pro)
WindowsInstallPath\win_b64\code\bin\CATSysDLExport.exe (64-bit code on Windows XP Professional x64 Edition)
WindowsInstallPathx86\intel_a\code\bin\CATSysDLExport.exe (32-bit code on Windows XP Professional x64 Edition)

On UNIX

1. Log on as root.
2. Enter the command:

UNIXInstallPath/OS/code/command/catstart -run CATSysDLExport

CATSysDLExport Command Syntax


CATSysDLExport -admin -il filename -r ReportFile

to import file filename with the current DLNames, only in admin mode, and lock all the DLNames in the file (the option -il is available only in admin mode); a report file is generated to log the encountered problems


CATSysDLExport [-admin] -i filename -r ReportFile

to import the file filename with the current DLNames, either in user mode or in admin mode; a report file is generated to log the encountered problems


CATSysDLExport -a DLName 'NTPath' UPath
or:
CATSysDLExport -a DLName "NTPath" UPath

to add the DLName with the values NTPath and UPath for the current real UNIX and Windows path.

Note that the CATSysDLExport command behaves like a standard UNIX or Windows command: names including blanks should be surrounded by single ('  ') or double (" ") quotation marks. Backslashes (\) should be doubled (\\).


CATSysDLExport -d DLName

to remove the DLName from the current settings

CATSysDLExport [-admin] -e filename

to export the current DLNames to the file filename, either in user mode or in admin mode.

The -nocheck option avoids checking the existence of the physical paths and their possible creation.

Notes
  • The text file must be suitable for the platform on which the import is to be performed, consequently with carriage returns followed by a line feed (CRLF) on Windows, and just line feeds (LF) on UNIX. Therefore, if you use Notepad to create it, use either Windows directly or transfer it in FTP ASCII mode to UNIX before using it.
  • If you import a first file containing, for example, DLName1 and DLName2, then import another file containing DLName3, the additional DLName3 will be added to the settings, so you will now have three DLNames to choose from.
  • The format of the file to be imported (exported when configuring the DLNames interactively) is like this:
    ...
    DLName1;C:\MyDLnames;/tmp;
    DLName2;E:\AdditionalDLNames;/tmp;
    ...
    where the first part contains the DLName, the second part contains the path on Windows, and the third part contains the path on UNIX.
  • No previously existing DLName will be updated during the import in user mode. These DLNames in the import file will be skipped, and can be updated only in administrator mode. This means that, for example, if the first file you import contains DLName2, and the second file also contains DLName2, but the path for DLName2 is different in the second file from the value in the first file, the path for DLName2 will be updated in the settings if imported in administrator mode.
  • If a previously existing DLName did not have a lock, but is then updated with a lock by using the -il option, , the settings will be locked.
  • For the changes to take effect after importing a file, you have to stop then restart Version 5.