RATS Version 8

Network Installation Guide for Windows

January 2011
Installing RATS on a Network Server
Running RATS from Client Stations
Section I: Introduction
Overview
This document is intended for network administrators and others who wish to install RATS on
a local area network server. It serves as a supplement to Chapter 4 of the Introduction manual,
which provides instructions on installing RATS in a single-user environment.
Network Features
We currently do not offer a network-specific version of RATS. However, RATS does provide lim-
ited support for handling shared file access in a network environment:
RATS will allow multiple users to open files for read-only access. For example, the DATA instruc-
tion uses read-only access, which allows multiple users to read data from the same file simulta-
neously.
RATS will not allow more than one user at a time to open a particular file with write access (e.g.,
a RATS data file opened for editing with the DEDIT instruction). If a file is opened for writing by
one user, RATS will not allow another user to open the file for read or write access until the file
has been closed by the first user.
System Requirements
To install the RATS, you will need to install from a workstation capable of running Windows XP
or later. Please see Chapter 4 of the Introduction manual for a discussion of system requirements
for client workstations.
Licensing Issues
Network licenses for RATS are granted based on a specific maximum number of concurrent users.
If the number of workstations on your network exceeds the number of licensed users, you should
employ metering software to limit the number of concurrent users, or otherwise insure that the
concurrent-user limit will not be exceeded. Please contact Estima if you need to add users to your
network license.
Alternatively, you can install the software on individual machines, rather than on a network
server. The number of installed seats should not exceed the number of concurrent users speci-
fied by your network license.
We also offer an unlimited user license, which allows you to install the software both on insti-
tutional networks and on individual computers.
In all cases, the software must be reserved solely for the use of employees (and students, where
applicable) of the institution purchasing the license. In situations where managing licenses in-
stalled on individual machines may be difficult (as with students at a university), we can provide
versions of the software that will expire after a period of time. Please contact us if you are inter-
ested in obtaining CDs with the limited-time versions of RATS.
If you are upgrading from an earlier release of RATS, you may keep a copy of the older version on
the server for a reasonable period of time while users make the transition to the new version.
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Section II: Preparing to Install RATS
Planning a Directory Structure
Your RATS CD contains several components, including the RATS application itself and related
support files, the main set of examples and procedures, hundreds of other examples replicating
results from important papers and textbooks, and copies of the manuals and other documenta-
tion in PDF format.
As noted in Chapter 4 of the Introduction, by default, the core WinRATS application files will be
installed in the subdirectory:
C:\Program Files\Estima\WinRATS 8.0\
while all of the user files, including the example programs, procedures, and PDF files, will be
installed in a folder called WinRATS 8.0 in the users Documents or My Documents folder.
For example, under Windows 7:
C:\Users\(username)\Documents\WinRATS 8.0\
If you want to install the files in a different location, use the Custom button displayed on the
Setup Types screen in the installer. You can control the locations of both the application files
and the user files, and choose which components are installed.
The User Files
The example and procedure consist of text files containing RATS programs and procedures plus
some related sample data files. The primary set of examples and procedures will be installed in
the main user directory, while examples from papers and textbooks are installed in subdirecto-
ries called PaperReplicationExamples and TextbookExamples, respectively. The PDF manu-
als are installed in a Manuals subdirectory.
You may only want to grant users read-only rights to the network copies of these files. This will
allow them to view and run the programs, but requires them to copy the files to another directory
if they wish to modify them in any way.
Your RATS Serial Number
The serial number for your RATS license is printed on a label on the CD envelope. You will be
prompted to enter this number when you run the installation program. The serial number will be
saved in the registry, and can be viewed by selecting About RATS from the RATS Help menu.
For client systems that you set up without using the install program, you can copy the relevant
registry settings (see next page), or use the FilePreferences operation in RATS on each client to
enter the serial number. We recommend that you do this, because it will make it easier for the
user to get technical support from Estima.
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Section III: Installing RATS
Installation Options
You can install RATS on a shared drive on your server, or on the individual users computers.
Server Installation
To install the WinRATS software on the server:
1. Insert the WinRATS CD in your CD-ROM drive.
2. On most systems, the installation program will begin loading automatically. If not, you can
start the installation by running the SETUP.EXE.
3. Use the Custom installation option to control the directories where the files will be installed.
You can control the locations of both the application files themselves and the user files. You
may wish to install all of these to a common folder
4. You will then need to set up the client computers with access to the application and user
files. Ideally, the users should have shortcut icons for executing the RATS and RATSData
executable files (ratsv8_std.exe for the standard version of RATS, ratsv8_pro.exe for
the Professional version, and ratsdatav8.exe for RATSData), as wells as links to the PDF
files. They should also have information on where to find the examples and procedures.
You will probably want to limit clients to read-only access to the network directory containing
the RATS executable and auxiliary files. For this reason, we recommend that the default start-
up folder for RATS be set to a local directory, or else a network directory for which the user has
full access rights.
The default directory and othe preference settings are stored in the registry, under the hiearchy:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Estima\RATS\
The most important registry key is PATH, which sets the default directory. Users can set this and
other settings using the FilePreferences operation in RATS, or you can clone this and (if desired)
other registry settings to the client computers.
Client Installation
To install the WinRATS software on client computers rather than on the server, your options
include:
running (or having the users run) the setup program on the client machines (from a CD or
from an image of the disk stored on the network). See the comments above regarding custom-
izing the file locations.
using Group Policy to distribute the installation. See:
http://www.advancedinstaller.com/user-guide/tutorial-gpo.html
or Microsofts website for details.
running a silent or unattended installation from a command promptsee next page.
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Silent (Unattended) Installation
You can use the Microsoft MSIEXEC program to install RATS from a command prompt silently,
with no user interaction required. The command must be run with administrator privileges. One
way to do that is to right-click on the Command Prompt icon and select Run as Administra-
tor, and then type in the installation command in the command prompt window.
The basic form of the command is:
msiexec.exe /qn /i WinRATSStd800.msi PIDKEY=serialnumber
where serialnumber is the serial number for the RATS license being installed. For the Profes-
sional version, refer to the WinRATSPro800.msi package.
By default, this will install the RATS application and user files in the same locations mentioned
on page 3. If you want to use a different target for either or both sets of files, add the following
properties to the command prompt:
RUN_CUSTOM_ACTON=FALSE (required)
USER_FILES="location for user files"
APP_FILES="location for app files"
For example (the command should be typed all on one line):
msiexec.exe /qn /i WinRATSStd800.msi PIDKEY="serialnumber"
USER_FILES="C:\rats8\user" APP_FILES="C:\rats8\apps"
RUN_CUSTOM_ACTION=FALSE
replacing serialnumber with your six-character serial number
If you only want to install a specific component of the RATS package, use the syntax:
ADDLOCAL="feature"
The features you can choose from are:
RATSProgramFiles
Manuals
TextbookExamples
Paper_Replication_Examples
Procedures
Examples
AI64BitFiles (Pro version only, installs the 64-bit executable files)
To install multiple features, list the features separated by commas
msiexec.exe /qn /i WinRATSStd800.msi PIDKEY="serialnumber"
USER_FILES="C:\rats8\user" APP_FILES="C:\rats8\apps"
ADDLOCAL="RATSProgramFiles,Manuals" RUN_CUSTOM_ACTION=FALSE
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Section IV: Technical Support
Please contact us if you have any questions or problems. Please include your RATS serial num-
ber with any inquiries.
Estima
1560 Sherman Ave, Suite 510
Evanston, IL 60201
Web site: www.estima.com
E-mail (Support): support@estima.com
E-mail (Sales): sales@estima.com
Phone: 847-864-1910
Fax: 847-864-6221