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Problems with New/Opening
Duran, Boris
asked this on September 03, 2009 19:09
I am trying to set up a new library in a shared network folder. However, when I navigate to the folder using the File->New command, I get an error message saying "Error opening library: library folder not found". I have also tried copying the contents of my local library folder to the shared folder and trying the File->Open command, but I get the same result. I am able to Open and create New locally, but not over the network. Please help. Thanks.
Comments
It sounds like there is a permissions issue. I'm guessing that ScreenSteps is unable to create files/folders on the network drive due to some restrictions. What operating system are you running on?
I am running Windows XP on the machine where Screen Steps is installed. The shared folder is on a server running Windows Server 2003. Regarding rights, I am a local admin on the XP machine and have full rights in the shared network folder.
Do you happen to know what rights ScreenSteps is running with?
I never thought about that. It is running under my log in so I assumed it would use my rights. Does it have its own? If so, where is that set? FYI, I am running Screen Steps Desktop 2.6.1.17
Actually the application should be running with the privileges you are logged in with. Just to confirm - when you try to open a Library file after copying the Library folder from your local disk to the shared folder are you selecting the folder that has the ScreenSteps "Library.data" file in it as shown in this lesson?
Opening Libraries
Correct. Like I said, not only the Open function doesn't work, but I get the same error with the New function when it should be creating a library.
The error message that is being reported when you create a new library or try to open a library ("Error opening library: library folder not found") means ScreenSteps doesn't think the folder you selected in the dialog even exists. What is the full path to the folder on the shared drive?
Since ScreenSteps doesn't allow for typing a navigation address, I added the shared folder to My Network Places so that it can be found easily. I just tried navigating to the folder via the Network->Windows Network... to get to the folder, but that didn't work either. The path in my network to the share is \\Boron\ScreenSteps (the network share definition). However, I am not using the logical location of the folder (i.e. \\Boron\d$\ScreenSteps or whatever it is).
Ok, I'm going to have to research this some more. I need to see if the d$ in the path name is causing ScreenSteps to choke when it tries to locate the folder.
Like I said, I'm just using the share of \\Boron\ScreenSteps to try to open the folder, which I navigate to through the Screen Steps Browse window. I saw from other postings that there are many people using this program over a network with a shared library. Can you tell me how it normally works so that I can try to figure out what is different in my setup?
Normally shared folders just work and ScreenSteps isn't doing anything special to support them. Personally I've used shared drives on Windows through My Network Places. I'm not sure how others have been using them.
That's how I expected it to work too. I'd appreciate any information you can come up with on getting this to work. We are developing documentation for an application and need to be able to use a centralized set of files.
I won't be able to run any tests until next week but if you can you might try testing on a folder that doesn't have $ in the actual underlying path on the server. I realize you are using the mapped path to open it but it might be worth a try. I'll let you know more once I can do some testing.
How does that work? To my knowledge, all shared paths over a network use $ to designate a hard-drive. Do you mean that it would need to use a URL? If so, any thoughts on how to set that up if a folder is not part of a website?
Hmm, I wasn't aware that they were mandatory. If so then I'm not sure what else to try. The next step on my end would be to create a logging utility that tries to track down the problem. If you are interested in that then please email support at screensteps.com.
Sure, I'll go that route. I need to get this working.
Update - we were able to track down the cause of the issue. When selecting a folder for a new ScreenSteps Library or trying to open a ScreenSteps Library, selecting a Share (has icon of folder with little cable underneath it) from My Network Devices on Windows will not work. You have to select a folder within the Share. Another option is to map the Share to a drive on your computer using Tools > Map Network Drive.