(Read completely before proceeding) TOPS strongly recommends that network copies of TOPS for Windows (TPW) be installed

by your company's technical support personnel; typically, only they have the required knowledge and access rights to successfully install TPW. Regardless of who does it, the installer needs to be aware of the following: The Short Form Networks Supported: ANY (inc. Netware 3.x , 4.x, NT, & 95) Wide Area Networks: see NETWORK PERFORMANCE CONSIDERATIONS Metering: None necessary. System Requirements: Any Windows workstation. (Inc. 3.x, 95, & NT) Test Installs: Uninstall after testing to avoid loosing the license. Software Conflicts: Network copies of TOPS old MaxLoad 1.x product. 1.

NETWORK Installations

Year 2000 compliant in that it neither uses nor compares dates.

The Long Form Does not take advantage of any networking features. All it needs is a place to put the files (i.e. a file server). No programs are running on the server. For WANs (or slow networks) some files can be copied locally as per the reverse (page 2). This will speed access but complicate future upgrades. TPW enforces licensing internally. See the enclosed INSTALLING TOPS FOR WINDOWS sheet for specifics. The software has an authorization scheme that prevents the installation of more than one copy at a time. Use the enclosed Uninstalling and Moving sheet. If your company has a network copy of TOPS MaxLoad 1.x product, make sure that they do not share the same parent directory. (Or upgrade to MaxLoad Pro!) Exports work from the previous release to an ASCII comma delimited file for transfer to new release. You may want to show the UPDATE sheet to the user so that they can decide which items should be exported. Installer need full rights to the installation directory and ABOVE. Users will need full rights to the installation directory and will need at least READ/SCAN rights to a file (SYSTEM.2DX) in the directory above. See item #7 for more details Installs the software. If using NT server, dont install from the server to the server. Setting up workstations is easier if the pathing for the initial install is the same as the other workstations (esp. with Peer to Peer networks). Creates shortcuts/icons for TOPSWIN, CONFIG, VIEWER, and MIXPAL if they exist. Updates CTL3DV2.DLL if necessary. Copies MTOPS.INI from the installation directory to MTOPSNET.INI in the local Windows directory. Also, warns if the pathing in the INI file might be wrong. Shortcuts created by NETSETUP have command line parm (-ini=) that force the use of MTOPSNET.INI instead of the default MTOPS.INI.

Upgrades should perform steps 1-4 from the UPDATE PROCEDURES FOR TOPS FOR WINDOWS sheet first. 2. Confirm that your current rights are sufficient to install the software to the desired location. 3. Install TPW by running SETUP.EXE on disk 1 (of 3) from a workstation to the server. 4. From each other workstation, run NETSETUP.EXE from the network installation directory. (The new Icons are put into the TOPS for Windows APPS group/folder.)

5. Except for CTL3DV2.DLL, MTOPS.INI and the required shortcuts, all files are placed in the installation directory. 6. Work done in TOPS is stored as records in a database (like an address book) not as separate documents. A typical analysis takes up 7k, more with annotations. If you want to put the DATA in a different location, move DATA, BMP, and LANGUAGE elsewhere and adjust all references to those directories in each INI file appropriately. 7. Network Rights a) Installer: Full rights to the destination directory and the directory immediately above. During installation a hidden/system/read-only file (called SYSTEM.2DX) will be written placed there. (i.e If the software is installed in H:\APPS\TOPSWIN, a file will be written in H:\APPS.) b) Users: Full rights to TOPSWIN and below, and at least read/scan rights to the above mentioned SYSTEM.2DX file. If this would normally be a rights violation, you should double nest the TPW installation directory (i.e. Instead of installing to H:\APPS\TOPSWIN, install to H:\APPS\TOPSWIN\TOPS). 8. ERROR MESSAGES. a) T040: The software has been previously installed and was never uninstalled before beginning this installation. Complete the installation anyway. Then go to the previous machine and use WINMOVE.EXE to move the authorization back to the floppy. Then return here to move the authorization to this HD. If not possible contact TOPS and explain the situation. We can re-active the diskettes over the phone. b) T042: Couldnt write the System.2dx file. You dont currently have rights as indicated above under item #7. c) T050: WINMOVE unable to confirm the that the floppy is the original diskette. If the installation workstation is using Windows NT or OS2 make sure the 32 bit switch is set when moving the authorization. d) 2250: If a user gets this message it normally means that the software is not really a network copy. Contact TOPS. e) 2248: User attempting to run the program is unable to read the System.2dx file. See items #2 & #7.
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For assistance contact TOPS Technical Support:

(USA)972-881-8677

(FAX)972-881-9478

tech@topseng.com

Last Updated: 14 July 98 (For v3.51 or greater)

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Networked TOPS for Windows software is normally installed with its files on the network and run directly from there. Congested and slow networks (such as most wide area networks) can make TOPS unbearably slow when run in this manner. In those circumstances, TOPS recommends moving some of the files to each users local machine. If this method is chosen, special care must be taken to ensure that future upgrades also update the individual workstations.

TOPS for Windows Network Performance Considerations

Steps to speed up network use of TOPS for Windows: 1. Make a TOPSWIN directory on the users local machine. In WAN environments its possible to put this local TOPSWIN directory on the users LAN instead. That way multiple users at that site can share the same exes. This would at least partially alleviate future upgrade problems. 2. Copy the contents of the base Installation directory from the network to the Local TOPSWIN directory. (I.E. copy the EXEs and DLLS but not the subdirectories beneath). If you like, you can exclude WINMOVE.EXE, it is only used to adjust the software authorization. You may also exclude CONFIG.EXE; as mentioned in Network Installations, it is used for supervisory adjustments like setting defaults for ALL users. 3. Copy the Installation PICT directory to a PICT directory under the Local TOPSWIN directory. These files are static and therefore need not be shared. 4. Copy the MTOPS.INI file to the users personal Windows Directory (not SYSTEM). 5. Edit the MTOPS.INI file. Adjust the PictPath to point the Local PICT directory. Adjust the LogPath and the PDFDriverPath to point a Local Temp directory. Adjust ALL other INI settings to point the appropriate network location relative to this machine. This includes the AppPath. 6. Make program icons/shortcuts to the exe files on the local PC. Make sure the working/start in directory also points to the local TOPSWIN directory. (I.E. Normally only TOPSWIN.EXE, sometimes VIEWER.EXE and/or CONFIG.EXE). frequency each start once each use for each analysis Language Info < 35k < 35k each start Analyses 7k each 7k each each open BMP annotations (if used) As per BMP file As per BMP file each print All other miscellaneous network accesses are designed to minimize network traffic. Extensive use of packaging profiles can double Analysis size. BMPs are normally not used by the average user. (Exception: v3.50 added Paste on graphics). EXE and DLLS Static Help Pictures Network TOPS for Windows has been successfully tested with up to 40 concurrent users at 4+ remote sites with 2000+ analyses. UNC: TOPS supports Universal Naming Conventions with paths up to 80 characters (including filename). ERRORS: Cant find MTOPSGBL.CFG or Invalid Language Path. MTOPS.INI has not been adjusted correctly or has not been copied to the Users Personal Windows directory. If it has, try putting -INI=C:\WINDOWS\MTOPS.INI command line parameter on the icon/shortcut command line/target after the EXE name. This will force TOPS to find the specified INI file in that location. For descriptions of other error messages check page 1--Network Installations--item# 12. Expected network traffic differences. Before Speedup After Speedup 2-3 megabytes NONE 14K each NONE

Last Updated: 14 July 98 (For v3.51 or greater)

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