PWE vs Explorer

[AKPolarBear]

Maybe this is an old subject but searching did not turn up anything.

We are on MSSQL 7.6.100a and just went through a crash of the SQL server. Not 100% sure of the problem but we have lots of users that have many Macola windows open at any given time. This may not be related. We recently upgraded the Macola servers and are enjoying the improved performance. Our busy season is just about upon us so we will see how it really going to work.

Would having the users start to use PWE offer any benefit? In the past, our VAR advised to stay away from it. I see the what it offers but also know that in the past, we had issues with it and it would not operate correctly for all users (would not load).

Comments?

 

[dgillz]

PWE was pretty buggy when it firt came out but those issues are now resolved. I cannot remember the last time I had a purely PWE call. The advantages of using PWE are:

1) Automatically checks for and deletes phantom users
2) ICRs - Integrated crystal reports - only available thru PWE
3) Can login as a different user from PWE without loggin out.
4) Can send "bulletins" to users from PWE.
5) Task Lists and Desktop workspace expanded (multiple tabs).
6) New functionality - Top 10 reports - Customers, vendors, etc.
7) OLAP cubes - Can build OLAP cubes from System Manager

If you have any questions on any of the above let me know.


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

http://www.gainfocus.biz

 

[dmrVA]

We are running 7.6.200 and have been on PWE forever. When we upgraded to 7.6 our VAR could not get Explorer to work, so we had to go to PWE. Have not had any problems with it. Very slick, the users like the "look" a lot. You can add shorcuts from other software programs so that the users have only one place to look.

Donna

 

[kscheeler]

I agree with both. Most of my clients use it and are running a mix of code from 7.5.103d up to 7.6.300a. PWE can give you a different error message than Progression Explorer and I'll try both if I'm getting an error on a workstation. Some workstations won't run it but those workstations also have other issues and are the ones that client stick into the back of the unused cubes as well.


Kevin Scheeler

 

[crystalreporting]

I agree with everyone's comments too. I also think that if the workstation can run PWE without problems, then everything's in pretty good shape, and you'll be unlikely to have problems in other Macola areas. Less so with regular explorer.

The biggest benefit to me is 'roaming' shortcuts. I like the fact that this is stored centrally (within the database) and not in the local registry as is the case with regular explorer.

Peter Shirley

http://www.linkcorp.com

 

[stravis]

I agree with everyone for daily use but stay way from it if you are using Macola Designer or developing Flexibility solutions. You can use it just fine to utilize these customized screens and custom Flexibility solutions, but the bugs are still there when you use PWE during development. An example would be to open Designer under System Manager, select a screenset, edit the screenset, save the changes, close the customized screenset, and then try to edit the same or another screenset from the Designer program. It will not let you under PWE even under the latest version of Macola.

Scott Travis
infospring.net

 

[MacolaHelp]

You can edit a pwe designed screen after the fact, but you have to close designer & reopen it, so it's a pain unless they've finally fixed it. For this reason, I keep a desktop icon to the legacy explorer as well for making screenset changes. Most of my clients have now become pwe converts. You also can't run the utility programs from pwe up to 762005, but maybe that is fixed now, too. I guess I haven't had any specifics related to pwe & flex, but I sub out that work, so maybe haven't experienced it.