MU - Terminal Services & UNC path

[wfl]

We need to move our 8.5 MU Site files on to a new server. Rather than use drive mapping I would prefer to use the UNC path. Actinic will move over OK with UNC but the Page View and Previews don't work.

According to the db record the Page View is looking in the correct location but it doesn't see images.

The Preview makes the UNC go ../\\Servername\Sites\Filename and that won't work.

At the same time we need to run an Actinic users from our new warehouse a short distance away. We have a TS box with all of our other systems on it but I haven't installed Actinic. How do I get Actinic across with its per PC licenses? My guess is that I only have to install it once on the TS Server and it would run multiple instances?

[gabrielcrowe]

in response to your distance problem, then the anser will always be multi user.

but is there a reason that you cant map drives?

it can be done easily and indeed, undone easily with the windows scripting host and if you place it in the statrup and shutdown folders, they can manage themselves, including usernames and passwords.

[wfl]

in response to your distance problem, then the anser will always be multi user.

We have been using MU since 7.5 was first born. The point I am trying to check is installing one of the user licenses on a TS box.

but is there a reason that you cant map drives?

Yes, if I create a map using the default login script (and I don't want to have user specific scripts) everyone will see the folder. If I could use a UNC path then I can create the authentication in the login script without users generally knowing about it.

it can be done easily ... windows scripting ...

As above and BTW we don't use windows for identity management.

We do have a couple of mapped drives but for our systems we are trying to work with UNC and keep user visibility to a minimum.

[Bruce]

The Preview makes the UNC go ../\\Servername\Sites\Filename and that won't work

Have you tried amending the path to '../\\Servername\Sites\Site1\Filename'

Kind regards,

[wfl]

Possibly a typo on my part Bruce.

The path to the site is \\<Server>\<Share>\<Sitename>

What actinic adds in the preview is the "../" thus making ../\\<Server>\<Share>\<Sitename>\<filename>.

I haven't tried an upload to see if it does that correctly but in preview I could do with it dropping the ../ so that we can see what we are working on. After that it would be fine.

BTW it seems to work fine on TS. I emailed James about that.

[wfl]

I have tested it today and using a UNC path to the server works fine for everything except previews.

You can access files and so on and it publishes everything to the web correctly.

It looks to me that the using drive letter / local path is hard coded into Actinic so please can we have a "use UNC switch".

There is a great benefit to anyone using MU on a network if we don't have to map drive letters. It simply avoids users being able to see the data folders so readily and therefore reduces the risk of them being accessed.

[Bruce]

Alistair,

I am running this request past development.

Kind regards,

[wfl]

If they can be persuaded Bruce it would be excellent.

It would offer a much more efficient solution and platform independent.

At the moment I am having to authenticate the share in the Default Logon Script and then call a batch file to map it. TBH I could really do without the map.

I have a feeling it might cure (although not be the solution) to another MU 8.5 issue I am currently discussing with James. However I need to solve that one sooner rather than later.

[Bruce]

Alistair,

It looks to me that the using drive letter / local path is hard coded into Actinic so please can we have a "use UNC switch".

There is a great benefit to anyone using MU on a network if we don't have to map drive letters. It simply avoids users being able to see the data folders so readily and therefore reduces the risk of them being accessed.

This is one for the wish list at the moment and I will add in a vote on your behalf. We are unable to remove ../ as the files referenced by the preview are in the parent folder hence the ../

Development will however take a look at it to see if it can be done, but please dont expect something to happen immediately. It will take some time.

Kind regards,

[wfl]

Bruce

I didn't expect anything instant although 8.5.2 might be nice.

Given the proportion of users I hope an MU users vote is weighted when it comes to an MU only request