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Macola Problem With Windows XP

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thardwick

Technical User
Jan 7, 2004
14
US
We are running Macola Progression V6.2.100b on a Netware 4.11 server. We have several Windows 98 workstations and 1 Windows XP workstation running Macola. I'm trying to get another XP workstation up and running and have a strange problem going on. I can start Macola and login correctly. I can view Bills of Materials, etc. but when I try to go into Inventory Management and look up an item, Macola completely closes out with no error message. Anybody have an idea what's going on? Thanks for the help!
 
You are in the "netherworld" of macola. Your network OS & macola are no longer supported. Trying to run Xp w/a DOS based app is rolling the dice. I have been able to get macola 6.2 to run on win2k, but after applying sp4 w/critical updates, it stopped printing. It's time to update your macola or replace w/something that can run on more current WS/network operating systems. Sorry for the bad news. If someone else has been successful, I'd like to hear the fix as I have a couple of sites that are still running 6.2 or DOS Netcellent that would rather not upgrade if they could.
 
I have two clients that are running simular configurations to yours (Novell 4.11 and assume Btrieve 6.15). As Macolahelp stated, it is the truely the "Netherworld or Badlands" as I prefer to call it. We spent a great deal of time attempting to make work unsupported products work with XP but in the end, converted the new machines to WIN98 as a temporary solution. Old DOS products and XP do not play pretty together. If you are stuck money wise, then Win98 is your best maybe only "Temporary" alternative.

Your options:
Prerequisite: Upgrade to Novell 6 or Windows 2000, 2003 on the server side. Probably need to replace server if you move to Macola Progression or Elloitt for that matter.

1) Upgrade to Progression 7.6.x at $350 per user, conversion fees/training plus new Pervasive 2000i or MS SQL 2000. Note Exact does not support Pervasive V8 at present.

2) Convert to Netcellents "Elloitt" windows product 7.1. You will need to purchase Pervasive V8. Netcellent recommends Windows 2000 as prefered OS, so plan accordingly. Elloitt is very simular, but have tons of features compared to Macola 6.2 so training is not a big issue unless you implement the packages new features.
Let us know if we can help.

 
maccrystal,

Thanks for the info. Any idea how much Elliott 7.0 costs?
 
You can upgrade to Macola 7.6.200 for $350 per concurrent user. I am not sure what Elliot costs, but I will find out.

Software Sales, Training, Implementation and Support for Exact Macola, eSynergy, and Crystal Reports
 
Macola quoted me some time ago $3500 to upgrade the software and $20,000-$25,000 for 14-16 days of conversion/training. Support would be $5000-10,000 anually, which would also include free software upgrades.
 
What modules are you using? For a 10 user site, the $3,500 makes sense at least.

Software Sales, Training, Implementation and Support for Exact Macola, eSynergy, and Crystal Reports
 
We're using A/R, I/M, A/P, COP, BOMP, P/O, G/L, and PR.
 
thardwick,

Where are you located? I would like to discuss a few options with you. dgilsdorf@trianglepartners.com

Software Sales, Training, Implementation and Support for Exact Macola, eSynergy, and Crystal Reports
 
Netcellent Pricing 10 users:
Elloitt 7.1 10 users: $14,800 less 50% for Macola Upgrade
Pervasive 8.x 10 users: $1,200
Maintenance 15% of Retail
training / Install: TBD

 
maccrystal,

So you're saying I can upgrade for $8600 (+ install)?? Could I install this myself?
 
All Software Including maintenance it's $9,900. Install / Training can very due to the new features in the product. (E.g. CRM, Laser forms, etc). I would not recommend that you install yourself. I would be glad to discuss your options. My office number is 704-343-0750.

Jim




 
The estimate of 14-16 days & 20-25k for training and implementation is REALLY overstated to go to macola 7.6x. You could easily convert from 6.2 to 7.6 & get training for under 10k (btrieve), especially if you have a dedicated conversion team in house. That $3500 10 user upgrade can be used for either btrieve or sql. You will have additional conversion costs if you go mssql, maybe another 3-5k, but you will be positioned for the next generation macola ES. If you start btrieve & then go SQL you will have to pay another $350/user at that time.

Netcellent does pretty well for a small shop & they are pretty good at integrating with other products like shipping systems, edi, etc. I would question how well they will do long term, however, with the consolidation going on in the software world. Did you just see the news that Sage/Best bought accpac? They are bigger than MBS now. A 6.2 to NSI 7x conversion, training, implementation is going to run about the same as a Macola 7x btrieve upgrade.

Whatever way you go, you are looking at getting a new server or servers & the necessary db manager to operate the software. Time to start spending some money.
 
Well, here lies the problem when you're a poor customer trying to buy something new! All I have to go on is what I'm told. Macola themselves are telling me that it will be $20-25K plus the $3500 for the software. Now I'm being told that I can get a great package for about $10K. Elliott will do everything we need and then some. They also tell me that they will work with my existing server, which runs Netware 4.11. In my shoes, $30K vs. $10K is a no-brainer when I can see that Elliott has all the functionality we need. We're a small company (38 employees) so I'll worry about the expansion later.
 
maccrystal,

What would you guys do, just charge us a per hour fee to get us up and working and stay as long as it took?
 
Thardwick,

I know both Macolahelp and Maccrystal as Macola resellers (like myself). Both will treat you right and geography means little these days given the tools at our disposal. However geography wise, Jim (maccrystal) is obviously your best bet.

I would highly recommend a Macola upgrade rather than a conversion to Elliott. In terms of a per hour fee, this varies depnding on Geography (L.A. is more expensive than Iowa) so I would contact the Macola dealers on this board directly to clarify this.

Good luck and let me know if I can help.




Software Sales, Training, Implementation and Support for Exact Macola, eSynergy, and Crystal Reports
 
Thardwick: I'm not trying to sell you a macola upgrade versus an elliott upgrade. Whoever at macola told you 14-16 days to go from 6.2 to 7.6 is just throwing out figures without thinking. It sounds more like what it would take to go from 6.2 to ES. I've done enough of these macola & elliott conversions that I can confidently say that either choice is going to cost approximately the same in installation, conversion and training on changed functionality. The software for macola will run a little less, even if you upgrade your pervasive to 2000i and still run on NW4x. Although NW4x is a fine OS, its days are numbered. Does anyone know offhand if pervasive 8 (elliott requirement) is supported on NW4x? Running your mission critical apps on an old network OS with limitations on tcp/ip performance, running an unsupported database manager if you are still on btrieve 6.15 or 7 & running unsupported software is not necessarily economical if you have a system failure. You are spending money on workstations, why not think about upgrading your server infrastructure? There are great deals out there on leasing right now. You should definitely use a macola reseller in close proximity to you rather than macola professional services. You might not even get someone who ever worked with version 6 if you use MPS. Also, if you have any source code customizations or lots of crystal or access reports, converting these will add to the overall project cost in about the same magnitude for either elliott or macola 7.6. Good luck.
 
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