Testing the Agent

After setting up the notifications for one or more operators, some simple tests should be done to verify that the Agent is functioning properly.  Set yourself up to be e-mailed or ‘net send’ for all shutdowns, printer errors, and critical errors for all printers (default).  Make sure that the LPS and the Agent are started and try one or more of the following to cause a notification transmission:

1.  Shut the LPS down.  A notification should go out if you have selected the ‘Server Shutdown’ notification (or by default).

2.  Create a PAS, CSV, or XML file with an intentional syntax error in it and place it in one of the scan directories.  This should generate a critical failure notification.

3.  Try turning off printers, unplugging their cables, etc.  This should generate a printer error notification when the next print request is made.

4.  Some printers generate an error if they are out of labels/or ribbon; others do not.  It is instructive to see whether notifications go out under these conditions for your particular printer.  (Chapter 2 and Appendix B of the LLM User’s Guide have information on printer error messages.)

If you get an E-mail Notification Warning (see below) when testing or configuring the Agent, the next section discusses adding a new mail account.

Figure 2-G: E-mail Notification Warning Message

Adding a New Mail Account for use with the Agent

To add a Mail account that does not use a .pst file (Personal Folder), first ask your Network Administrator to have a new mailbox configured on the Server, then:

1.  Click Start | Settings | Control Panel; double-click on Mail.

The Mail Setup dialog box is displayed if you have added profiles previously:

2.  Choose Show Profiles.

3.  Click Add.

4.  Choose the Information Service(s) you want to use.

5.  Type in a Profile Name (the one that the Administrator created); click Next.

6.  Type in the Name and Mailbox information; click Next.

Ask your Administrator for the name and mailbox information, if needed.

7.  Answer the question as to whether or not you travel; click Next.

8.  The dialog box displays “Done.”  Click Finish.

To confirm that the new mail account does not have personal folders, (.pst files) click on the new account, choose Properties.  “Personal Folders” should not be displayed in the list.  You may also check the mail account by going in to the LPS Configuration Utility and click on the Notification tab.  If the previous warning message is not displayed, then your e-mail for the Agent is configured correctly.  You may test the new mail account for the Agent and add the user by following the instructions outlined previously for the Configuration Utility Applet.

Adding a New Mail Account with Lotus Notes / Outlook 2000

1.  Install Microsoft Outlook 2000. 
During mail setup, choose to connect to third party e-mail programs.

2.  Install Lotus Notes Client (Version 5.02 recommended).

3.  Click Show Profiles from the Control Panel Mail icon.

4.  Click ADD a new profile; select Lotus Notes Mail.

5.  Type in LPS Agent for the Profile Name; click Next.

6.  Enter your Lotus Notes password.

A “Congratulations” dialog box is displayed.

7.  Click Next.  The “Done” dialog box is displayed with the installed services; click Finish.

8.  Remove any profiles not being used; choose LPS Agent as the default profile for Outlook.

9.  Configure the LPS Notification Agent.

10. Start the LPS Notification Agent interactively to verify MAPI logon.

Loftware Notification Agent with Microsoft Outlook 2002

Problem:

When attempting to run Loftware Notification Agent (LNA) as a service with Outlook 2002 as the mail client, e-mail notifications are not sent.

or…

When running LNA as a stand-alone executable, you receive the following warning message:

“A program is trying to access e-mail addresses you have stored in Outlook.  Do you want to allow this?  If this is unexpected, it may be a virus and you should choose ‘No.’”

If you click Yes, you receive the following message:

“A program is trying to automatically send e-mail on your behalf.  Do you want to allow this?”
If this is unexpected, it may be a virus and you should choose ‘No’.

Solution:

There are new security features installed by default with Microsoft Outlook 2002, which contain locked-down settings established by the Outlook security template.  In order to run the Loftware Notification Agent with Outlook 2002, you need to change the default Outlook security settings for the account configured to send notifications.

To enable custom security settings, your clients must be using Outlook with Microsoft Exchange Server and have either the Mailbox (MDB) or Offline folders (OST) as the default e-mail delivery location.  You cannot modify the settings if a client is using a local PST file for a mailbox.

Steps to Change the Default Security Settings:

Step 1 - Install the Outlook Security Features Administrative Package

1.  Run Admpack.exe from the \Files\PFiles\ORKTools\ORK10\Tools\Admpack\ folder on the Office Resource Kit CD.

2.  If you are installing the Outlook Security Features Administrative Package from an Office Premier Edition CD, the path is \ORK\Files\PFiles\ORKTools\ORK10\Tools\Admpack\.

3.  This executable copies four administrative files to a location you specify on your computer.  You can also download the file from Microsoft’s Website.

Step 2 - Create a public folder for the security settings

1.  Before you begin to modify the security settings, you must create a public folder named “Outlook Security Settings” or “Outlook 10 Security Settings” on Exchange Server.  The administrator must create this folder, using that exact name, in the root folder of the Public Folder tree.  You must set the folder Access Control Lists (ACLs) so all users can read all items in the folder.  However, only those users who you want to create or change security settings should have permission to create, edit, or delete items in the folder.

2.  If you want multiple users to be able to edit or create items, and if the list of users can change at anytime, then you must create a security group that includes all users who you want to be able to create or change security settings.  This security group should have owner permissions on the security folder.  After you create the folder, you can use the template to make the changes you need.

Step 3 - Install and register the Trusted Code control

1.  Copy the file Hashctl.dll from the working directory where you installed the Outlook security tools to the \windows\system32 folder on the PC running LNA.

2.  If your operating system is installed in a directory other than \windows, substitute the appropriate path name.

3.  From the Start menu, choose Run, then type the following command line in the box to register the control:

regsvr32 hashctl.dll

4.  Copy the file Comdlg32.ocx from your working directory to the \windows\system32 folder on the PC running LNA.

5.  Substitute the appropriate path name if your operating system is installed in a directory other than \windows.

6.  Choose Run from the Start menu, then type the following command line in the box to register the control:

regsvr32 comdlg32.ocx

Step 4 - Modify the default security settings for OutlookSecurity.oft

1.  On the computer where LNA operates, launch Outlook using the account that the Loftware Notification Agent uses to send E-mail notification.

2.  Open OutlookSecurity.oft from the working directory where you installed the Outlook security tools.

3.  When asked to select a folder, select the Outlook Security Settings or Outlook 10 Security Settings public folder that you created on Exchange Server.  The template then opens in compose mode.

4.  On the Tools menu of the template, point to Forms, and then click Publish Form.  (The folder selected should be your current folder, Outlook Security Settings or Outlook 10 Security Settings.)

5.  Define a Display Name and in the Form Name box, type Outlook Security Form.

6.  Click the Publish button to publish the security template in the Security Settings folder.

7.  Close the Outlook Security template.
(Do not save when prompted to save while closing the template.)

8.  Switch to Microsoft Outlook, click the drop-down arrow next to the New button on the toolbar, and select the Choose Form command from the list.

9.  Navigate to the template you just created in the previous steps then select the new template name and click the Open button.

10. Create either a default security setting or custom settings for a specific set of users.  You want to be sure that at least the mail account designated to send notifications with LNA is added here.

11. Click Default Security Settings for All Users to create a default security setting that is to be used by all users.

12. To create custom security settings for a specific set of users, click Security Settings for Exception Group, and then type a name in the Security Group Name box that describes the group.  In the Members box, type the name of each user who must have custom security settings.  Again, ensure that the account used with LNA is added here.  Adding users from the Contact Address Book is not supported.

13. Go to the Programmatic Settings tab. Change “When Sending Items via Simple MAPI” and “When resolving names via Simple MAPI” to automatically approve.  Click Close, then Save.