The following sections describe some specialized ways to configure the Messenger client software:
Section 3.6.1, Using the Configuration File (setup.cfg) When Installing the Windows Messenger Client
Section 3.6.2, Using Startup Switches When Starting the Messenger Client
Section 3.6.3, Using URL Commands in Your Web Browser on Windows
Section 3.6.4, Changing the Messenger Server IP Address and Port Number
The Messenger configuration file (setup.cfg) controls how the Windows Messenger client software is installed by client users. It includes the following sections and parameters:
After you change information in the setup.cfg file, you must delete the nvlmsgr.exe file, then stop and restart the Messaging Agent so that it re-creates the nvlmsgr.exe file with the new configuration information. The new configuration information then applies the next time users install or update their client software.
The [NMSetup] section of the setup.cfg file enables you to control the options the Messenger client Installation program presents to the user during installation.
Specify the path where you want the Installation program to install the client software.
Specify the item on the > menu where you want the Messenger client to appear. For example, you can specify Novell Messenger.
By default, the check box on the Setup Complete page is selected. Specify No if you want it deselected by default when the user installs the client software.
By default, the check box on the Setup Complete page is selected. Specify No if you want it deselected by default when the user installs the client software.
By default, the check box on the Setup Complete page is selected. Specify No if you want it deselected by default when the user installs the client software.
By default, the Messenger client starts when Windows starts. Specify No if you don’t want it to start when Windows starts. Users then need to use the desktop icon to start the Messenger client.
Defaults to the IP address of the server where the Messaging Agent is installed. If you move the Messaging Agent to a different server, update this information to match. See Changing the Messenger Server IP Address and Port Number.
Defaults to 8300. Specify a different port number if the default port number is already in use on the server. See Changing the Messenger Server IP Address and Port Number.
If you change the server address or port information, specify No if you want existing Messenger client installations to continue using the original server address and/or port while new Messenger client installations use the updated server and/or port information. Specify Yes for both existing and new installations to use the updated information.
If you do not set ForceAddressAndPort=Yes after changing the server address and port information, users need to use the /ipa and /ipp client startup switches to manually provide this information when they start the Messenger client or they need to update the Address and Port values of the \HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Novell\Messenger\Login key in the Windows registry. Using the ForceAddressAndPort=Yes parameter makes life much easier for users. They are prompted to update their client software and the address and port information is automatically changed for them.
By default, the Messenger client uses its own custom color scheme. Specify Yes to use standard Windows colors instead.
This setting controls whether the user sees the Remember Password option during the initial login to the client.
The default setting displays the Remember Password option on the Messenger Login window. Setting ShowRememberPassword to No causes the Remember Password option to not display during the initial login.
After the initial login, this option is controlled by its setting in ConsoleOne.
The [Languages] section of the setup.cfg file enables you to control what languages are selected by default on the Language Selection page. Specify Yes for a language that you want selected by default. Specify No for each language that you want deselected by default. For example:
ChineseSimplified=No Chinese=No Czech=No BrazilianPortuguese=No Danish=No Dutch=No English=Yes Finnish=No French=Yes German=Yes ...
If you suppress the Language Selection page, all selected languages are automatically installed on users' workstations.
The [Show Dialogs] section of the setup.cfg file enables you to control what interactions take place when users install the Messenger client for the first time. If you choose to suppress a page, use the corresponding parameter in the [NMSetup] section to provide the information that the Installation program needs from the suppressed page.
Specify Yes for a completely non-interactive installation of the Messenger client. Provide all required information in the [NMSetup] section.
Specify No to suppress the Choose Destination Location page during installation. Make sure you have set the Path= parameter to the location where you want the client software to be installed on users' workstations.
Specify No to suppress the Select Program Folder page during installation. Make sure you have set the ProgramFolder= parameter to the item on the > menu where you want the Messenger client to appear.
Specify No to suppress the Language Selection page during installation. Make sure you have specified Yes for each language in the [Languages] section that you want to be installed on users' workstations.
Specify No to suppress the Setup Complete page at the end of the installation. If you suppress this page, users cannot review the Messenger client Readme. Make sure you have set the LaunchNow= and IconOnDesktop= parameters to control whether the client starts automatically and whether users have desktop icons to start the client.
In general, Messenger client users do not need to be concerned with startup switches. However, they can learn about client startup switches by looking up “startup options” in Messenger online help. The client startup switches are summarized below as a reference for administrators:
Starts the Messenger client without displaying the main window. By default, the client displays its main window on the desktop.
Specifies the name of a file containing Messenger contacts to import. The file is created in the Messenger client by using > . The .nmx extension identifies the file as a Messenger contacts file. If the contacts file is not in the same directory where the client software is located, you must provide a full pathname.
Specifies your presence at the time of login. The possible values are Away, Busy, and Offline. Online is the default status if no initstatus argument is specified.
Specifies the IP address or DNS hostname of the server where the Messaging Agent is running.
|
Windows Messenger Client |
Linux/Mac Messenger Client |
|---|---|---|
|
Syntax: |
/ipa-network_address |
-ipa network_address |
|
Example: |
/ipa-172.16.5.18 /ipa-nmserver |
-ipa 172.16.5.19 -ipa nmserver2 |
On Windows, the Messenger user does not need to be aware of this information because the Messenger server Installation program adds the network address and port information to the setup.cfg file that it installs into the \novell\nm\ma\software\client\win32 directory. When the user downloads the client software and installs it, the Messenger client Installation program reads the server information in the setup.cfg file and updates the Windows registry of the user's workstation with the information necessary for the Messenger client to start. This startup switch, as well as the /ipp switch, are only needed to override the server information automatically stored in the registry.
Specifies the port number on which the Messaging Agent listens for service requests. By default, the port number is 8300.
Overrides the current ping interval at which the Messenger client notifies the Messaging Agent that it is still active. The default interval is every 10 minutes or as specified by the Messaging Agent /keepalive startup switch. This regular communication between the Messaging Agent and the client prevents firewalls and routers from disconnecting connections that seem to be inactive. You can decrease the interval if a specific client user keeps getting unexpectedly disconnected. Use a setting of 0 (zero) to turn off the ping activity.
Specifies the language to start the Messenger client in. By default, Messenger starts in the language of the operating system, if it is available. If the operating system language is not available, Messenger starts in English, but after it has started, you can choose a different language using > > .
For the Windows client, this language is saved in the Windows registry and is used as the default thereafter. For the Cross-Platform client, it is saved in the Java preferences file for Messenger (~/.java/.userPrefs/Novell/Messenger/prefs.xml on Linux and ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.java.util.prefs.plist on Macintosh).
|
Windows Messenger Client |
Linux/Mac Messenger Client |
|---|---|---|
|
Syntax: |
/l language_code |
-l language_code |
|
Example: |
/l-ru |
-l de |
Use one of the following language codes with the /l switch to select the language for Messenger:
Table 3-1 Messenger Language Codes
Specifies the username to log in to your Messenger system with.
|
Windows Messenger Client |
Linux/Mac Messenger Client |
|---|---|---|
|
Syntax: |
/u-username /@u-username |
-username /@username |
|
Example: |
/u-LTanaka /@u-SJones |
-u MPalu -@u GSmith |
For the Windows client, the user's initial successful login is stored in the Windows registry and is used as the default thereafter. If multiple users regularly need to run Messenger from the same workstation, you could set up a shortcut on the desktop using the /u startup switch for each user. Within Messenger, one user can log out and another log in using > > as a Different User.
For the Cross-Platform client, the user information is saved in the Java preferences file for Messenger (~/.java/.userPrefs/Novell/Messenger/prefs.xml on Linux and ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.java.util.prefs.plist on Macintosh).
You can use URL commands in Web pages add applications to make specific Windows Messenger client dialog boxes appear from those locations. Some URL commands take parameters. Use a question mark (?) between the command and the parameter. Use an ampersand (&) between multiple parameters.
The following URL commands are available:
Starts Messenger.
Opens the Send Instant Message dialog box so you can select a contact, or opens the Conversation dialog box, if you use parameters to specify a contact and, optionally, a message.
Syntax:
nim:startIm nim:startIm?username=username nim:startIm?username=username&message=message
Example:
nim:startIm nim:startIm?username=LTanaka nim:startIm?username=LTanaka&message=Good+morning
Use a plus (+) between words in the message. The message must not include spaces.
See also nim:invite.
Opens the Find dialog box so you can search for a new contact, or adds the specified contact to the specified folder in the Messenger main window, if you use parameters to specify a contact and, optionally, a folder.
Syntax:
nim:addContact nim:addContact?username=username nim:addContact?username=username&Folder=folder_name
Example:
nim:startIm nim:startIm?username=LTanaka nim:startIm?username=LTanaka&foldername=Team+Members
If the folder name consists of more than one word, use a plus (+) between words instead of a space.
Opens the Import Contact List dialog box so you can browse to and select a .nmx file, or immediately imports the contacts from the file into the Messenger main window, if you use a parameter to specify the .nmx file.
Syntax:
nim:import
nim:import?filename=filename
Example:
nim:import nim:import?filename=c:\temp\contacts.nmx
Equivalent to nim:startIm.
Opens the Options dialog box.
Closes the Messenger main window but does not exit the Messenger client.
Opens the Messenger main window after it has been closed.
Exits Messenger.
When you install and start the Messaging Agent, it creates the nvlmsgr.exe file that users download in order to install the Messenger client. The information in this file includes the IP address of the server where the Messaging Agent is installed and the port number on which it listens for requests from Messenger clients so that users do not need to concern themselves with this information. If you need to move the Messaging Agent to a different server, so that it is using a different IP address and possibly port, each client installation needs to be updated with the new information.
Install, configure, and start the Messaging Agent on the new Messaging Agent server.
Edit the setup.cfg file in the following directory on the original Messaging Agent server:
\novell\nm\ma\software\client\win32
Scroll down to the ServerAddress= line and provide the new IP address.
On the ServerPort= line, provide a new port number if necessary.
On the ForceAddressAndPort= line, specify Yes so that all client installations and updates receive the new information.
Save and exit from the setup.cfg file.
Stop the Messaging Agent on the original server.
Delete the nvlmsgr.exe file from the following directory on the original server:
\novell\nm\ma\software\client\win32
Start the Messaging Agent again on the original server.
This creates a new nvlmsgr.exe file and, if you are using the auto-update feature as described in Setting Up Auto-Update, the clients automatically install the updated version of the client software, which includes the new address and port information. When the updated clients start, they connect to the Messaging Agent on the new server.