[sims] CAPITA pull Autumn 2014 Release - Why???!!!

[dapaulio]

I got that email 15 minutes after the completion of deployment. 2 weeks after it's release, and me telling the school "I'll give it a couple of weeks in case it gets pulled".

 

I swore a bit.

 

I did the same. I literally deployed FMS and Sims update the night before they pulled the update. However I have not heard any complaint either.

[robjd]

you mean people still install SIMS when Capita release it? As standard I wait a month now because this happens every release for the past 18 months.

[truebluesteve]

you mean people still install SIMS when Capita release it? As standard I wait a month now because this happens every release for the past 18 months.

 

Yep, same for us. We've had our fingers burnt before!

[Pete88]

Just updated to the latest Autumn 2 release - after being told about Autumn 1 being pulled by a Capita tech last week, and workstations are now crashing when trying to update lunch money balances. Lovely, anyone else?

[dapaulio]

Just updated to the latest Autumn 2 release - after being told about Autumn 1 being pulled by a Capita tech last week, and workstations are now crashing when trying to update lunch money balances. Lovely, anyone else?

 

What cashless system do you use?

[howartp]

Anyone know if the August 2 is ok?

 

I tried it this morning and my SOLUS3 won't install the Autumn 2 Database (either the separate package or the one in the Autumn 2 Release), so the upgrade rolls back.

 

I'm abandoning it until new year.

 

Peter

[kidpressingbuttons]

I rolled it out yesterday and it seems fine!

[xenonive]

Rolled it out to 200ish machines with no issues reported back before end of term

[mrhcarlin]

Upgraded to Autumn2 at the beginning of Christmas hols before our break. Getting some weird behaviour on a very select few machines though: some (and I mean like maybe 2 or 3 out of 160 staff) users have launched SIMS but the auto upgrade didn't commence and the program doesn't load up. Attempting to relaunch SIMS does nothing.

 

Does anyone know if there's a log file for client installs? I can get around this issue by running the SIMSApplicationSetup manually.

 

 

Thanks.

Edited January 6, 2015 by mrhcarlin

[howartp]

Some (and I mean like maybe 2 or 3 out of 160 staff) users have launched SIMS but the auto upgrade didn't commence and the program doesn't load up.

Are they running pulsar.exe directly, rather than SIMSLoad, for some reason?

 

Peter

[timbo343]

Rolled out here over the weekend. No problems so far.

[mrhcarlin]

Are they running pulsar.exe directly, rather than SIMSLoad, for some reason?

 

Peter

 

Highly unlikely - our managed SIMS shortcut points directly to SIMSLoad.exe. Users wouldn't be able to run it any other way (or change the shortcut, for that matter).

 

Before working around the issue by using SIMSApplicationSetup, I did manually run SIMSLoad (as admin) without any luck either.

[Atomic_Zombie]

Is the sims.INI correct? (C:\windows\sims.INI)

I'm guessing you are using solus2, but do the PCs have the solus3 agent indtalled? If so stop the service and try again.

[mrhcarlin]

SIMS.ini correct and we don't have the Solus3 agent rolled out.

 

If there are any logs for SIMS client installations I'll just check those, but I couldn't find where they're located (anywhere sensible at least) if they exist.

[timbo343]

Highly unlikely - our managed SIMS shortcut points directly to SIMSLoad.exe. Users wouldn't be able to run it any other way (or change the shortcut, for that matter).

 

Before working around the issue by using SIMSApplicationSetup, I did manually run SIMSLoad (as admin) without any luck either.

 

We don't run SIMSLoad.exe, somehow our pulsar.exe checks for an update automatically and if there is one, installs it.

 

Have you tried running SIMSInst.exe and running through the installer that way rather than using SIMSApplicationSetup?

[Steve21]

Normally we find that's if they have tried to update then cancelled/closed it. The "upgrade" log still thinks it's upgraded so won't upgrade again.

 

Just delete the SIMSLoad.ini on the client and it'll force it to recheck for the upgrade (Assuming your shortcut is correct obviously )

 

Steve

[skell]

Hi guys

 

Just for clarification, this update will upgrade the clients... again... yes?

 

Cheers

 

skell

[TheScarfedOne]

Yes it will

[splattthecat]

It's all patchable if you are using SOLUS3. It is regrettable that things get through but we do put 1000s of hours into testing.

The Assessment Manager Templates Hidden Columns issue isn't apparently patchable by SOLUS3, and currently the only fix is to roll out the Autumn 2 release. Very disappointing that Capita haven't made a SOLUS3 patch available for this, as it would make life so much easier and promote more use of SOLUS3.

[PhilNeal]

Patch 19781 fixes this and its available on SOLUS2 & 3

[PhilNeal]

I'm really sorry about this but there has been confusion here and that patch looks as if it is for an earlier problem.

 

I am investigating why we have taken the decision not to release a patch to fix this issue and rely on a complete upgrade.

[splattthecat]

Thanks for the update Phil

[mrhcarlin]

Thanks, I'll keep this in mind. I haven't had any other occurrences and it's been almost 4 days - maybe it was just people closing the upgrade.

 

---

 

On a different note: a primary school I help manage, who do use Solus3, are getting a database timeout error when attempting to launch Banking and Catering Return from the Dinner Money sub-menu. This is after upgrading to Autumn2.

 

I'll reboot the server in my spare time this evening if I have to, but I'd rather get it sorted without resorting to that during the remaining working hours today because one of the receptionists would like to use the broken functionality before Monday.

 

I have added the CommandTimeout=10000 string (even adding a 0) with no luck.

[bossman]

All done here Autumn 2 installed with Solus upgrade and B2B patch all working fine, in fact it has actually reduced its hunger for memory and CPU usage on both client and Server, has speeded up the login time too woohoo!

 

Happy Days

[PhilNeal]

A patch has now been created to fix the hide/unhide issue in autumn 1. Should be available early next week.