Global Screen Update 1

[kstickler]

Applying Screen Changes to All Users
My Macola Var gave me this little tidbit today...I thought many of you might be interested as well. Apparently, you can modify screens in designer and when you copy them to a user called MACOLAED, it becomes the default screen for all users.

In testing, I have found that if the user already has that screen copied to it, the system continues to use that one, but when you switch to default you get the MACOLAED screen...

Pretty handy for doing system - wide screen updates...

 

[dgillz]

Way cool. I have been in this business for 8 years and everytime I ever asked for this I was told this was not possible.

Software Sales, Training, Implementation and Support for Macola, eSynergy, and Crystal Reports

http://www.gainfocus.biz

 

[MacolaHelp]

Be careful, though, if you have source code mods such as peak Best OE. That macolaed screenset is the changes specific to the customizations peak added to OE.

 

[AKPolarBear]

Our Macolaed for our Beast of OE is not modifiable through the screen designer. That also appears to be true on one other that I checked. I did not check all of them however. So if you have this without a user named macolaed, then adding one might just become a problem like Macolahelp suggested.

 

[kstickler]

We don't use any add-ons, so I can neither confirm nor deny the posts by MacolaHelp or AKPolarBear. However, I do know that if you have mods or add-ons you are supposed to contact your VAR or Macola before applying any updates. So I agree that it would be prudent to run this by them before trying it. Thanks to all for pointing this out!

 

[dgillz]

The screenset MACOLAED can be updated -- even in a modifed source code environment -- by modifying the screenset for SUPERVISOR and copying it on top of the MACOLAED screenset. You will get prompted that this screenset already exists, do you wish to overwrite? Just answer Yes if that is the case.

As many have mentioned, this *may* get in the way of modified source code, so be careful. However if you are simply rearranging objects on the screen, Or renaming them, or unhiding unused objects, you should have no problems.

Also be careful of any flexibility projects attached to the screenset in question.

Software Sales, Training, Implementation and Support for Macola, eSynergy, and Crystal Reports

http://www.gainfocus.biz

 

[NEmacGuy]

I thought you had to have a ??proged.lbr for the system to use the macolaed screensets. We use to create a blank proged file such as oeproged.lbr and put a message in it saying no source code changes - used for modified screensets only -

Resently ran into an other neat trick, a customer put all of his high level users in the supervisor group, his mid level users in the guest group and low level users in a self created group. Everytime I run an update at his site 2 out of the three groups get all of the new screens and report. Some customers are smart!

 

[dgillz]

I have tested this with no problems without modified source code.

Also, remember that starting with version 7.6.200, there are no more *proged.lbr files. In fact theres not even a programs directory anymore, every program is now a .dll in the bin directory.

The Supervisor group is a good trick.

Software Sales, Training, Implementation and Support for Macola, eSynergy, and Crystal Reports

http://www.gainfocus.biz

 

[AKPolarBear]

We group by type of user (AP, AR, PO, Sales etc)and then do screen mods as required for each group. The only down side is certain screen mods required for all users must be copied into each group. The generic macolaed would help there.

 

[MacolaHelp]

I tested this over the weekend on a 7.6.100a psql2000i sp4 install running Best OE on terminal server win2003, macola server 2000. To make global changes to macolaed for all users & groups:

copy the macolaed installed by peak to supervisor (or a new user). Make the additional changes above & beyond the peak mods to this new user. Copy the modified set back to macolaed & it is indeed available to all users. In my case, I have several groups in order entry that have different screensets to disable access to changing certain fields. Those groups now have their own screensets & everyone else with similar access can use macolaed.

A note of caution re updates, however. The screenset changes & updates are controlled by the install updates & enhancement routines in system manager. You would need to have a base copy of all source code related modified screens if using this technique, otherwise the updates will overwrite your macolaed screenset. If you keep a list of which screens are which, you can export them in designer before you update. Then, if any screens revert to something other than your custom screen, you can import yours back in. Sounds simple, but there are a couple of gotchas" there, too. When Macola and/or Peak have added additional controls or functions onto the OE0101 screen, for example, I have had to recreate my custom OE screen from time to time. Not such a big deal if you have it documented.