switching user id's

[Kiriray]

Hi everyone,

We just switched from using Outlook to Notes so we're still figuring out how to administer Notes easily and properly.

Here's one of the problems:

Do we really have to uninstall and then reinstall Lotus Notes to be able to switch users?
We need to switch machines every so often and along with the machine switchings, we also have to uninstall notes because according to our resource person, that is the only way to go. If we don't uninstall notes and remove the Lotus folder from the C: drive, when we try to log using another user id, the profile of the previous owner shows up. We've been doing this for a while and we're starting to find this process impractical and cumbersome. Is there anyway we can just switch id's and the new profile will just show up? We tried switching id's by going to file-tools-switch id... we can do that but we would get the message that we are not authorized to access the database...
Our network is set so that everybody can log on to any station.

comments, anyone?

 

[lamaar]

Are you running Notes as a shared application over a network, if so what type of network?

 

[Kiriray]

We're running on NT4. Users/clients are using Win 9x. For our email, we have Domino Server and Notes R5. Notes is installed on all users' individual machine. All emails stay on the server, except for those we set up to replicate.

thnx lamaar

 

[Dharmaraj]

Hi Kirikay,

The reason you are getting the error ' not authorised to use the database' is because while the User ID is for User A, the mail file specified (*.nsf) would be for the earlier user.
You need to create multiple profiles for both users who need to use a single machine with multiple IDs.
1. On your Notes workspace on the desktop, click on the create new profile option.
2. create user profile for user A by specifying his/her details along with the mail file.
3. Create the second user similarly.
4. Name each profile with the first or last name of the user.
Thus when user A wants to use his Notes, he can use his profile and so on.

 

[Kiriray]

Dharmaraj,

I was trying to follow your instructions, but I couldn't find the "create a new profile" option. I am on my workspace... where exactly do i click on?

I know Im sounding real stupid, but i need help.
Thanks.

 

[RachelD]

Open Lotus Notes, go to File | Mobile | Locations.
Click the add location button
Set the location type on the first tab (basics)
Name the location (Joe, LAN, etc. - whatever you want)

Click on the mail tab
Specify the mail file (typically the path is mail\username.nsf)
Click the Internet browser tab. Choose the default browser.
Click the advanced tab. Here you have the option to specify a certain notes ID to switch to for this location.

This way, you can set different users up on the same machine to use Notes, or set up the same user with different locations so that they may switch configurations when dialing in.

To actually switch locations, look at the bottom right corner between the picture of the key and the picture of the envelope. Clicking on that box brings up a list of the locations to choose from.

And please don't take this the wrong way, but it sounds like you would benefit from a Notes training class...

Rachel

 

[Kiriray]

I've kinda figured that one out yesterday, RachelD.
Thanks to all of you guys.
I'll figure out evertyhing from here...
and you're right RachelD, I should get at least the basic training (as a matter of fact, all of us here in the office should get the training)... but everything's up to the bosses.

 

[Guest_imported]

RachelD,

I did the same thing as you said, but it turns out, only the mail files are accessible for the other user. The addressbook and other database are still the same (meaning, the profile of previous owner of the machine stays and shows up everytime the new owner opens notes).


???

 

[RachelD]

Well, you can only have one personal address book per Notes installation. So if there is any existing address book from the previous user, you'll just have to delete out all the entries and rename it in the database properties. As for the "profile" - I assume you mean the location document. You can simply delete the location out of the list of available locations. Delete the id file for the previous user if it is on the local machine, and delete any shortcuts to databases you don't want in the workspace.

Once you switch to a new location document, it should default to that configuration the next time you open Notes.

If what's also happening is that your new user doesn't have access to a database (which you didn't say exactly) then you will need to check the access control list for the databases and ensure that security is properly assigned.

 

[SILLEYJ]

We run into this problem quite often.

Find notes.ini and remove all but the first 4 lines
1. Delete all entries below line #4 in the Notes.ini located in the Windows directory or Winnt directory on an NT client.

2. Delete the following files from the C:\Notes\Data directory:
DESKTOP.DSK
CACHE.DSK
NAMES.NSF
MAIL.BOX
CERTLOG.NSF
LOG.NSF



After removing these files when you launch lotus notes it will prompt you for the new setup of the client.

 

[Guest_imported]

how come some of the files are missing in my data folder? (mail.box & certlog.nsf).
Silley, I tried doing your suggestion, but I get the message "could not find the server".
Also, the desktop.dsk file comes out as desktop5.dsk.
When I try to do the setup again, it will say "special databases cannot be found" and the setup will not complete.
Are we missing something?

 

[lamaar]

The reason behind this is that you are using Notes R5 and it seems like his suggestion is for R.4.6

MAIL.BOX can just be created as there is a template for it, it is just a database where Notes stores your email's when you are working locally.
DESKTOP.DSK refers to the file which stores which Notes databases are on your Workspace. As Notes R.5 does not use this by default, and non of your uses are on R.4.6, you won't have and dont need this. Notes R.5 uses a file named BOOKMARK.NSF. Each of your users will have a copy of this in their Notes\Data directory. I suggest theu copy it to a disk once and a while, and when they move PC's they just overwrite the existing copy. They will then have access to their own databases. You can also do this for the local address book, NAMES.NSF.

If you are receiving the error 'Unable to find path to
server' on setup, try to increase your timeout as I think that it is set at 5 secs by default.

Also, if the purpose of this excercise was to remove someones profile from a PC you don't need to delete all the files. RachelD gave you the solution. Create several location documents per machine, one for each user and specify in each, the users own details. Copy over the files as mentioned above and you should have no problems. I deal with people on a daily basis who have to share one machine between upto 9 others! It does work.

If you run into any problems let me know.

Lamaar75@hotmail.com

 

[munenori]

If you are just trying to switch user id's in R5....copy the new user's notes id file from c:/notes/data to floppy..insert in other pc...copy back to same location. When you try to open notes it will ask for the former user..hit cancel twice and a box will open up displaying the contents of notes/data..choose the new id file. Logon screen will ask for this new user's id. You must then go to FILE..DATABASE...OPEN and create a new icon for the new user by chosing the server and mailfile and the user...go into the location document and change this info. to that of the new user, server, id, mailfile, etc....if user is in the office, the location doc must be pointing to office (bottom right hand corner of workspace for lotus notes) the location doc can be accessed there by chosing edit current. hope this was stated clearly and is of some help to you.I noticed an earlier reply about deleting part of the ini file, this should work also, but is not needed to switch id's. Deleting all below the icon statement fools notes into thinking it's a new install.

 

[munenori]

PS if you get the error message that you are not authorized for "anything" in this database...it usually means that you are not listed in the location doc as admin or owner.

 

[Churmsy]

If you have multiple users on a Pc the best way is to store each configuration in it's own data area ie c:\notes\auser. Ie own desktop, address book, user.id file archive file etc.

You can do this for existing users and new users alike. (Information is on the Lotus support page). I have a procedure typed up if you would like it. It is being reworked at the moment as it is a bit impossible to follow, Not because it is tricky but because I can't write good instructions!! It has the advantage that the user is portable just move the directory and shortcut icon to a new Pc with notes installed and hey presto the user is setup.

Works for Archives too. For new users it is really easy just install to c:\notes\username (depending on your setup and name of the user) and then move the notes.ini from c:\windows to c:\notes\username. Create a shortcut for notes with command line as c:\notes\notes.exe =c:\notes\username\notes.ini (depending on your install. Configure Notes as you normally would (If you have used the new icon the note.ini in the users data area will be configured).

This works very well as each user has their ID file in their own directory along with everything else.

Have installed this now on NT and 9X Pc's with single and multiple users and moved users directories about between Pc's - It's an elegant solution that should be put into the manual as it is so simple and not just posted on the support pages. Hope this is of help