Abacus Evolve Interactive Planner - Wont work on network??

[jamin100]

Here goes.

I have a Sh1t load of abacus software to install from year 1 through to 6. 3 CD's for each year.

I'm trying to install Abacus Evolve Interactive Planner. I'm trying the network install. I've installed the network client on the server and everything goes fine. I then install the client app from the share that the network installer created.

Again, no errors during installation, but when i click on the icon to load the app i get: Error, Failed to connect to the evolve datastore

I made sure the SQL engine was running on the server. I can ping the server and access the shares using both the IP and the server name.

I phoned tech support and the guy took me through some things and couldn't see anything wrong. I then installed the planner client on the server and it worked fine.

There's no AV or firewall on the client that i'm installing it on, as its a clean image that i only created yesterday.

I have also tried on various other machines with the same problem..

Anyone have any ideas?

[SimpleSi]

While your trying to solve the network install problem, I can tell you how I bypassed it.

I installed the planner tool and the resource CD locally on each teachers's laptop.

I only installed the resource CD on their IWB connected class PC (watch out for their reverse the last digits of the serial number stupidity - see readme on CD ) unless they asked for the planner tool on as well - only one teacher did.

I think it would be nice to have all the planners on the network (so they can rush into the staffroom in the morning and knock out a plan for today ) but most planning takes place away from the school, so I think they need the standalone copy on their laptop/home machine anyway.

regards

Simon

[jamin100]

Thanks Simon,

Tech support are remotly on a client machine now seeing if they can solve the problem

[jamin100]

ok after nearly 2 hours poking round the server and a few clients......

...
...

They have no idea what wrong and their fix for me is to install the network software onto a different server....

great !

[Andi]

I have no end of ongoing problems when adding new years, or upgrading versions of abacus since the outset. The fix for everything seems to be uninstall and reinstall, which is no good when the databases are populated with customised plans etc.

Their software does at least seem to be getting better, pre-shipped msi's for the clients was a smart move, but I still often get difficulties with abacus software.

[jamin100]

ive now been told to put the server side software on a XP machine and let all the other machines connect to it...

Not what i wanted to hear!

[SimpleSi]

Tech support are remotly on a client machine now seeing if they can solve the problem

What I'm saying is that having it on a central server is actually no good for the teachers doing their planning at home

So even if its "fixed" its not of much real use

(Unless I haven't got a full grasp of what the software is used for or my teachers are abusing it )

regards

Simon

[conehead]

Originally Posted by jamin100

ive now been told to put the server side software on a XP machine and let all the other machines connect to it...

Not what i wanted to hear!

I have has loads of problems over the years with Abacus Interactive Planner, most recently a teacher said she wants to put it on her new home PC which is Vista, and of course it doesn't work. Other problems encountered over the years, not installing as it couldn't write to the "F" drive, Dot.Net version problems, SQL not working,especially on a renamed imaged PC Not being able to put different year group editions on the same machine. Most teachers with it installed at home on PCs have given up trying to fix it by contacting the helpdesk.

There is a growing trend for software makers to bring out a product that requires or offers a network install, either IP based or some flavour of SQL or Apache backend. I swear they must use an XP machine with shared drive as a test server when developing rather than Server 2003. In the schools I work there is one very busy server doing a lot of tasks like file serving, Sims, Websense filtering and much more. Buying a dedicated software server is becoming more likely a neccessity if education software keeps going down this path, the problem being as SimpleSi said it doesn't help with laptops that travel regularly from home to school.

[jamin100]

I have got a software server... i use it to host all my virtual cd's on.. and it still wont play... The way i see it now is that i have 3 options.

1. Install it as a standalone app on all machines
2. Install it on a XP machine and let users connect to that
3. Try and install it on my PDC (which i really don't want to do)

[TechSupp]

Had to install this lot at Easter!!! Installed it all on the server as requested, then came across the problem where its not really a network product as it has to be installed locally and only the database is on the network! However did sort out a way to get it all installed quickly without having to juggle all the CD's though. Install it on the network then on one PC, find out what directories and reg entries it creates and copy those folders and exported entries to a server share. On following PC's install planner from server and rest of files, reg entries and shortcuts etc from server via a batch file. Worked for me anyway and was fairy unattended once the batch file was started. Certainly quicker and less hassle than using the CD's. Someone better would have probably been able to make an msi of my steps to make it install on boot I would have thought and I'm sure ABACUS could have doen this as well. Requested the msi's from ABACUS but they only are worthwhile for RM networks unless I suppose you could edit the msi's.