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Set up Automatic Updates for All Session Document Files

You might choose to use a combination of referenced update files and local update files to meet the following requirements:

  • You will need to periodically update settings in all sessions for a certain terminal type (including both sessions you deploy and existing or new sessions users create).

  • You don't want to write over customizations (such as screen colors) that users have made to their session document settings.

  • You want to simplify your updates so you can update settings from a central location, such as a server share.

For example, you could create a 3270 update file that has the settings you want to change and then place it on a server as shown below. Then add a reference to this file location in a local 3270 update file and deploy that file to users. The first time a 3270 session is opened, the local update file configures the session to reference the update file on the server. The next time the session is opened, the local update file is ignored and the update file on the server applies its settings to the session.

When a user opens a 3270 session document, the local update file configures the session with a reference to the 3270 update file on the server. The next time the session is opened, the local update file is ignored and the referenced update file on the server applies its session settings.

Setting up a combination of local and referenced update files

Use the following process to use local update files to configure sessions with references to an update file on a server or another location.

Step One: Unlock access for saving update files

Step Two: Create an update file that can be referenced from session document files

Step Three: Add the update file location to trusted locations

Step Four: Create a local update file that has a reference to the update file on the server

Step Five: Deploy the trusted location settings and local update file to users

Step One: Unlock access for saving update files

Before you create an update file, you'll need to unlock the access settings that allow you to save it. You can unlock these settings with Permissions Manager as follows or using Group Policy as shown in To unlock access for saving update files with Group Policy.

To unlock access for saving update files with Permissions Manager

  1. On a workstation on which you have installed Reflection, log on as administrator and in the Reflection Desktop installation folder, run AccessConfig.exe.

  2. When prompted to create a new permission file, or edit an existing one, choose Create new permission file.

  3. When prompted with a list of access file templates, select the .access option for the terminal for which you want to create the update file.

  4. In the Groups panel, click Next.

  5. In the Additional Security options panel, select User can create session update files and click Next.

  6. Click Finish to save the file in the default folder.

  7. Repeat these steps for each type of terminal that you want to create an update for.

Step Two: Create an update file that can be referenced from session document files

You'll need to create an update file and deploy it to a location that can be accessed by session document files. This is typically a server but you can also use a public folder on a user workstation.

To create an update file that can be referenced from session document files

  1. On the File menu, choose New.

    note

    All the settings you configure that are different from the default settings or are not part of the default settings are included in the update. This includes connection settings such as the host address.

  2. In the Create New Document window, select the terminal for the sessions you want to update and click Create.

  3. In the Create New Terminal Document dialog box, select Configure additional settings and click OK. (Do not enter the host name unless you want to include it as part of the update.)

  4. In the Settings window, click OK.

  5. When prompted for a host name or IP Address, click Cancel.

  6. Configure the settings you want to change.

  7. On the File menu, choose Save As, name the file and then, in the Save as Type list, select an Encrypted Session Update file extension and save the file.

    note

    Unlike the special name of an update file that is deployed to a user data directory on a desktop, you can use any file name for a update file that is referenced by session document files.

    You can create update files that apply to sessions only by saving the file from the Reflection Desktop interface. You cannot create an update file by renaming a session file.

    To prevent file tampering, update files that apply to sessions can be saved only as encrypted update files.

  8. Save the file on a network share or deploy it to a public folder on a user workstation.

Step Three: Add the update file location to trusted locations

Set the location of the update file as a trusted location. If you are using a server, specify that network locations can be used.

To add the update settings file location to the trusted locations list

  1. On the workspace File menu, select Reflection Workspace Settings.

  2. In the Reflection Workspace Settings window, select Specify Trusted Locations.

  3. In the Specify Trusted Locations dialog box, add the location for the update file to the path list. (Be sure to use a UNC path to specify a location on a network share.)

  4. If you are saving the update file on a network share, select Allow trusted locations on my network.

Step Four: Create a local update file that has a reference to the update file on the server

Create a local update file that has a reference to the update file on the server.

To create an update file that includes a reference to a session update file on a network share

  1. On the File menu, choose New.

    note

    All the settings you configure that are different from the default settings or are not part of the default settings are included in the update. This includes connection settings such as the host address.

  2. In the Create New Document window, select the terminal you want apply the updates to and click Create.

  3. In the Create New Terminal Document dialog box, select Configure additional settings and click OK. (Do not enter the host name unless you want to include it as part of the update.)

  4. In the Settings window, click OK.

  5. If prompted for a host name or IP Address, click Cancel.

  6. On the Quick Access toolbar, click the Document Settings button .

  7. On the Settings window breadcrumbs, select Session Update Settings.

  8. In the Session Update Settings window, click Set Up Session Update Settings.

  9. Select Change currently disabled settings and then enter the path to the update file you placed on the server. Be sure to use a Universal Naming Convention (UNC) path to identify the server.

    note

    You can set a local update file to set a reference to an update file that does not exist yet. This can be useful for creating versions of updates.

  10. To automatically save the session files after the update, select Save changes after applying changes.

  11. On the File menu, choose Save As, name the file update and then, in the Save as Type list, select an Encrypted Session Update file extension. (For example, a 3270 update file should be named update.rd3xu.)

    note

    Update files that apply automatically to all sessions must be named with the special update name. Unlike regular session files, update files contain only the settings you changed (the deltas).

    You can create update files only by saving them from the Reflection Desktop interface. You cannot create an update file by renaming a session file.

Step Five: Deploy the trusted location settings and local update file to users

After you configure the trusted locations and the local update file, you'll need to deploy them to users.

To deploy the trusted location settings and local update file to users

  1. Create an MSI companion installer package that includes the local update file you want to deploy as shown in Walkthrough to Create a Package with the Installation Customization Tool.

    note

    SettingsUpdate files are deployed to the same directory as regular session files.

  2. Add the file that contains the trusted locations you configured to the MSI companion installer package or create a new package to deploy these settings.

    You can add the Application.settings file that contains the settings you configured earlier to the MSI companion file package. See Package Sessions and Custom Settings Files and Customized Files that Must be Deployed to Specific Locations to make sure you deploy this file to the right location.

    or

    You can create a workspace Update.settings file that changes only these trusted location settings as shown in Update Only Specific Workspace Settings.

  3. Deploy the MSI package as shown in Deploy Companion MSI File from MSI Command Line.