Running an app through citrix.......

[TomKane]

Hi,

I have a bit of a query and would be grateful for any advice that you might have.

We have an application that we deliver to our users via citrix metframe. The thing about it is that the application can be used to access up to five different databases and there is an ini file that directs the application in relation to which database to use.

We want to set up an icon per database - so that the user can access any one of the five databases depending on the icon they select.

We've been advised by the vendor to make five copies of the ini file each one relating to one of the five datbases and when the user selects delete the ini file and copy in the applicable one using batch files depending on which icon is selected and then launch the app. Normally if the app was installed direct on the PC there would be an ini file on the local hard drive.

The snag (as I've been advised) is that all the users who access the application through citrix will all share the same ini file and so I'm guessing that there could be a bit of contention if two users attempt to run the app at the same time but for access to different database.

I'm wondering if anyone has come across anything like this before and if so how they got around it - if it comes to it we may request a change to the application itself.

Thanks,
Tom

 

[JohnTcolo]

There is no problem with multiple users sharing an ini file. The info is usually only read upon startup, but even so-no one should be modifying the ini file while running the app. You might want to make it read-only just to make sure.

Good Luck.

 

[PPettit]

Just a thought here...

Would it be possible to use an environment variable in the .ini file? Perhaps you could set up a script that sets a variable for the desired database. You'd have to make a separate script for each database of course. I know very little about the inner workings of Citrix but I'm thinking you could something like this:

in the startup script:
SET DBNAME=(database filename used in the .ini file)

in the .ini file:
replace the specific database filename with %DBNAME%

In theory, this would allow everyone to use the same .ini file but be able to access a different database without any hassle since each person can have a different user environment.

 

[TomKane]

Thanks to you both for the repsonses - they've ceratinly givin me something to think about.

Thanks again,
Tom

 

[TomKane]

Hi,

In the end I've decided to go 'round it the other way - what I'm going to do is map/unmap the data share prior to running the app so that means the ini file can be left alone.

Thanks again for the help,
Tom