Accessing the Software From a Thin Client

This task explains how to set up thin clients for accessing the Version 5 software over the network.

A thin client can run Windows XP.

This type of scenario is sometimes referred to as a "code server" scenario. The advantages of this type of scenario are:

  • you save time: the code is installed on the code server only, and not on the clients; and future upgrades and installation of service packs are easier since you only have to upgrade the software on the server, and not the clients
  • you save disk space: code is installed on the server only, so you save disk space on the clients.

The drawbacks with this type of scenario are:

  • the code is sent over the network to the client, so you will experience problems if the network is not efficient or goes down
  • the code is executed on the client, so performance may vary depending on the power of the client computer and the amount of memory on the client.

Note that the default installation path can be:

C:\Program Files\Dassault Systemes\B18 (Windows XP Pro)
C:\Program Files\Dassault Systemes\B18 (64-bit code on Windows XP Professional x64 Edition)
C:\Program Files (x86)\Dassault Systemes\B18 (32-bit code on Windows XP Professional x64 Edition)
1. Log on as administrator onto the server computer, install the Version 5 software, for example, in the following folder, for example on 32-bit Windows XP Pro:

C:\Program Files\Dassault Systemes\B18

then share the disk and folders in the installation path.
2. Log on as administrator onto the client computer.
3. Run the Windows Explorer.

You need to use the Explorer to connect to the server over the network and access the C:\Program Files folder on the server.
4. Select Tools->Map Network Drive...

The Map Network Drive dialog box is displayed, and looks something like this:

5. Select a drive.
6. Select the folder Program Files on the server, and click Finish.

This is the folder containing the Dassault Systemes folder in which you installed the Version 5 software.

Note that selecting the folder displays the server name and folder name in the Path field:

\\server\Program Files

In the All Folders list in the left window of the Explorer, you will now see the connection to the server, for example:

Program Files on 'server' (F:)

where "server" is the server name, for example, and "F:" is the name of the drive you mapped.
7. Still on the client computer, open a Command Prompt window and go to the following directory:

F:\Program Files\Dassault Systemes\B18\intel_a\code\bin (Windows XP Pro)
F:\Program Files\Dassault Systemes\B18\win_b64\code\bin  (64-bit code on Windows XP Professional x64 Edition)
F:\Program Files (x86)\Dassault Systemes\B18\intel_a\code\bin (32-bit code on Windows XP Professional x64 Edition)

where, for example, "F:" is the name of the mapped drive and represents F:\Program Files.

8. Open a Command Prompt window to go back to the directory where you were before,

Then, run the following command using exactly the syntax indicated, depending on whether you are running CATIA, ENOVIA DMU Navigator or DELMIA:

cnext /regserver -env MyEnvironment -direnv MyEnvDirectory
dmu /regserver -env MyEnvironment -direnv MyEnvDirectory
delmia /regserver -env MyEnvironment -direnv MyEnvDirectory

where "MyEnvironment" is the name of the environment, and "MyEnvDirectory" the name of an existing folder containing the environment on the client, if you intend to create an environment on the client as described in step 10a.

If you intend to use the environment on the server (step 10b), run the command:

cnext /regserver
dmu /regserver
delmia /regserver

This activates OLE support which ensures that double-clicking Version 5 document icons on the client will run a Version 5 session.
9. Run the following command, depending on whether you are running CATIA, ENOVIA DMU Navigator or DELMIA:

setcatenv -tools -cs MyProductLine -e MyEnvironment -d MyEnvDirectory

to set up the Start->Programs->MyProductLine->Tools menu containing the Batch Management V5R18, Environment Editor V5R18,  Nodelock Key Management V5R18, Printers V5R18, Settings Management V5R18 and Software Management V5R18 commands.
At this point, you have two possibilities:
  • create the runtime environment on the client (step 10a)
  • or access the server environment via the network, to avoid creating an environment on the client (step 10b).
10a. Create the runtime environment on the client.

To do so, you have two possibilities:

  • from the directory:

    F:\Program Files\Dassault Systemes\B18\intel_a\code\bin (Windows XP Pro)
    F:\Program Files\Dassault Systemes\B18\win_b64\code\bin (64-bit code on Windows XP Professional x64 Edition)
    F:\Program Files (x86)\Dassault Systemes\B18\intel_a\code\bin (32-bit code on Windows XP Professional x64 Edition)

    run the following command:

setcatenv -p "F:\Dassault Systemes\B18" -e MyEnvironment -d MyEnvDirectory -a global -desktop yes -cs MyProductLine

where "MyEnvironment" is the name of the environment, "MyEnvDirectory" is the name of the folder containing the environment and "MyProductLine" is the name of the product line.

  • or, use the Start->Programs->MyProductLine->Tools->Environment Editor V5R18 command. In this case:
  1. Select the Environment->New command to display the New Environment dialog box.
  2. Select the Options menu, then the Set Global Storage Directory command, and set the environment storage directory to the same location you set in step 8.
  3. Enter the same environment name you also set in step 8.
  4. Enter the path of the shared installation folder on the server as follows:
    F:\Dassault Systemes\B18
  5. Select Global for the Mode.
  6. Select your Product Line.
  7. Click OK.

In both cases, a global environment is created on the client computer which can be used by all users who log onto the client.
10b. You can also access the server environment via the network. To be able to do so, the code and the runtime environment on the server must be installed in a shared location so you can map it from the client.

For illustration purposes, let's suppose you installed the code for example on 32-bit Windows XP Pro in:

E:\Program Files\Dassault Systemes\B18

To facilitate access to the runtime environment over the network, the environment must be located in a shared easily accessible location, and NOT in the default location in the All Users profile on the server which is:

C:\%WINDIR%\Profiles\All Users\Application Data\DassaultSystemes\CATEnv

For illustration purposes, let's suppose you created the runtime environment on the server in the following shared location:

E:\CATEnv

To access the environment over the network:

  1. Map a drive to the shared folder on the server.
    You must choose the same drive letter on the client as the drive on which the code was installed on the server, for example "E:".
  2. Open a Command Prompt window and go to the directory "E:", then to the directory:

    E:\Program Files\Dassault Systemes\B18\intel_a\code\bin (Windows XP Pro)
    E:\Program Files\Dassault Systemes\B18\win_b64\code\bin (64-bit code on Windows XP Professional x64 Edition)
    E:\Program Files (x86)\Dassault Systemes\B18\intel_a\code\bin (32-bit code on Windows XP Professional x64 Edition)

  3. To start a session, run the command:

    cnext -env MyEnvironment -direnv E:\CATEnv
    dmu -env MyEnvironment -direnv E:\CATEnv
    delmia -env MyEnvironment -direnv E:\CATEnv

where "MyEnvironment" is an example for the name of the runtime environment on the server.

Note that this scenario will only work if the drive letter on the client and the drive letter on the server are identical. In certain cases, you may not be able to use the same drive letter on the client and the server. For example, the code is installed on "E:" on the server, but the drive "E:" on the client is not free, so you map the drive "K:". If you then try to start a session, the runtime environment will not be found because the paths referenced in the runtime environment point, for example, to "E:..." like this (32-bit code on Windows XP):

...
CATInstallPath=E:\Program Files\Dassault Systemes\B18\intel_a
CATDLLPath=E:\Program Files\Dassault Systemes\B18\intel_a\code\bin
...

whereas on the client there is no software installed on the "E:" drive.

To bypass this problem, create a new global environment on the server using the following command:

setcatenv -e NewEnvironment -d \\servername\home\CATEnv -a global -p "\\servername\home\Program Files\Dassault Systemes\B18" -desktop no

where "\\servername\home" is the UNC name of the server and shared folder, and "NewEnvironment" is the new environment name. Creating a new environment this way will create the correct UNC paths as follows (32-bit code on Windows XP):

...
CATInstallPath=\\servername\home\Program Files\Dassault Systemes\B18\intel_a
CATDLLPath=\\servername\home\Program Files\Dassault Systemes\B18\intel_a\code\bin
...

This time, your attempt to start a session will be successful if you use the following command:

cnext -env MyEnvironment -direnv \\servername\home\CATEnv
dmu -env MyEnvironment -direnv \\servername\home\CATEnv
delmia -env MyEnvironment -direnv \\servername\home\CATEnv

Note also that if you disconnect the drive you mapped, you will have to remap it as before for the scenario to continue to work.
11. If you require extended font support, run the following command:

VE0IFONT.exe -env MyEnvironment -direnv MyEnvDirectory

from the directory:

F:\Program Files\Dassault Systemes\B18\intel_a\code\bin (Windows XP Pro)
F:\Program Files\Dassault Systemes\B18\win_b64\code\bin (64-bit code on Windows XP Professional x64 Edition)
F:\Program Files (x86)\Dassault Systemes\B18\intel_a\code\bin (32-bit code on Windows XP Professional x64 Edition)

For more information, refer to "Using and Customizing Fonts" in your Infrastructure Users Guide.
12. If you want to record and replay macros, and Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications (VBA), Version 6.0 is not already installed on your client, you have to install VBA manually from the product CD-ROM.

To install Microsoft Windows installer if it is not installed on the workstation:

Pathcdrom\VBA\MSI\INSTMSIW.exe /Q

To install VBA6 on all Windows platforms, run the command:

msiexec /q /i pathcdrom\VBA\VBA6.msi

However, note that VBA is supported on Windows XP Professional x64 Edition with Version 5 32-bit code.
13. You will need to install the VC8 Runtime prerequisite on each client computer. This has to be installed before running any Version 5 executable programs on this platform.

To do so, open a Command Prompt window, go to the first CD-ROM folder, then to the folder:

INTEL (32-bit media)
WIN64 (64-bit media)

and run the following commands for 32-bit media:

msiexec /i InstallDSSoftwarePrerequisites_x86.msi /q (for 32-bit Windows)
msiexec /i InstallDSSoftwarePrerequisites_x86_x64.msi /q (for 64-bit Windows)

and the following command for 64-bit media:

msiexec /i InstallDSSoftwarePrerequisites_x86_x64.msi /q for 64-bit Windows)
14. If you need access to the communications backbone and peripheral device broker, the associated port numbers must be set up on the client.

Used to support process interoperability (for example, between CATIA and DMU), the backbone needs to be set up on each computer running applications which need to communicate.

To set up the ports using the default values:

  1. Log on as administrator.
  2. Open a Command Prompt window and go to the installation directory, for example:

    F:\Program Files\Dassault Systemes\B18\intel_a\code\bin (Windows XP Pro)
    F:\Program Files\Dassault Systemes\B18\win_b64\code\bin (64-bit code on Windows XP Professional x64 Edition)
    F:\Program Files (x86)\Dassault Systemes\B18\intel_a\code\bin (32-bit code on Windows XP Professional x64 Edition)

  3. Enter the commands:

    setV5Ports

    \\Server\"Program Files\Dassault Systemes\B18\intel_a\code\bin"\BBDemonService -create

where "server" is the name of the server machine. The UNC path must be used imperatively.

For more information about the communications backbone, refer to Communications Backbone Files.
15. If you created a runtime environment on the client, start a session by double-clicking the environment icon on the desktop or by selecting the command to start the product from the Start->Programs menu.

Make sure that you have set up your licenses (either network or nodelocked) before starting a session.
16. If you created an environment on the client, and want to delete this environment, run the following commands:

To update the registry (deactivate OLE support):

CNEXT /unregserver -direnv MyEnvDirectory -env MyEnvironment
DMU /unregserver -direnv MyEnvDirectory -env MyEnvironment
DELMIA /unregserver -direnv MyEnvDirectory -env MyEnvironment

To delete the reference environment:
delcatenv -d MyEnvDirectory -e MyEnv -a global -desktop yes -cs MyProductLine

To delete the Start menu entries:
delcatenv -tools -cs  MyProductLine