Goldmine 8 will not sync user groups or members

[SQLWilts]

Hiya,
I have Goldmine 8 premium with about 30 users (most undocked laptop users) runinng on SQL server 2005 (Express on the laptops).
I have found out from our reseller that the groups will not syncronise down to the laptops - either new groups or alterations to existing group membership. This is apparently a bug within Goldmine, due to be fixed sometime in 2009.
But....
I have a large (and growing) remote workforce with a relatively high rate of attrition (sales reps!) and therefore the group settings are very, for want of a better word, fluid.
I have looked in the "users" table and can see an encrypted field called "USECURITY". May I assume that group membership is held here? Also, is there any way, within SQL or VB.net to create these user groups and move members around within them?
I cannot have the users logging on as master to create their own, and would like ideally to create a script that I can email to them and they can run on their laptops. I know the SQL instance name and local access credentials.
I know of APIs that will poke into the app, but have no idea as to where to get them, or how to use them at the moment.
Any ideas/web links/possible solution gratefully received

 

[goner]

You are correct, that's where group membership is stored.

I'm not aware of the bug to which your partner refers -- I don't doubt that it exists, but I might suggest verifying whether or not the remote sites in question have a site override specified on them to 'send undocked users securities and passwords'. (see each individual site's properties, this is NOT a property that can be inherited from the site group in the goldsync admin center)

That being said, if your person knows their way around goldsync, I'm sure they've done this..

As for the API being able to manipulate group memberships, you can, indeed do so. It's outlined in the API guide which is available to you as a GoldMine user current on maintenance. Give Frontrange a call and request it. In the mean time, you can find lots of sample code here:

http://forums.frontrange.com/viewtopic.php?t=88

on the developer FTP site. That post has access info...

Doug Castell
Castell Computers

http://www.castellcomputers.com

 

[SQLWilts]

Hi Goner,
The 'send undocked users securities and passwords' property is indeed unticked - does it need to be ticked to send those details? On the undocked profile, the send group membership option is ticked...

 

[MIChad76]

Yeah it needs to be checked on the server under the send settings for that information to synchronize down.

---
Chad Smith

Check out the GoldMine Blog at

http://www.thegmblog.com

MCP - Microsoft SQL Server
Crystal Reports Certified Professional
GoldMine Certified Professional
Microsoft CRM Certified Professional

 

[goner]

group membership and users are totally different.. 'group membership' refers to CONTACT groups, not user groups...

Doug Castell
Castell Computers

http://www.castellcomputers.com

 

[SQLWilts]

I really need to be able to decrypt this USECURITY field, change the contents and reencrypt using TSQL. I am used to using a number of blowfish dlls withing TSQL, so I am fine with the principals.
There are a number of options, including the user groups, that my remote users do not have access to change without master rights. These options will not sync down, and therefore need to be changed using OSQL on the local machine (via AD scripts).
Does anyone have the DLLs and TSQL that I can use to adapt to our requirements?

 

[goner]

There is an API for GoldMine that you could potentially leverage, however, setting the sync sites to sync the user security is the proper way to go. Considering they haven't sync'd ever and this is a change, note that only recent changes will sync out and that GoldMine won't suddenly sync all the users and usergroups today for remote users with sync cut-off dates of yesterday -- that changes are older than that.

I'd suggest making sure the user/security override is set for all sync sites and then creating a new group and making everyone a member of it. This should sufficiently flag every record to sync out.

Doug Castell
Castell Computers

http://www.castellcomputers.com

 

[SQLWilts]

Goner,
I will try that, but Frontrange have acknowledged that this is a bug within Goldmine that will be fixed in the new year.
I will play, and let you know how I get on.

 

[goner]

I wouldn't hold my breath on this one.. I suspect the tech you spoke to was ill-informed.

If your sync site hasn't got the users override set, the users don't sync. Turning it on later doesn't magically make all the old changes sync again...

I'd just turn on that option for everyone and then go and add all users to a new ussergroup you create.. It might get you through.


Doug Castell
Castell Computers

http://www.castellcomputers.com

 

[SQLWilts]

Goner,
I know the principal of the syncstamp and the TLog, and that only new changes to the area that you change get synced.
It has been acknowledged by our reseller that this is a bug, although the experimenting that I have done so far doesn't bear this out.
As you say, it sounds like an inexperienced tech talking to an inexperienced advisor at FrontRange.
As I said, I will have a play.

 

[goner]

Adding all the users to a usergroup ought to get you the zsNew stamp you need to force them to sync.

That's my theory anyway.

Doug Castell
Castell Computers

http://www.castellcomputers.com

 

[SQLWilts]

Yeah... I could also set each to ignore cut off time, but I suspect that will only do the contact set.
I added them to a group and then took them out and deleted the group - syncing now

 

[goner]

setting the ignore cutoff date box would result in an entire database sync -- not likely something you want to do.

I'm not sure I'd delete the usergroup until after someone sync's... Better yet, leave it around until everyone has sync'd.

Doug Castell
Castell Computers

http://www.castellcomputers.com