Appstart Does Not Recognize Long Server Names (95744)

SYMPTOMS

Launching an application with Appstart from a server with a name longer than 11 characters fails.

Appstart is a Windows utility provided with LAN Manager 2.2. It simplifies launching network applications from the Windows desktop by automatically connecting and disconnecting the network share(s) where applications reside.

CAUSE

This problem occurs only if you are using the Uniform Naming Convention (UNC) and share point options of Appstart. The server and share names on which an application resides are stored in a file called APPSTART.INI.

The following sample APPSTART.INI produces the error:

   [servers]
   ExcelShare=LongerThan11

   [Excel]
   1=UNC \ExcelShare\excel.exe

If you use this APPSTART.INI, starting Excel produces this error:

APPSTART <programname> failed to execute. Try again later, or contact your system administrator.

The APPSTART.LOG file contains an error in this form:

01/15/93 10:07:10 JANVEEKE ON JANVEEKENODE ->Could not find program \\LongerThan11\ExcelShare\excel.exe.

WORKAROUND

Possible workarounds for the problem are:

Limit the length of the server names to 11 characters.
Use explicit drive letters instead of the UNC option. For example:
```
   1=X: \ExcelShare\excel.exe
						
```
Use explicit server names instead of the share point option. For example:
```
      1=UNC  \\LongerThan11\ExcelShare\excel.exe
						
```

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Appstart version 1.0. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.