Microsoft KB Archive/59481

Works: Detecting the Video Configuration on a Network

PSS ID Number: Q59481 Article last modified on 06-12-1996

1.00 1.05 2.00

MS-DOS

= SUMMARY =

Starting Works with the /G flag allows you to specify which video mode Works should use. This switch, shown in the following, works for both stand-alone systems and networks:

Syntax: WORKS /N path /G 

Note:  is a .VID file (.GSD file in Works 1.00 and 1.05) that matches your monitor/graphics card type.

To view a listing of .VID files, search the knowledge base using the following query:

using and /N and /G switches and network and starting and works

If your network has a login variable that uniquely identifies each workstation by an unchanging physical station number (for example, Workstation #1237 or Workstation #222), you can automate this process. This method works well with menu-based systems.

Automatically Detecting the Video Configuration
The example is for Novell Netware. Before starting Works, this procedure does the following:


 * 1) Sets the physical address of the PC at login to a DOS environment variable.
 * 2) Compares this variable to a table of physical address/video card configurations.
 * 3) Copies the correct screen driver to the user’s directory.

Assumptions
Each user accesses Works from only one workstation at a time, and each user has a directory corresponding to his or her user login name, as shown below:

BOBT        In this example, each user has a        /             directory located off the server's    F:                root directory. The directories do not \            need to be off the root, but each directory JULIER     must correspond to the user's login name.

Methodology
  Log in as SUPERVISOR.   Copy and decompress each screen driver. Syntax: SETUP DRIVE:PATH.CVD DRIVE:PATH.VID For example, to copy the screen driver for a VGA configuration from Drive A to the working directory G:, type the following: SETUP A:VGA.CVD G:.VID   Add the following lines to your system login script: SET NODE=“%P_STATION” SET USER=“%LOGIN_NAME”   Create a paper listing of all network addresses and their associated video types. For example: Node Address Video type ———— ———- 002C02500602 HERC 0100C0000002 HERC 000300C0C002 EGA 00004050B002 EGA 0204B00B0002 VGA 00001B0A8B79 CGA Novell network addresses can be obtained through the Novell FCONSOLE menu utility. Prior to beginning FCONSOLE, make sure that all the workstations are logged to the network. Start FCONSOLE and choose Connection Information, the Current Connection you want to examine, and Other Information. Write down only the 12-digit hexadecimal number after the colon in the Network Address field.   Create the following batch file using the Network Address list you created in Step 4. Change the lines referencing screen drivers to the ones you selected in Step 2. 

WK.BAT File
echo off REM Add physical addresses and their associated video type to REM this section IF %NODE% == 002C02500602 GOTO HERC IF %NODE% == 0100C0000002 GOTO HERC IF %NODE% == 000300C0C002 GOTO EGA IF %NODE% == 00004050B002 GOTO EGA IF %NODE% == 0204B00B0002 GOTO VGA IF %NODE% == 00001B0A8B79 GOTO CGA ECHO YOUR WORKSTATION IS NOT LISTED IN THE WK.BAT FILE. ECHO SEE YOUR SYSTEM ADMINISTRATOR. REM Copy appropriate video driver to user’s start-up directory :VGA WORKS Y:%USER% :.VID GOTO END :EGA WORKS Y:%USER% :.VID GOTO END :CGA WORKS Y:%USER% :.VID GOTO END :HERC WORKS Y:%USER% :.VID GOTO END :END

 Start Works by typing WK rather than WORKS. If you use a menu, add WK.BAT to your menu.</li></ol>

KBCategory: kbsetup KBSubcategory: dworkskb Additional reference words:

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================================================================ Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1996.