Global / Offsider Switch Install

Global \ Offsider Switch Install

Installing the switch for Global \ Offsider Estimating requires manual modification of the main configuration files the software uses.

The switch files can be downloaded here.

Below is a quick summary of what needs to be done, followed by a full step-by-step process.


Install Summary:

• Install Global / Offsider Estimating Standalone version.
• Install SQL for BTOS (If required).
• Map a drive to the data location on the network if it does not already exist.
• Make an additional copy of the off.ini file in the C:\Windows folder and rename the additional file to off.1.
• Take a copy of the network off.ini file from either the mapped drive or a working computer, and place this into the C:\Windows folder and rename it to off.2.
• Make two additional copies of the Digitizer.ini file in the C:\Windows folder, (If required), and rename the files to Digitizer.1 and Digitizer.2.
• Delete the Digitizer.ini and off.ini files from the C:\Users\<USERNAME>\Appdata\Local\VirtualStore\Windows folder if they already exist.
• Make two additional copies of the idapi32.cfg in the C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Borland\bde. Rename them as idapi.1 and idapi.2.
• Run the bdecfg32.exe and setup the configuration of the idapi files.
• Copy in the switch files and update their configuration.
• Create an Icon on the desktop for the switch.
  
  

Step-By-Step Guide

To switch between the Standalone or Network version of the Global or Offsider Estimating, follow the steps below:

1) Install the standalone version of the software.

• If the stand alone version is already installed then you can skip this step.
• If the network version is installed then you will need to uninstall this first, and then install the stand alone version.

 

2) If you are using the BTOS module, then you will need to install Microsoft SQL on the local PC.

• You can Download the SQL Express 2005 software via the details below.
  If BTOS is not used you can skip this step.
  
  http://update.buildsoft.com.au/home
  Username: download
  Password: download

 

3) Map a network drive to the location on the network where the Buildsoft data is stored.
EG K:\ESW.

4) Make a copy of the software's main configuration file so that the software has a copy of the stand alone configuration.

To do this follow the steps below:

• Browse into the C:\Windows folder.
• Locate the off.ini file.
• Right click the file.
• Select Copy.
• Right click in the Windows folder.
• Select Paste.
• Rename the file so that it reads as off.1 instead of off.ini.

 

5) Copy the main configuration file from a network version of the software into the local machine where you are setting up the switch install so that the software has a copy of the network configuration.

To do this follow the steps below:

• Browse into the C:\Windows folder on a machine that has the network version of the software installed.
• Locate the off.ini file.
• Right click the file.
• Select Copy.
• Save the file to a USB flash drive, or other location where you can access it from the machine you are installing the switch software on.
• On the machine where you are installing the switch, browse into the location where you have saved the off.ini file.
• Select Copy.
• Right click in the C:\Windows folder.
• Select Paste, but make sure you do not overwrite the original file.
• Rename the off.ini file you just copied so that it reads as off.2.

 

6) If you are using the BTOS module you will now need to make an additional copy of the BTOS configuration file so that the software has a copy of the stand alone configuration.

• Browse into the C:\Windows folder
• Locate the digitizer.ini file
• Right click the file
• Select Copy
• Right click in the Windows folder
• Select Paste
• Rename the file so that it reads as digitizer.1 instead of off.ini

 

7) Copy the BTOS configuration file from a network version of the software into the local machine where you are setting up the switch install.

• Browse into the C:\Windows folder on a machine that has the network version of the software installed.
• Locate the digitizer.ini file.
• Right click the file.
• Select Copy.
• Save the file to a USB flash drive, or other location where you can access it from the machine you are installing the switch software on.
• On the machine where you are installing the switch, browse into the location where you have saved the digitizer.ini file.
• Select Copy.
• Right click in the C:\Windows folder.
• Select Paste, but make sure you do not overwrite the original file.
• Rename the digitizer.ini file you just copied so that it reads as digitizer.2.

 

8) Make copies of the configuration files for the database engine.

• Browse to the C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Borland\bde folder
• Right click the idapi32.cfg file.
• Select Copy.
• Right click in the folder.
• Select Paste, but make sure you do not overwrite the original file. You will need to do this twice.
• rename the new files to idapi32.1 and idapi32.2.

9) Make sure that the setting for these config files are correct.

To do this follow the following steps:

• Go to the C:\ESW folder.
• Run the file named bdecfg32.exe.
• A new window will pop up. Select Paradox from the left hand side of the new window.
• Change parameters the Net DIR. as Click and browse to the C:\ESW folder and select the PDOXUSRS.NET file. Once selected click Open.
• Click on File and select Save.
• Click on the File menu.
• Select Open.
• Select All Files from the Files Of Type: drop down menu.
• Open the idapi32.1 file.
• In the Net Dir section of the Paradox settings click the browse button and then browse to the C:\ESW folder and select the PDOXUSRS.NET file. Once selected click Open.
• Click on File and select Save.
• Click on the File menu.
• Select Open.
• Select All Files from the Files Of Type: drop down menu.
• Open the idapi32.2 file.
• In the Net Dir section of the Paradox settings click the browse button and then browse to the network location where the Buildsoft data is stored and select the PDOXUSRS.NET file. Once selected click Open.
• Click on File and select Save.
• Close the Window.

 

10) Now that all the all the necessary configuration files are in place we will need to make sure that Windows has not produced duplicates of these as this can cause the switch to malfunction.

To do this follow the steps below:

• Browse to the C:\Users\<Your Username Here>\Appdata\Local\VirtualStore\Windows folder
• Delete any copies of the off.ini or digitizer.ini files that appear in this location.

 

11) At this stage you have all of the softwares main configuration setup correctly and can copy in the switch files.

The switch files are not available for download, however a copy of these can be procured by contacting the Buildsoft support team.

Once you have a copy of the files you will need to copy the Switch.BMP, Switch.EXE and Switch.ini files into the C:\Windows folder.

These files will allow the program to switch between the stand alone and network versions of the software. However if you are running a 64bit PC you will need to make a small alteration to the Switch.ini file.

All you need to do is:

• Browse into the C:\Windows folder.
• Locate the Switch.ini file.
• Open the Switch.ini file in notepad.
• Change the Bde32Dir=C:\Program Files\Common Files\Borland\Bde line so that it reads as:

Bde32Dir=C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Borland\Bde.

• Save the file.

11) Create a desktop icon for the switch program.

To do this follow the steps below:

• Browse to the C:\Windows folder.
• Right click on Switch.EXE.
• Change compatibility mode to use Windows XP (SP3).
  
  
  
  

• Right click Switch.EXE again and select Send To Desktop.

 

The switch installation will now be completed and you can test the software to make sure it switches between the stand alone and network systems normally.