Bought the new Pi 400 which is a Pi 4 in a proper keyboard.

Same speed as the 4 but in an easier to use layout.

Norman
 

Antares upgraded to run on a Raspberry Pi 4.

Norman
 

Go into Setup/Parameters/Images and set this to the download directory set in TPN SOAP.

Norman
 

Check the top line of the screen. It tells you the current data directory between the square brackets. Is this correct? Or does it incorrectly say C:\TPNINVG
 
If it is simply wrong then you can alter the Data Directory by clicking on the [...] symbol on the Login page (to the right of Password). You can then select the correct directory.
 
If this is NOT the case then get to the Login page. Login as a user called manager with a password of borg. You will get to the Name Table.
 
Is your username missing or the table blank? Click on Insert and add yourself as a user. Add a password. Set the User Level to Operator and the Restrictions to N. Now click on the Close button.
You should now be able to login.

Check that you are in the right Data Directory by viewing some of the data. It should not be blank.

If you need to change the directory go into Utilities and Data Path then simply alter it.

Norman
 

The symptom is that you go into My Computer and you can see a number of remote mapped drives but when you go into Datapath in TPN Invoicing they are not available. 

This is caused by either running the program in Windows Elevated Mode OR installing the program as an Administrator (you should only ever install a program as a Standard User).

Check the properties of the shortcut that runs TPN Invoicing and ensure that RUN AS ADMINISTRATOR is not ticked.

Effectively when you look through Windows Explorer the drives have been 'mapped' for the current user. When you run an elevated program it dumps the mapped drives from being visible since it treats you as a different user who hasn't got these drives mapped. To work properly the mapped drives have to be mapped for all users rather then just the current one. The effect is no different to two users logging in one one computer with one mapping an external drive, when the other user logs in they won't see the mapped drive. You don't have to reinstall the program to fix this as it is not a program issue.

This effect would not be limited to TPN Invoicing but any program which ends up being run in Elevated Mode.

These explain what is happening :-

https://www.winability.com/how-to-make-elevated-programs-recognize-network-drives/
http://woshub.com/how-to-access-mapped-network-drives-from-the-elevated-apps/
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows8_1-files/mapped-drive-does-not-show-up-when-browing-from/be004a08-40a6-4758-879b-e2e62017c519
https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/2019185/copying-files-from-a-mapped-drive-to-a-local-directory-fails-with-erro

Norman
 

If you are getting unusual errors when invoicing (like crashing) and the data is stored on a network then you need to eliminate the network as the cause of the problem.

You need to move the data to a local drive instead.

How to do this -

1. Make a new directory on your local C: drive. As an example one called TESTDATA
2. Run TPN Invoicing and note the current data location. This appears on the top of the screen between square brackets e.g. [T:\]
3. Go into Utilities and BACKUP. Alter the destination to the new directory e.g. in my case C:\TESTDATA
4. Now go into Utilities and DATA PATH. Alter this to the new directory.
5. Go into Utilities and RESTORE DATA. Browse for the file BACKUP.ZIP in the directory you are using. Restore the data.
6. Do your invoicing and check that it runs through OK. (Your original data is still in the original location). Check the invoices look OK.
7. Go into Utilities and BACKUP. You can save to your temporary directory again.
8. Go into Utilities and Data Path. Alter this back to the original directory e.g. in my case T:\
9. Go into Utilities and RESTORE. Browse for the file BACKUP.ZIP in the temporary directory. Restore this.

Note your PDF invoices will be on the local drive and will need copying to the network location as well.

DO NOT ALLOW USERS TO WORK ON THE ORIGINAL DATA UNTIL YOU HAVE FINISHED. ALWAYS CONSIDER SAVING A BACKUP ELSEWHERE BEFORE YOU START SO THAT YOU CAN ALWAYS GO
BACK TO IT IF THINGS GO WRONG.

If the program works properly on the local drive then there is no issue with the program or data. You have a networking issue.

Norman
 

We are not affected by the Corona virus owing to the way we operate. We have not furloughed or found the need for Government grants.

The only thing affected is site visits. We will not be doing any site visits for the foreseeable future.

Norman
 

Next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday 18th March 2020 @ 7pm. Linux and tech related chit-chat.

=== Meeting Location ===

Lincoln Bowl, Washingborough Road, Lincoln. LN4 1EF.
Map: https://lincolnlug.org.uk/meetings/location

Norman