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Sharing the SMS Client Database

The SMS Client database can be shared between different users if all the following conditions are met:

  • All the computers using SMS Client are on the same network
  • The SMS Client database is copied to a shared location on the network that is accessible to all the computers
  • The configuration file on each computer is updated to point to the shared database

    • Note
    When a new release or update of SMS Client is installed the changes to the configuration files have to be made again.

    Procedure
    1. Create a shared folder on the network.
    The shared location should be accessible to all the computers. Ensure that all the users can write to the share. Test the share by copying a file to the shared folder from each of the computers.
    2. Copy the SMS Client database to the shared location on the network.
    The SMS Client database is displayed on the main screen of SMS Client

    Path to the SMS Client database in the status bar

    3. Update the SMS Client configuration file to point it to the new database location.

  • Open a new Command Prompt window.
    Windows XP users: Click on Start->All Programs->Accessories->Command Prompt.
    Windows Vista or Windows 7 users: Click on Start->All Programs->Accessories and the right-click on Command Prompt, and click on Run as administrator
  • Type the following:
    cd "C:\Program Files\C.A & W Services CC\SMS Client"
    and press enter
  • Type the following:
    copy SMSClient.exe.config SMSClient.exe.config.save
    and press enter
  • Type the following:
    notepad SMSClient.exe.config
    and press enter
  • Find the line that reads (line 78): 
    connectionString="Data Source="C:\ProgramData\SMSClient\SMS.sdf""

    and replace the C:\ProgramData\SMSClient\SMS.sdf section with the full path for the SMS Client database in the shared folder (Step 2). Do not replace any of the other characters in the string.

    Be careful not to change anything else in the file. If this edit is not made correctly then SMS Client will fail to run
    Save the file.

    • 4. Run SMS Client and check that the Database information now points to the shared database. (See the picture at Step 2)

    Troubleshooting
    1. SMS Client fails to start after the edit
    This could be the result of the edit of SMSClient.exe.config changing some text or the structure of the file. Restore the backup configuration file:

  • Open a new Command Prompt window. Windows XP users: Click on Start->All Programs->Accessories->Command Prompt. Windows Vista or Windows 7 users: Click on Start->All Programs->Accessories and the right-click on Command Prompt, and click on Run as administrator
  • Type the following: cd "C:\Program Files\C.A & W Services CC\SMS Client\" and press enter
  • copy SMSClient.exe.config.save SMSClient.exe.config

    • Redo the step 1 to 4 and ensure no changes are made except the path to the database.
    2. SMS Client cannot connect to the database

  • Check that the database is in the expected shared location
  • Confirm that write access is enabled for the user to the shared folder