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Alpha5 startup shortcut include file parameters

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    Alpha5 startup shortcut include file parameters

    I want to centrally control what database is open from an Alpha5 desktop shortcut that references a -INCLUDE file on my server.

    IS there a -INCLUDE file parameter that controls what database(.adb) is open or does the database name need to be on the
    command line with the -INCLUDE=<file> command line parameter? I have not seen anything like this in the documentation.

    If this is not an option could I use the -COMMAND=<xbasic> and open my database using some xBasic code?

    I have a .bat file that will do this, but I don't like the way it works and seems a little awkward leaving a command line window open while the Alpha5 application is running in the foreground.

    Thanks!

    #2
    Re: Alpha5 startup shortcut include file parameters

    IS there a -INCLUDE file parameter that controls what database(.adb) is open or does the database name need to be on the
    command line with the -INCLUDE=<file> command line parameter?
    -INCLUDE=filename

    is a command line option like any other. To start Alpha, open a specific database, and include the option stored in a file

    "C:\Program Files\A5V5\Alpha5.exe"
    "C:\Program Files\A5V5\Samples\Invoice\invoice.adb" -nosplash -include=start.txt
    There can be only one.

    Comment


      #3
      Re: Alpha5 startup shortcut include file parameters

      Have you use the Alpha tool to create a shortcut?

      Control Panel - Tools - Create a Shortcut
      Al Buchholz
      Bookwood Systems, LTD
      Weekly QReportBuilder Webinars Thursday 1 pm CST

      Occam's Razor - KISS
      Normalize till it hurts - De-normalize till it works.
      Advice offered and questions asked in the spirit of learning how to fish is better than someone giving you a fish.
      When we triage a problem it is much easier to read sample systems than to read a mind.
      "Make it as simple as possible, but not simpler."
      Albert Einstein

      http://www.iadn.com/images/media/iadn_member.png

      Comment


        #4
        Re: Alpha5 startup shortcut include file parameters

        Hi Stan and AL -

        I am building a new database that we will be cutting over to in the near future and leaving the old one behind. I'm trying to centrally manage the shortcut people use on their desktops to access the database. If I can do this then I won't have to run around and update the shortcut on everyone's desktop the day we cut over.

        Another option I thought about yesterday would be to just rename the directory or folder on the server. This would be an easy and transparent way to cutover without touching anyone's desktop.

        The shortcut I'm using today looks like the line below. I put this line in a .bat file and built a shortcut on my desktop for it and it
        works, but like I said I don't like how it works leaving a command line window open on the PC while it is running.

        "C:\Program Files\a5V10\alpha5.exe" "M:\mcat.adb" -INCLUDE="A:\mcat.startup"

        This is an interesting option I have not looked at ...

        "C:\Program Files\A5V5\Samples\Invoice\invoice.adb" -nosplash -include=start.txt

        This directly opens the database file and passes a few parameters to Alpha5 on the command line.

        Yes, I have used the Alpha tool that builds shortcuts.

        Thanks for your thoughts ... Mark

        Comment


          #5
          Re: Alpha5 startup shortcut include file parameters

          If I'm not mistaken you can create the new shortcut on your machine or one of the clients and then email it to the other users with instruction to save it to their desktop.
          There can be only one.

          Comment


            #6
            Re: Alpha5 startup shortcut include file parameters

            Is everyone on the LAN?

            Put the shortcut in a common folder for ALL users. Could be the database folder, since everyone has to access that.

            On each user's machine create a shortcut to the shortcut on the common folder.
            Al Buchholz
            Bookwood Systems, LTD
            Weekly QReportBuilder Webinars Thursday 1 pm CST

            Occam's Razor - KISS
            Normalize till it hurts - De-normalize till it works.
            Advice offered and questions asked in the spirit of learning how to fish is better than someone giving you a fish.
            When we triage a problem it is much easier to read sample systems than to read a mind.
            "Make it as simple as possible, but not simpler."
            Albert Einstein

            http://www.iadn.com/images/media/iadn_member.png

            Comment


              #7
              Re: Alpha5 startup shortcut include file parameters

              Hi guys -

              I'm learning a lot about Microsoft .lnk files these past few days. You would think something this simple would be easy to solve, but I keep discovering limitations to Microsoft link files which there are three types ...

              1) Symbolic
              2) Hard
              3) Junction

              I built the desktop shortcut to a shortcut located on a common network drive and the shortcut on the desktop that "Points" to the one on the common network drive makes a copy of it. So If I modify the one on the common network drive the modification does not appear on the desk top, it is not dynamic. This is a link file but it is not of the type I have listed above, it is a shortcut that happens to have .lnk as it file extension.

              To build a symbolic, hard or junction link you run the mklink command from the cmd prompt as an administrator. The hard link is the closest I could get to what I wanted, but you cannot build a hard link across partitions. In my case from a C: drive to a network mapped drive. Both objects have to reside in the same partition.

              Here are 2 links I have referenced ...

              Shortcut to a shortcut
              https://superuser.com/questions/4258...other-shortcut

              Complete guide to symbolic links
              https://www.howtogeek.com/howto/1622...dows-or-linux/

              Mark

              Comment

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