superfletch

Use a different drive letter than S: for SIMS and then use a login script to change the local connect ini and sims ini by copying a one you want to use into the C:\Program Files\SIMS\SIMS .net and windows folders. Something like this?? copy /Y \\yourserver\yourshare\goodconnect.ini C:\program files\sims\sims .net copy /y \\yourserver\yourshare\goodsims.ini C:\Windows Be careful with Finance and Nova machines as these have extra stuff in the SIMS.ini

Thats the problem with being on Mars my friend, none of us Earthlings take you seriously!! Only kidding - which ISP / RBC are you - don't they offer custom filtering??

I had a good mess around with SIMS and TS Remote App not so long ago, I didn't have long to play with it, but it seems like a really nice way to go to me. On the basis of a few days messing around I'd say it is temping to make all connections to SIMS run that way, (at least until it becomes a natively web based app).

50 Gb!!! How big are the DB's / DocStorage?

I work for LA support and routinely have to ask users in schools for their passwords, this occurs mostly when I'm on a remote support link and it is going to take a long time to resolve the issue. I don't like doing it and feel somwhat embarrassed when I have to do so. However people don't like waiting around on the phone whilst I'm working on a time consuming problem. It's all because default passwords are a big "no no" and in most cases if you don't have a password to access the affected system (mainly in order to test your changes work) then you simply can't help. It all boils down to trust, in the OP's instance these people run your support service and as someone else has already said, if you aren't happy then change your password afterwards. Otherwise you have two options either live with the problem or fix it yourself.

I think you mean in the persons actual personnel record within SIMS in which case Stuart_C seems to give the right answer. Do you mean how to give them particular access rights to SIMS itself though? If that is what you need then the answer is through system manager, either through a custom made permission set or by applying the relevant permissions on a 'per member of staff basis'.

I work at an LA and agree to some extent on the overpaid consultants remark, however as far as joining the two domains is concerned a trust relationship between the two should work. Personally I'd prefer a single domain properly managed. The rest of us get peanuts by the way.

The SIMS 2010 Support Roadmap doesn't say anything about R2. Win 7 (32 bit) supported from Spring release. See last page of the attached pdf. The_SIMS_Roadmap_2010_16472.pdf

As the second post suggested this isn't that hard to achieve even if the SIMS and curriculum networks reside on separate domains and or subnets. We have a lot of schools running SIMS in a workgroup / separate domain environment for small offices and although it isn't difficult to work around it's just a nuisance when it come to setting it up and requires more time. Putting it all on one domain is just easier for all concerned, it's easy enough to use NTFS and SIMS SQL based security to make sure non SIMS users can't start accessing the shared drive or the SQL Server. On top of that use GPO and login scripts to make sure those who do need access get it. As laserblazer said - it only really falls down at operator level where people give away passwords or leave it logged in for all to see. I see this as more of a security culture issue than of a technical one.

By blind do you mean silently? If so check the switches on the exe, ie use command prompt and navigate to the folder then type the name of the file with the help switch - filename /? This will list the syntax for the exe and any silence switches that may exist, you can use this info to work out how to install the app silently.

It should be a relatively straightforward affair - roughly as follows but get the KB as stated: As Mcshammer_dj said it would be worthwhile moving to SQL 08 at the same time Schedule a days downtime - ie No SIMS and FMS that day. You'll need to backup the SIMS & FMS Databases (Use DBAttach) as well as the Document Server (Copy all the AA, AB, Ac folders) before you begin. Remember to stop the document server before you back it up. Move the backups to a known location on the new Server. Next copy everything in your shared directory that holds the network SIMS folder to the new Server (give the shared folder on the new server the same name as on the old one and the same NTFS permissions). Now down the old Server whilst work begins on setting up the new one. (At this point the old Server still works so should you run into problems you can bring it back up). Rename the new Server so it has the same name as the original SIMS Server. Reboot. Map a network drive to the SIMS shared directory using the normal drive letter. If you require a full version of SQL Server install it now. Otherwise use the express edition wrapped up in the SIMS Install files. Install the relevant .net frameworks. Run SIMSInst.exe from the *:\SIMS\Setups folder Elect to install Workstation, SQL Server (unless you already installed full SQL), and Document Server Attach the SIMS and FMS Databases. Wait for the Installation to finish. Reboot Now login to sims and head to the Tools | Setups area to test the connection to the document server. Import Standard Reports. Close SIMS. Stop Document Server Service. Copy the backup you took of the document server folders (AA, AB, Ac etc) straight over the newly created ones. Start the document Server. Log back into SIMS and test a report which was not a predefined one. Log into FMS. Once the new one is up and working set up a couple of new clients and test it on your existing client machines. Then you can bring the old one back to life and switch off the services and rename it.

= Fail

KB94209 - Changing VAT from 15% back to its original 17.5% -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Created 04/12/2009 Last Updated 02/02/2010 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Affected Products FMS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Notes How can the VAT rate in FMS be changed from 15% back to 17.5%? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Advice In accordance with the announcement on 24th November 2008, the VAT standard rate will return to 17.5% from 1 January 2010 pending confirmation in the pre-budget statement next week. Schools should ensure that any income which includes an element of VAT and has been recorded prior to 31st December 2009 has been banked within FMS. Additionally, any Accounts Receivable Invoices or Credit Notes that include an element of VAT prior to 31st December 2009 should be printed. The following adjustments will need to be made in FMS to accommodate these VAT changes assuming that an existing VAT Input ledger code (linked to Expenditure ledger codes) and VAT Output ledger code (linked to Income ledger codes) already exists within FMS. These changes will take effect immediately within FMS hence should not be undertaken after 1st January 2010. The actions will not update any VAT ledger code already associated to a transaction. Task: 1 Update Expenditure (EX) ledger codes with an existing 15% VAT ledger codes Menu Route: Tools | General Ledger Setup | Ledger Codes Review and update the default VAT ledger code to an existing 17.5% VAT Input code Task: 2 Updating Income (IN) ledger codes with an existing 15% VAT ledger codes Menu Route: Tools | General Ledger Setup | Ledger Codes Review and update the default VAT ledger code to an existing 17.5% VAT Output code Task: 3 Updating Accounts Receivable Products Menu Route: Accounts Receivable | Tools | Products Review and update the default VAT ledger code to an existing 15% VAT Output code. This is required to be undertaken even if the Income ledger code has been updated as indicated 3 above as an Income code can be used for both vatable and non vatable income i.e. Lettings. Please note – Capita Children Services can not advise upon any accounting or financial procedures issues that relate to the changes in VAT from 1st January 2010. These queries should be forward to the appropriate colleague within your Local Authority.

Syntax should be SIMSPerm.bat domainname\groupname Don't mess around editing the batch file itself - run it with the switch.

I'm sure he won't be as bad as my little boy was. Thankfully he sleeps through the night now (he's nearly 2).

Sounds like a goodun to me.

Here is Nanook. Thanks to all of you for your replies.

Thanks for all the replies folks - really helpful. I'll post pics in the next couple of days - off to pick him up tonight. There'll only be one afternoon a week (typically) when he'll be on his own but we won't let that happen while he's a puppy. We thought about getting two at once but seems like a bit much, we're thinking of getting him a pal to play with in 6 or 12 months time. Cheers for now!!

Hello mate, Have you been asked to do something similar? PM or mail me if you prefer - I'd be interested to know what you're up to, not to offer advice particularly as I know you'll have extensive ideas and probably a pretty concrete vision about what you're planning, but if it helps I've got a strong link with the Capital Strategy team at the LA. Also just curious to know. @OP I'm sure there is a company near me (SW England) who've done some pretty cool stuff in this kind of area I'll see what they've been doing recently and post here again or PM you if they are doing anything relevant. £100k of Dosh - wowzers Have fun!!

Getting a puppy tomorrow - Siberian Husky. Good websites with clear advice for training a dog anyone? I'm a big follower of Cesar Milan's Dog Whisperer and aim to put a lot of his practical advice to use but anywhere with easy to follow guidance would be welcome. TIA.

Nice one, v. subtle - can you believe it was able to bear up under the strain. @Mattx - Yeah - Where do you get them.

Yeah it was. Got around it by changing the user credentials for my first mapped drive which is one I always need, now when I map the second drive using runas it doesn't mind becase the first share is mapped by the same account.

This seems to have been solved now but I had a very similar problem recently and it was a GPO not permitting me to access shared resources on the same server using more than one set of login credentials. Basically I had a mapped drive setup with my login, then I was trying to map another share using Runas with a different account. It wouldn't let m use two acccounts in the same session for mapped drives.

Nice one - thanks, I guess the packages won't force a restart cause they are already rolled up into MSI's. I'm off to see if the RM site includes packages for the infrastructure.

Hi Morgan, I'm only quoting several of your threads cause I know you and cause you're asking the interesting questions here: Some, but not all others will need access as S: also holds the default paths for accessing CTFs, Census / Workforce Census Returns, Exams Basedata and FSM files. That's wierd, we all did the CC3 and CC4 courses and made it clear to the instructor that SIMS was the MIS for all our schools and one of our biggest support commitments. I'm sure we asked the trainer if there were packages or even blueprints for the SIMS updates and we were told "no". This is poor/inconsistent code from MS. Could you call it from a batch file as a shutdown script? That way someone will restart the PC for you even if it is stuck. Alternatively use something like AutoIt to call it then wait til the promt box appears and at that point tell it to reboot. Not sure that the syntax I've put here would be right - I'd have to check the help file. ***AutoIt*** RunWait("\\servername\sharename\VB6.0-KB290887-X86.exe /q") IF ProcessExists("name_of_installers_exit_GUI.exe") then Shutdown(5) Else Processwait("name_of_installers_exit_GUI.exe") Shutdown(5) ***/AutoIt*** Where do you go on RM.com to get them? REPLY Surprised at that, fairly poor coding from Capita. Kind of makes the running it silently and independent of the rest of the infrastructure question obsolete. All they need to do is check for the existence of a couple of Reg Keys before calling it/not calling it. Makes me sad. :-( Yeah.