pcAnywhere Command Queues - Feature Enhancement / Request

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theUtmost's picture

Hello

I am a long-time pcAw user (since v8. something - I forget exactly) with a couple of queries/suggestions on current functionality within pcAw, specifically around the management of Command Queues.

For the record, I have read all the help available, and searched online but there are few forum topics dealing with this area...

My current version of pcAw is v 12.1.0 build 446 , both at Host and Remote ends, and OS = WinXP Pro 32-bit
Yes, I am aware there is a new version, can anyone confirm whether the following requests for enhancements have been implemented in v12.5 (or newer to extend the "life" of this forum post)?

I would like to see:

1) When adding Remote items to a Command Queue, I should be able to add MULTIPLE existing remotes using Shift-select or CTRL-select methods.
It seems you can only add ONE at a time which is very slow when you have > 130 remotes you want to add to a given Command Queue !!!

2) Connection failures / individual "command per Remote" failures logged to the report
The "Generate Report" option on the Settings tab gives a woefully inadequate report.
The report does NOT even tell me which out of the > 130 Remote clients could not be connected to !! (I know there were some failures to connect because I watched the entire queue run).
This is a fairly major failing of the Command Queues - how can we reliably automate file copies etc if we cannot trap exceptions?

3) Some sort of overall progress / status display of a queue as it is running
Yes, I know the intention is that these Command Queues be run "unattended", but given the apparent issue 2) above I need to watch and try and figure out which ones didn't connect etc.
There is no visible list of which machines have been connected to and which have yet to be attempted which again makes tracking progress or trapping exceptions/failures very difficult.
I'm NOT asking for an accurate "time remaining" progress bar.
I realise that would be nearly impossible due to potential differing connection speeds to all of the remote clients and many other variables.
I'd just like to know:
  A) What is the CURRENT Remote being connected to (show the IP address or TAPI entry and Remote.CHF name)
  B) What is the NEXT remote in the Queue that will be connected to (IP address and Remote.CHF name)
  C) What was the PREVIOUS Remote in the Command Queue that was connected to (IP address, Remote.CHF name and maybe Windows machine name if succesful connection was made)
I'm thinking a fairly simple list, where previous entries are ticked green for succesful, crossed red for failure (full details would be in the log...) current item has a green blinking dot and pending/next entries in the list are grey.
Something like that would work well for me anyway :)

There was a 4) but I can't recall what it was right now...

I'd really love to hear from any Symantec employees on the above, but if any pcAw users out there have any useful tips or would like to put their oar in here you're most welcome!
Cheers,
theUtmost

ICHCB's picture

Here is what I know.

Solution

I have 12.5 sp1 the second release I guess of build 12.5 and here is what I know.

Q1.  NO still add them one at a time.

Q2.  Not sure I don't have the number of clients that you have, actually very few and Haven't seen the failures maybe I can simulate this and get back to you in a follow up.  (How ever logging in general didn't improve that much, but they did add a new feature under the help menu to help gather log files)

Q3. I would love to see your third one adoppted.  My use is minimal and only usually involves a task for one computer.  I will look at this next week with this quesiton in mind I can set up a Q for all of my machines and just put in a simple copy of a text file and make sure that one or 2 are off line to see what the logs look like and get back to you.

cheers.

"Don't worry about the world coming to an end today.
It is already tomorrow in Australia."
~Charles Schulz

theUtmost's picture

thanks

Thanks mate for your comments

Q2) Logging.
Yeah typical failures we have are due to simple telecomms issues/faults. If you could have a play to see what I mean I'd be most grateful.

Q3) Queue progress / status display.
I am curious then, if you only usually do a task for one computer, why you use the Command Queue at all?
Is it so you can schedule the queue for later eg afterhours?

Cheers,

ICHCB's picture

Symantec put up an Idea's section for new requests.

You should post this in the symantec Ideas section,  they have a new feature that allows for us to give them suggestions and then people can vote on them.  

"Don't worry about the world coming to an end today.
It is already tomorrow in Australia."
~Charles Schulz

theUtmost's picture

I will!

Yeah, I was coming to the realisation that's a better place for this.
It doesn't seem to be getting much interest here...
But then I haven't used this forum so I don't know how active to expect it to be!
Anyone finds this, please look for it & vote under the Ideas section :)
Cheers,
tU