Network Installation of LandView

Network Installation of LandView^®

The primary concern of this Help file is providing instructions for installing LandView data and map sets on a LAN (local area network) server. There are three associated Help files that provide background and insights into the process. The LandView 6 National DVD Help file provides background not only for copying files from the National release, but it similarly applies to installing files from LandView 6 on DVD, the 2-DVD (East/West) release of LandView 6. A LandView Help file, Alternate LandView Installations, provides instructions for installation of either format on a local harddrive. There are occasional users who are more restricted in their placement of files. To meet their needs, a Help article has been created in Unique Solutions, as Notes on LandView Installation Procedures.

There are two releases of LandView 6, and each is suitable for network installation. The first is The LandView 6 National DVD, actually a 2-DVD set. Unique to this release is that installation requires copying datasets from both DVDs. A second release is LandView 6 on DVD, also a 2-DVD set. However, here each DVD contains an independent dataset, and only one, either LandView East or LandView West, can be installed.

LandView Installation by the Network Administrator

Refer to The LandView 6 National DVD. That Help file describes the elements common to all installations of LandView data and map sets to either a LAN or a local drive. Basic is the concept that LandView as a data application and MARPLOT, its associated mapping application, each find their associated data or map files by different methodologies. An associated principle is that each methodology requires that its datasets be located at the root level of a drive available to all potential users.

For talking purposes, we will identify this drive as, R:\. Proper installation requires that, at the root level of the R:\ drive, there be two directories, r:\LV6 and r:\maps, and a free-standing file, r:\marplot.vnx.

For the LandView 6 on DVD release, the LV6 directory (from the selected LandView East or LandView West) can be copied directly to the R:\ drive. For The LandView 6 National DVD, the contents of the LV6 directories on both DVDs need to be copied to the R:\ drive.

From the selected DVD from LandView 6 on DVD, the complete Maps directory should be copied to R:\. However, as explained in The LandView 6 National DVD, the National LandView release does not include TIGER/Line map files, essential to LandView operation. The Help file explains the selection and installation procedure.

The marplot.vnx file provides instructions as to how MARPLOT finds its map files. As copied from the DVD, the file's instructions direct MARPLOT to the installation DVD. The first line of text within the file reads as, LV6. To redirect MARPLOT to the relocated maps, the first line of text needs to be changed to identify the containing drive by drive letter as, in this example, R:. Do not write this as R:\, as the backslash is included as part of the path statements in the following text.

An Install directory on the DVD should be made available to potential new users. Invoking Install will place the LandView application on a user workstation in a c:\lv6a directory. On opening the application, it is self-directed to the location of properly installed data and map sets. An appropriate location for the Install file would be nested in an Install directory in r:\LV6. For easier recognition, the file could be renamed as Install LandView.exe. The LandView file sets are voluminous; some data searches can be time consuming. If it becomes apparent that indexing of files is desirable, consult the Help file, Indexing LandView Files.

LandView 6 Installation to a Mapped Drive

If a LandView user has read/write privileges to a sub-directory on a LAN server of sufficient capacity, it is possible to create a new sub-directory, a suggested name--LV6 Data, and to use this directory as a container for the LandView data and map directories and the marplot.vnx file. This one time installation allows all LAN users, who can Map to this directory as an available LAN drive, to access these files. The original installer, in essence, assumes the role of LAN Administrator and is responsible for providing the installation procedure and instructions to additional users.

The Map to a Directory procedure may vary somewhat between Network systems, but the following approach is representative. Installation is as follows:

Create a LV6 Data directory, as above. Right-mouse clicking on the directory should display a mapping option. A mapping dialogue is as below. While the dialogue defaults to the first available drive, this may be overwritten to a drive letter known to be available to all users. It is important that options similar to those checked below be selected.

From an appropriate DVD or DVDs, proceed as above to create the two Directories, LV6 and MAPS, and the marplot.vnx file in the LV6 Data directory. Additionally, if other users are to access these data and map files, the Install directory should also be copied to LV6 Data.
As for an installation under the control of a Network Administrator, the marplot.vnx file needs to be redirected to the drive letter identifying the mapped drive.

For Each New User

The LandView application files need to be installed on each user workstation in the default directory, c:\lv6a. This may be from an automatic download of the application by IM support, or it can be by direct installation by the end user from a LAN available installation directory. The installation places a LandView shortcut icon on the Desktop, which opens the LandView application.

If LandView datasets are installed on a mapped drive, each new user needs to follow the above procedure for mapping to a drive, with the target directory being LV6 Data, or similarly named directory. Only the drive letter selected by the original installer can be used by secondary installers. If this drive letter is not available to all users, see Notes on LandView Installation Procedures.