Re: Millennium Create Lists and logins was RE: All Ports inUse when they are not

["Michele M. Morgan" <mmorgan@xxxxxxxxxx>]

We've been working with how the different create list settings (Admin,
Settings, Create Lists) take up user licenses and are having trouble
deciding on the best option for our libraries.

With the default setting (Don't wait for searches to complete) executing
a search does indeed take up 2 user licenses.  If one license is
available for the user to login to Millennium, they can specify search
criteria, but when they try to execute the search, they are told there
are too many users and all they can do is exit, losing whatever search
strategy they have just built.  We often have trouble in training
sessions where we have multiple users from each library.  If we have 3
users in a session, there need to be 6 available licenses in order for
each of them to be able to start a search.

The second setting (Wait for searches to complete) is more
straightforward in terms of its use of licenses in that it only takes up
one, and once you start a search, you can't do anything else in your
Millennium session.  Some users find it difficult to work with, however,
since once a search is running, the session can't be minimized using the
Minimize button in the window.  Programs can be opened around it, and it
can be minimized using other Windows tricks, but it's an annoyance.

The third option (Prompt to wait for searches to complete) works like
the default option until you run into your user license limit.  If you
have logged in with your remaining license, and try to start a search,
you will be prompted with:

"Sorry, there are too many users to launch search process.
Wait until search completes?
Yes, No" 

It's not ideal and we find the message confusing, but here, if you
answer Yes, your search is executed and occupies your Millennium session
until it finishes.  You don't lose your search strategy unless you
answer No.

We're leaning toward using the 3rd option, but it would be more
desirable if Millennium allowed the user to login and start a list using
one license, and only go looking for another license if the user
attempted to leave Create Lists and do other Millennium functions. 
We're planning on submitting this as an enhancement request.

Sheila Smart wrote:
> 
> I do know that the Manual says that there is a setting "Don't wait for
> searches to complete" and that is my preference as it allows us to perform
> other tasks, especially toggling to any other applications running on the
> PC at the same time.  What I didn't realise was that, even if I didn't
> chose that setting but chose the one "Wait for searches to complete"
> another login is opened while a search is being performed.  It may be that,
> being new to the Millenium Modules and not interpreting the manual
> accurately, I had misunderstood the situation but it seems that the
> responses from the list to the original problem show I am not the only one.
> 
> At 23-07-03 20:09 Wednesday, you wrote:
> >At 05:08 PM 07/23/2003 +0100, Sheila wrote:
> >>I've just tested this and find that it does, indeed use two ports.  I was
> >>not aware that this is what happens.  We are just starting to implement
> >>our Millenium Modules now and wish that this had been made clearer us as
> >>it will inevitably impact on how we arrange our procedures.
> >
> >
> >At the risk of being accused of being an evil tool of the dark side,
> >consider the following:
> >
> >(1)  In the character-based system, a login cannot perform additional
> >tasks while in Create Lists.  If you want to run a list and do something
> >else at the same time, you have to use two logins/licenses.
> >
> >(2)  In Millennium applications, being "in" Create Lists does not use an
> >additional login---an additional login is only used while the search is
> >being performed.  I suppose sorting might use a login, but listing and
> >showing records do not.
> >
> >(3)  Millennium applications (Phase 2+) have Create Lists settings which
> >can be altered to deal with local login situations.  We're currently
> >having a little problem with one of the settings so I can't provide
> >definitive evidence that all work as described, but according to the
> >manual, Mill Create Lists can be set to (a) wait for searches to complete
> >and use only one login (i.e., behave like the character-based system and
> >prohibit other activity);  or (b) allow other work to be performed while
> >the list is running (at the cost of use of an additional login (which is
> >indeed spelled out in the manual));  or (c) if all logins for a group are
> >in use, prompt the user to decide.  The default behavior is (b).  See Page
> ># 105323 of the R2002/P2 manual.
> >
> >
> >Bob Duncan
> >
> >
> >~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~
> >Robert E. Duncan
> >Systems Librarian
> >David Bishop Skillman Library
> >Lafayette College
> >Easton, PA  18042
> >duncanr@xxxxxxxxxx
> >http://www.library.lafayette.edu/
> >
> >--
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> 
> Regards
> 
> ******************************
> Sheila Smart
> Technical Systems Manager
> University of St Andrews Library
> North Street
> ST ANDREWS
> Fife  KY16 9TR
> 
> Tel: 01334 462316
> ******************************
> 
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-- 
Michele Morgan, Technical Assistant
North of Boston Library Exchange, Danvers Massachusetts
mmorgan@xxxxxxxxxx
Ph: 978-777-8844
Fax: 978-750-8472