Symptoms

When the Solatech Window Covering Software is run from a network workstation it operates slowly.

Windows and lists that open quickly on the main system (the server) open slowly on the workstation.


Cause

This can be caused by a Windows network configuration that causes it to delay when resolving a

computer name to an IP address. Since the computer name is by default part of the SQL Server

instance name and the SQL Server instance name is used to access the database, there is a delay

while Windows resolves the computer name in order to find the SQL server.


Workaround

To workaround this you can tell SWCS to use the IP address of the server instead of the computer

name when it looks for the SQL Server instance. To do this you need to make a copy of the .psd file

for the company you are using and modify it to use the IP address of your server that hosts SQL

Server.


Make a copy of the .psd file

  1. Run SWCS.
  2. From the File menu, click File Manager.
  3. Select the File Type Companies.
  4. On the toolbar, choose the Open folder button (the folder icon at the far right). This will open Windows Explorer.
  5. Find and select the file that is the name of your company with a .psd extension. For example"My Company.psd".
  6. From the Edit menu, click Copy.
  7. From the Edit menu, click Paste.
  8. Select the new .psd file. For example "My Company - Copy.psd".
  9. From the File menu, click Rename.
  10. Rename the company by changing the word "Copy" to "Alternate".
  11. Don't close Windows Explorer, you'll need to stay here for the next step.


Determine the IP address of the server hosting SQL Server

  1. In Windows Explorer, select the new .psd file.
  2. Hold down the Shift key on the keyboard and right-click on the file. This will display a menu.
  3. Select 'Open With' and then click 'Choose Default Program'.
  4. Select Notepad and click OK.
  5. In the file that opens, locate the text between the words <Host> and </Host>. This is the SQL Server Instance name.
  6. The SQL Server Instance name is made up of a word followed by "\SOLATECHDB".
  7. Write down the portion of the SQL Server Instance name that is to the left of the \. For example, if the name is "server\SOLATECHDB" then write down "server". This is the computer name.
  8. Don't close Notepad yet as you'll need to update it next.
  9. Click Start, All Programs, Accessories, Command Prompt.
  10. Type "tracert computer name" where "computer name" is the word you wrote down in step 7. For example, "tracert server".
  11. Press Enter.
  12. A line of data will be displayed with an IP address at the end. The IP address is the four numbers between the brackets [ ]. For example [192.168.1.10]. Write this number down.
  13. Type Exit.


Update the .psd file to use the IP address

  1. Return to the .psd file you opened in Notepad.
  2. In the text between <Host> and </Host>, replace the portion to the left of the "\SOLATECHDB" with the IP address that you wrote down. For example, "<Host>server\SOLATECHDB</Host>" becomes "<Host>192.168.1.10\SOLATECHDB</Host>"
  3. From the File menu, click Save.
  4. Close Notepad.
  5. Now run SWCS.
  6. If a company automatically opens, close it by clicking File, Close Company.
  7. From the File menu, click Open Company.
  8. Choose the company with the word 'Alternate' on it.
  9. Click Open.


Note

  • If the IP address of the server changes you will need to update the .psd file with the new IP address.


Applies To:

  • Solatech Window Covering Software 4.2