Using an OpenEx client across a network with Windows XP

Tech Note: TN0231
Product: OpenEx, OpenDeveloper, OpenScope, OpenController
Version: All
Date Added: 2006-12-20 (updated 2011-09-13)

Issue

Security settings must be modified on both the server and client computers to allow simultaneous access to a Workbench server running an OpenEx project from more than one computer.

Solution

Before software components distributed across networked computers can communicate with each other, several DCOM security settings must be modified on the server computer. The steps below ensure a client computer can access data from a registered new or legacy format tank located on a server computer.

In this example, the computer connected to the TDT hardware is named TDTServer. The computer that will run OpenControlleror TDevAccX remotely has a user account client1 with password password1.

Server Computer

Ensure that simple file sharing is disabled:

1. Open a My Computer window.

2. On the Tools menu, click Folder Options. Click the View tab.

3. Under Advanced Settings, scroll down, and clear the Use simple file sharing (Recommended) check box.

4. Click OK.

Create a user account on the server computer:

1. From the Control Panel, double-click Administrative Tools, and then Computer Management.

2. Expand System Tools, and then Local Users and Groups.

   Right-click Users and select New User from the shortcut menu.

   

3. The account user name and password must match the client computer’s user name and password.

   Type the user name (client1) and password (password1) in the corresponding fields.

4. Clear the User must change password at next logon check box, and select the User cannot change password and Password never expires check boxes.

   

5. Click Create and then click Close.

This account can be a limited user account.

Give the user Local and Remote access:

1. From the Control Panel, double-click Administrative Tools and then Component Services.

   Expand Component Services, expand Computers, right-click My Computer and click Properties.

   

2. In the My Computer Properties window, click the COM Security tab.

   

3. Under Access Permissions, click the Edit Default button and then click the Add button.

   

   The Select Users, Computers, or Groups window is displayed. In the Enter the object names to select field, type client1. Click the Check Names button, verify spelling, then click OK.

4. In the Access Permissions window, ensure the names SYSTEM, INTERACTIVE, and client1 are all present and all have Local Access and Remote Access permission.

   If any group names are missing, click Add to enter the group name as before.

   

   Click OK.

5. Under Access Permissions in the My Computer Properties window, click the Edit Limits button and then click the Add button.

   1. In the Enter the object names to select field, type client1.

   2. Click the Check Names button, verify spelling, then click OK.

   3. In the Access Permission window, ensure the group names ANONYMOUS (or ANONYMOUS LOGON), Everyone, and client1 are all present and all have Local Access and Remote Access permission. If any group names are missing, click Add to enter the group name as before.

   

   Click OK.

6. Under Launch and Activation Permissions in the My Computer Properties window, click the Edit Default button and then click the Add button.

   1. In the Enter the object names to select field, type client1.

   2. Click the Check Names button, verify spelling, then click OK.

   3. In the Launch Permission window, ensure the group names SYSTEM, INTERACTIVE, and client1 are all present and all have Local Launch, Remote Launch, Local Activation, and Remote Activation permission. If any group names are missing, click Add to enter the group name as before.

      

      Click OK.

7. Under Launch and Activation Permissions in the My Computer Properties window, click the Edit Limits button and then click the Add button.

   1. In the Enter the object names to select field, type client1.

   2. Click the Check Names button, verify spelling, then click OK

   3. In the Launch Permission window, ensure the group names Administrators, Everyone, and client1 are all present and all have Local Launch, Remote Launch, Local Activation, and Remote Activation permission. If any group names are missing, click Add to enter the group name as before.

      

      Click OK.

Turn off the windows firewall:

1. From the Control Panel, open Windows Firewall, and select the Off radio button.

2. Click OK.

Select The Interactive User account to run the client application:

1. From the Control Panel, double-click Administrative Tools, and then Component Services.

2. Expand Component Services, expand Computers, expand My Computer, and double-click DCOM Config (you can click No if you are asked to record a registry value at this point).

3. Right-click XpMaker and select Properties.

   

4. On the Identity tab, ensure that The Interactive User is the account selected to run this application.

5. If you would like to simultaneously access the tank data file that is recording in OpenEx through TTankX or OpenScope,repeat steps 11 and 12 for TTankEng in the DCOM Config.

6. After you finished making the security setting changes, reboot the server computer.

Client Computer

Test the communication link by pinging the server computer from the client computer and verifying the connection in OpenController.

To ping the server computer from the client computer:

1. From the Start menu click Run, type cmd, and click OK.

2. In the DOS command prompt that opens, type:

   ping TDTServer

3. Verify that the server computer was reached and responded to the ping.

Add a registry entry with the user name and password of the client computer:

1. From the Start menu click Run, type regedit, and click OK.

2. In the Registry Editor window, expand HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, SOFTWARE, TDT, and then TTank.

3. Right-click the EnumServers folder and select New String Value.

4. Type the server name (TDTServer) as the Value Name and type the user name and password for Value Data in the following form:

   * client1 * password1

   Important

   This is case sensitive and must include the asterisk and spaces

5. After the entry is added, the registry should look like this example below:

   

6. While Workbench is running on the server computer, test communication from the client in OpenController.

7. Launch OpenController.

8. In the Edit menu, click Window Property. The Setup Default Properties dialog will open.

   

9. In the Default Server Name box, click the "..." browse button to view available servers.

   

10. The server name that was entered in the registry is now available.

    Click TDTServer to highlight it, then right-click TDTServer, and click Test Connection on the shortcut menu.

    

11. If the connection was successful, the following message dialog will be displayed:

    

12. Click OK.

13. Double-click TDTServer to select it as the default server for Controller.

    

14. Click OK.

    You should now have access to the Workbench server running the TDT equipment just like you would if you were runningController locally on that machine.

15. If you are simultaneously accessing tank data while Workbench is recording, test tank communication from the client in OpenScope.

    1. Launch OpenScope.

    2. In the File menu, click Data Source to open the Select Tank dialog.

    3. Click the Server button to open the Select Server dialog.

       

    4. Repeat steps 10 - 12 to test communication and select the remote server.