Microsoft KB Archive/87973

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ADMIN.WRI from WinLogin 1.0 Part B

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Q87973

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The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Windows versions 3.1, 3.11
 * Microsoft WinLogin, version 1.0

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SUMMARY
The following information was taken from the WinLogin 1.0 ADMIN.WRI file. This article is part two of two. It contains sections 4.0 through 8.0.

This information applies to version 1.0 of Microsoft WinLogin. For information about ordering Microsoft WinLogin, call the Microsoft Sales Information Center (MSIC) at (800) 426-9400, or mail the form supplied with the Windows Resource Kit (WRK) for the Microsoft Windows operating system version 3.1.

MORE INFORMATION
Contents

This document contains additional information on the following topics:

1.0 What Does WinLogin Do? 2.0 How Does WinLogin  Work? 2.1 File Types 2.2 Merge Rules 2.3 Data Sources 2.4 Putting it all together... 2.5 Network Independence 3.0 Client Details 3.1 Disk Layout 3.2 Fallback Configurations 3.3 WLCOM.COM 3.4 WINLOGIN.EXE 3.5 WLMERGE.DLL 3.6 MSINIMRG.DLL 3.7 COPYMRG.DLL 4.0 Configuration Data Layout 4.1 Accessing Data Locations 5.0 Security Issues 6.0 Environment Variable Support 7.0 Customizing Client Setup 7.1 Machine Name 7.2 Fallback Files 7.3 Additional Files 8.0 Other Online Documents

4.0 Configuration Data Layout

One of the key design points in WinLogin is flexibility in laying out the Configuration data sets. The following recommendations are offered:

Each configuration data set (users, workstations, groups, admin) should be stored in a separate directory. This is simply due to the fact that any given file (WIN.INI for instance) may easily exist in more than one of the data sets and the names cannot conflict with each other.

For users, this can be that user's home directory, but most importantly should be a spot in the shared file space that can be accessed by the user (or on behalf of the user) from all the machines at which the user will log on.

For workstations, it is recommended that this directory also be in the shared file system space to allow administering the workstation settings remotely. The directory however may also be local to each machine and should be identified using the wkstasourcemod= setting in WINLOGIN.INI.

The shared database file itself must also be accessible to all users and from all workstations in the system. For this reason it is recommended that a WinLogin database be set up and associated with each security domain in an installation (i.e., LAN Manager Domain, NetWare Bindery, etc.).

4.1 Accessing Data Locations

Since the shared database and each of the possibly four separate data sets may be stored on different remote resources on the network, the task of managing the connections to those resources can become complicated. WinLogin does, however, offer some help.

WinLogin will automatically connect and disconnect as needed from the remote resources that it knows about. These resources include:

- The location at which the shared database is stored, and - All data set locations stored in the shared database.

WinLogin creates and maintains the connections to the data set locations for the User, Admin and Group data. For administrator specified paths that resolve to a full path that contains a network drive, such as the workstation location in the example, it is the administrator's responsibility to ensure the connection is made and maintained.

It is also the administrator's responsibility to ensure that the client network software is configured to allow a sufficient number of remote connections. If more than one data set is stored in paths based upon the same remote resource, WinLogin creates only one connection and shares it. Similarly, if a connection to the remote resource is already established, WinLogin uses that connection and does not create another.

5.0 Security Issues

Each user must have read and write access to the directory containing the shared database. Each user must have read and write access to their own directory, and read access to the directories containing the admin, group and workstation data sets.

The contents of the shared database are somewhat protected by password protection enforced by the administrator's tools and by the fact that the API interface to the database is private. A WinLogin database can be configured so that anyone wanting to modify its contents using the administrator's tools must provide the password to that database. The database initially installed is not password protected.

6.0 Environment Variable Support

Some networked Windows installations have already solved some of the problems addressed by WinLogin by making heavy use of environment variables to aid in locating the correct source data sets. WinLogin incorporates support for such use of environment variables for two main reasons. First, it should aid these sites in transitioning to WinLogin. Second, in some very large environments maintaining the user, group and workstation lists (even on a domain or server basis) in the database is not desirable. This section details how the variables may be specified. For further information on using environment variables, refer to your WinLogin Administrator's Reference.

WINLOGIN.INI may include the following entries in the [WinLogin] section:

adminsourcemod= usersourcemod= wkstasourcemod= groupsourcemod=

can be a series of zero or more slash separated legal directory names, DOS environment variables, or the name of the current logged on user. Environment variables or other place holders such as the user name should resolve to valid legal directory names.

If any of these variables are used, WLMERGE.DLL retrieves them from WINLOGIN.INI and resolves them to paths. The search behaviors described in section 2.3 are implemented based upon whether the resolved value is a full path or not.

7.0 Customizing Client Setup

7.1 Machine Name

Normally, the WinLogin client installation will ask you for the machine name of the workstation you are installing the client onto. The machine name must be a name defined in the WinLogin database. If you set up workstation names that are common to a number of machines, e.g., VGA or EGA, you can simplify the Client Setup by adding a line for machine name to the WINLOGIN.INI file on the WinLogin client installation disk.

To create a machine name specific setup:

1. Before adding the machine name line, you need to make a copy of  the WinLogin client installation disk or network directory for each workstation name. If you have only set up VGA and EGA as your workstation names, you will create two diskettes or network directories.

2. Edit WINLOGIN.INI using a text editor, specifying the machine name you wish to use for the client.

3. Save the file.

For example, if you were to add 'machine=VGA' to WINLOGIN.INI under '[last]', the modified WINLOGIN.INI file should look like this:

[last] dbroot=\\Server\WinLogin Share dbpath=\WinLogin Directory\winlogin.wld machine=VGA

[winlogin] SaveUnknownKeys=0 fallbackfiles=system.ini,win.ini,progman.ini UserSourceMod= GroupSourceMod= AdminSourceMod= WkstaSourceMod=

7.2 Fallback Files

A FALLBACK subdirectory is created in the Windows directory on the workstation when WinLogin is installed. Critical .INI files that were on the workstation when WinLogin was set up are copied to the FALLBACK directory. By default, the WinLogin workstation setup will copy SYSTEM.INI, WIN.INI and PROGMAN.INI to this directory. If you want to manage additional .INI files with WinLogin, you will want to copy these additional files to the FALLBACK directory during client setup.

If you wish to change the list of files that will be copied, there are three locations that must be changed on the WinLogin setup disk.

First, you need to change the entry 'fallbackfiles=' under '[winlogin]' in WINLOGIN.INI on the workstation setup disk. For example, if you wish to ensure you always have a fallback configuration for Excel, add EXCEL.INI to the 'fallbackfiles' entry in WINLOGIN.INI. Your file should look like this:

[last] dbroot=\\Server\WinLogin Share dbpath=\WinLogin Directory\winlogin.wld

[winlogin] SaveUnknownKeys=0 fallbackfiles=system.ini, win.ini, progman.ini, excel.ini UserSourceMod= GroupSourceMod= AdminSourceMod= WkstaSourceMod=

Next, you need to change the '[Fallback Files]' section in STFSETUP.IN_ on the workstation setup disk. Following our Excel example, add a line for EXCEL.INI to the 'Fallback Files' section in STFSETUP.IN_. Your file should look like this:

[Fallback Files] 2, win.ini 2, system.ini 2, progman.ini 2, excel.ini
 * note disk id is not really used.

Last, you need to change the '[LGN Files]' section in STFSETUP.IN_ on the workstation setup disk. Again, following our Excel example, add a line for EXCEL.INI to the 'LGN Files' section in STFSETUP.IN_. Your file should look like this:

[LGN Files] 2, win.ini, RENAME=win.lgn 2, system.ini, RENAME=system.lgn 2, progman.ini, RENAME=progman.lgn 2, excel.ini, RENAME=excel.lgn
 * note disk id is not really used.

7.3 Additional Files

There are times when it might be useful to have the workstation setup install more files than it normally would. For example, if you create an in-house network support document or cardfile you would like placed on each WinLogin workstation, you can add that file to the list of files the workstation setup will install. This list of files is in the '[ClientFiles]' section in STFSETUP.IN_ on the workstation setup disk.

Be careful to format your new entry correctly. The best way to do this is to copy an existing line in the section and make changes to it rather than entering a new line. When you have pasted an existing line on the end of the [ClientFiles] list, change the file name to the one you wish to install, e.g. SUPPORT.CRD. Change the 'SIZE=' argument to the number of bytes in the file e.g. 1250. Your file should look like this:

[ClientFiles] 1, winlogin.exe, DATE=$(DATESTR), SIZE=32000 1, wlcom.com, RENAME=win.com,BACKUP=w31.com,DATE=$(DATESTR), SIZE=5000 1, wlmerge.dll, DATE=$(DATESTR), SIZE=22000 1, msinimrg.dll, DATE=$(DATESTR), SIZE=22000 1, copymrg.dll, DATE=$(DATESTR), SIZE=8000 1, errmsg.dll, DATE=$(DATESTR),  SIZE=6000 1, wldapi.dll, DATE=$(DATESTR),  SIZE=56000 1, wldnet.dll, DATE=$(DATESTR),  SIZE=9000 1, wluserfn.dll, DATE=$(DATESTR), SIZE=6000 1, wlplatfn.dll, DATE=$(DATESTR), SIZE=6000 1, jet.dll, DATE=$(DATESTR),     SIZE=190000 1, winlogin.ini, DATE=$(DATESTR), SIZE=300 1, winlogin.hlp, DATE=$(DATESTR), SIZE=11000 1, SUPPORT.CRD, DATE=$(DATESTR), SIZE=1250

Note: Never delete any of the files already in the client installation list. Doing so may cause the WinLogin client to be improperly installed.

8.0 Other Online Documents

The following table describes other online documents that contain important information about WinLogin that is not included in the Microsoft WinLogin User's Guide or in online Help:

Document     Contains

README.WRI   Information about using WinLogin with a specific version of your network, and information updated after the administrator's guide was printed.

CLIENT.WRI   Information about using WinLogin, for end users. You can modify this template document as appropriate for your end users.

For further information about WinLogin, query on the following word in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

WinLogin KBCategory: kbreadme kbnetwork kb3rdparty

KBSubcategory: win31

Additional query words: 1.00 1.0 3.10 3.1 LAN Manager novell network winlog LANMan

Keywords : kb3rdparty kbnetwork kbreadme win95

Issue type : kbinfo

Technology : kbWin3xSearch kbWinLoginSearch kbWin310 kbWin311 kbWinLogin100