View What is Multi - Launch and how do I set it up
What is Multi - Launch and how do I set it up
Multi Launch is the ability to start or open multiple Hudson applications by selecting and clicking a single icon on your Windows Desktop. For example: A dispatcher may need to open two separate Dispatcher Desktops and a copy of HWeb Agent each time they start a shift or restart a PC. Rather than clicking the HWeb Dispatcher Icon and logging in twice, and then repeating the process with the HWeb Agent Icon, the MultiLaunch process allows you to start all three by clicking a single Icon and logging in once with user name and password.
The process of setting up MultiLaunch is fairly quick and straight forward…though if not done correctly, can result in errors when trying to start the applications. If you are not comfortable browsing your server and determining Directory, path and filename for programs and shortcuts, then you should probably contact Tech Support for assistance. There are basically 3 steps involved with setting up the MultiLaunch feature:
- Determine which applications and or Dispatcher Desktop Screens you wish to open with a single shortcut and mouse click. The Dispatcher Desktops need to be built or created prior to setting up the MultiLaunch shortcuts.
- Build a new configuration file (multilaunch.ini), sometimes called an ‘innee’ file, which tells the system which applications to start and which dispatcher desktops to load when you click on the MultiLaunch shortcut.
- Create the MultiLaunch shortcut and copy it to your Windows Desktop(s).
Step 1 - Determining the applications to be launched and/or the desktops to be loaded
Determine the complete directory, path and filename of each application to be opened.
Ex: The shortcut to open a Dispatcher Desktop named Dispatch1 might look like this:
Ex: The shortcut to open a Dispatcher Desktop named Dispatch1 might look like this:
C:Program Files \ HWeb \ HWebDispatcher.exe" /Caption="Trip Management: %USERID%" /Desktop=/Desktop=D: \ Hudson \ HWeb \ Templates \ Dispatch1 /NoClose /Userid=%USER%,%PW% /Windowstate=2 D: \ Hudson \ HWeb \ HWeb.ini
Often, much of this information may be copied from the "properties" of existing HWeb shortcuts which you are already using. If you have a shortcut that opens a specific dispatcher desktop for example, right click on the shortcut, then select properties. Then look at and copy the string of information that is in the Target field. There are several items, called ‘Command Line Options’ that appear on this line (i.e. /Windowsstate=2). For more information about Command Line Options, read this KB article. Step 2 - Build a new MultiLaunch configuration (*.ini) file.
The easiest way to accomplish this task is to first make a copy of your primary Hweb initialization or configuration file.
- Browse to the Hudson folder on your server. Look in the HWeb subfolder for a file named: hweb.ini. (NOTE: Do not make changes to the HWeb.ini file! Changes made to this file may result in Hudson Applications failing to launch!)
- Make a copy of this file, and save it in the same Hudson HWeb folder but then rename it to something that indicates it will be specifically for the multi launch funtion. (e.g. multilaunch.ini). To rename the file, simply right click on the file and select rename. Once the copied file has been renamed, open the file and delete the contents.
- Replace the contents of your multilaunch.ini file with the following and then save changes (SEE IMPORTANT NOTE AT END OF ARTICLE REGARDING COPYING THIS INFORMATION):
[LAUNCHER]
HWEBINI=D: \ Hudson \ Hweb \ HWeb.ini
TITLE=Base
DELAY=6
APP1="C:Program Files HWeb HWebDispatcher.exe" /Caption="Trip Management: %USERID%" /Desktop=/Desktop=D: Hudson HWeb Templates Dispatch1 /NoClose /Userid=%USER%,%PW% /Windowstate=2 D: Hudson HWeb HWeb.ini
APP2="C:Program Files HWeb HWebAgent.exe" /Caption="HWebAgent: %USERID%" /NoClose /Userid=%USER%,%PW% /Windowstate=2 D: Hudson HWeb HWeb.ini
[LOGGING]
LOGENABLED=0
LOGDIR=c:TempLauncher
[TRACE]
ERROR=1
DEBUG=1
HWEBINI=D: \ Hudson \ Hweb \ HWeb.ini
TITLE=Base
DELAY=6
APP1="C:Program Files HWeb HWebDispatcher.exe" /Caption="Trip Management: %USERID%" /Desktop=/Desktop=D: Hudson HWeb Templates Dispatch1 /NoClose /Userid=%USER%,%PW% /Windowstate=2 D: Hudson HWeb HWeb.ini
APP2="C:Program Files HWeb HWebAgent.exe" /Caption="HWebAgent: %USERID%" /NoClose /Userid=%USER%,%PW% /Windowstate=2 D: Hudson HWeb HWeb.ini
[LOGGING]
LOGENABLED=0
LOGDIR=c:TempLauncher
[TRACE]
ERROR=1
DEBUG=1
NOTE:
- HWEBINI= should point to the Directory and path of the PRIMARY hudson configuration file on your server. Your acutal directory and path will probably be different. This information can be copied from the properties of your normal HWeb Agent, HWeb Dispatcher, or HWeb Admin shortcuts.
- APP1= Will be the directory and path to the applications or desktops you determined in Step 1 above. Again, the information contained in these strings will be different for each client / server. Repeat this process foir each application or desktop to be opened (APP2=, APP3=, APP4=, etc.)
Step 3 - Creating the MultiLaunch shortcut
- Browse to the folder where your Hudson Applications have been installed on each workstation. Typically this is similar to: C:Program FilesHWeb. Within this folder is an application named: ‘Launcher.’
- Right click the Launcher Icon and select COPY.
- Return to your Windows Desktop (or browse to your server and look for the Hudson Shortcuts folder) .
- Right click on the Desktop and select Paste Shortcut. You should get a new icon that is labled: Shortcut to launcher.
- Right click on your new icon and then select RENAME.
- Type the new name for your multilaunch shortcut (i.e. MultiLaunch, or Primary Desktop, etc.).
- Right click on your new icon again and then select PROPERTIES. In the TARGET field, you need to append / add to the end of the existing string, the directory and path to the new INI (configuration) file that was built in step 2 above. (Ex: "C:Program FilesHWeblauncher.exe" D:HudsonHWebMultiLaunch.ini)
Enter your personal login name and password. If you entered this information correctly, the applications that you have configured should load, one at a time, with a slight delay between applications.
If you receive errors, review the content of the error message to determine where the problem lies. Most problems are contained in the Directory and Path information for each Application that is being loaded (APP1=....). This is a good place to look first for possible errors, spaces, punctuation, etc.
It is possible to create several or multiple MultiLaunch shortcuts by following the above process again, but ensuring that the ini or configuration files are each given a different name (multilaunch1.ini, multilaunch2.ini….etc.).
If you are unable to resolve your errors, contact Hudson Tech Support for assistance.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
In Step 2 of the instructions above, you are told to copy some of the contents of this article and insert into a new multilaunch.ini file. Due to some constraints of this Knowledge Base system, it is not possible to list a directory and path using backslash symbols without adding an extra space both before and after the actual backslash. . When you copy the strings outlined above, you should remove/delete the extra spaces before and after the backslash symbols. Your MultiLaunch shortcuts will not work if the extra spaces are left in place. This information does not apply however to any of the forward slash symbols " / ".