PC WSPlus: Setting Up Schedule Distribution (104249)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Schedule+ 1.0
  • Microsoft Schedule+ for Windows 1.0a
This article was previously published under Q104249
1.00 1.00a WINDOWS kbenv kbtlc
This article describes the steps necessary to set up and run Schedule Distribution for versions 1.0 and 1.0a of Microsoft Schedule+ for Windows.

To set up Schedule Distribution

  1. In the Microsoft Mail Administrator program, create an Adminsch account on each postoffice that is to participates in Schedule Distribution.
  2. The Adminsch account must be included in Directory Synchronization (Dir-Sync).
  3. In the Mail Administrator program (ADMIN.EXE), select External-Admin, Export, then select All.

    NOTE: You can either export all as suggested above, or wait for Directory Synchronization to take place.
  4. In the Windows File Manager, connect drive M to one of the postoffices that is participating in Schedule Distribution.
  5. Start the Schedule+ Admin program. When you install this program from the Network Install disk (disk 1), it creates a directory called ADMINSCH and installs the SCHDIST.EXE, MVCAL.EXE, and ADMINSCH.EXE programs. Except for the ADMINSCH.EXE program, all these programs run in MS-DOS. The installation program will create an Adminsch icon for use in Windows.

    NOTE: You do not need to reinstall the Schedule+ Admin program for each postoffice; the one program will be adequate for multiple postoffices.
  6. From the Administration menu, choose Distribution Settings.
  7. Choose the Add Postoffice or Add Gateway button (this depends on where the postoffice exists).
  8. In the postoffice list, double-click the name of the postoffice you want to add. If no postoffices appear on this list, then either the Adminsch accounts created in step 1 were not created correctly or step 3 was not completed correctly. In either case, start again from step 1.
  9. In the Distribution Settings dialog box, select the new postoffice in the Postoffices list, then choose the Settings button.
  10. Specify the sending times for the new postoffice, if you want times other than the default.
  11. Repeat steps 9 through 11 if there are still more postoffices you want to participate in Schedule Distribution.
  12. Once all the postoffices have been registered, exit the Schedule+ Admin program.
  13. From the Windows File Manager, disconnect drive M and connect to a different postoffice you want to configure for Schedule Distribution. This new postoffice must still be connected in File Manager as drive M.
  14. Repeat steps 5 through 13.
  15. Once all postoffices have been added, exit to MS-DOS.
  16. From the ADMINSCH directory in MS-DOS, connect a drive letter to the postoffice to which you want to distribute schedule information.
  17. Repeat step 16 for each postoffice to which you want to distribute schedule information.

    NOTE: When you exchange information with multiple postoffices, you should assign consecutive drive letters.
  18. At the MS-DOS prompt, type the following:

    schdist.exe -dxy

    The -D option specifies the drive letter or range of drive letters assigned to the postoffices with which you want to distribute schedule information.

MORE INFORMATION

If this is not the first time you are trying to set up and run Schedule Distribution, please do the following to help eliminate and facilitate running and configuring Schedule Distribution:

  1. On each postoffice, change to the MAILDATA\CAL directory.
  2. Delete the following files:

    • ADMIN.PRF
    • Any *.POF files that may exist
    The ADMIN.PRF (administrator preference) file includes information on other postoffices and the Default Sending Times. This file will be re-created the first time you run the Adminsch program and reregister other postoffices.

    The 00000000.POF contains free/busy times for users on the local postoffice. The local postoffice is 00000000.POF. All external postoffices will be 0000000n.POF, where n= >0. The 00000000.POF file will be recreated when the first client logs into Schedule Plus, makes a change to their schedule and logs out.

    More importantly, the POF file will be empty at this point except for the one user's schedule who logged in to create it. In order to get all users' schedule information into the file, ALL users must log in and make changes to their schedule. While this is bound to happen eventually, the file will have incomplete information until the last user finally logs in and makes some changes to their schedule.

    The same holds true for resources. Someone must log into them and make a change in order for the 00000000.POF file to be updated with the resource's schedule.

    POF files also contain flags specifying which accounts are resources, lists of assistants as well as related options (including whether the assistant should only receive meeting responses), and access rights information. All of this will not be updated in the POF until the users have logged in to Schedule Plus and a change is made.
  3. Follow steps 1 through 18 above.
NOTE: You can only run Schedule Distribution with the retail version of Microsoft Schedule+. Windows for Workgroups Schedule+ does not allow the capability to share scheduling information with other postoffices, and therefore, it does not come with the Schedule+ Admin utility.

The MVCAL utility is included with Application Note WA0641, "Database Maintenance Utilities." You can have this Application Note mailed or faxed to you by contacting Microsoft Product Support Services.
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:8/16/2005
Keywords:KB104249
©2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.